After qualifying three athletes to the state championships last spring, the Summit High School track and field team is looking to qualify more athletes this season.

Last season, Dom Remeikis, Ella Hagen and Emily Koetteritz all competed at the 2022 Class 4A state championship meet. 

Koetteritz placed 18th in the girls long jump, while Remeikis and Hagen competed in several distance events. As a junior, Remeikis placed 11th in the boys 800-meter run, and Hagen placed sixth in the girls 1600-meter run and third in the 3200-meter run as a freshman.

With 79 athletes on this year’s roster, the team is full of talent and will look to work together to receive more qualifications.

Among them are several female sprinters and field event athletes hoping to punch their tickets to the state meet. 

While splitting her time between track and soccer, junior Ella Snyder plans use her raw speed and power to place well at the meets she has time to compete in. Juniors Luci Brady and Shannon Reed will join Snyder in using their skillsets from other sports — like Alpine skiing and volleyball — this track season.

“I think our relays are going to be a lot better this year,” Reed said. “We have more talented underclassmen this year. Last year we didn’t have many people for relays.”

Juniors Cam Fox and Jackson Archambault also plan to make a case for state. Both are highly athletic, dual-threat athletes who are hoping to break into at least the top-20 of the rankings. Fox, who specializes in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles, is entering his season ranked 13th among 4A’s top returning 110-meter boy’s hurdlers.

“I would like to make it to state this year,” Fox said. “I mean I already have a spot, but have to get into the (15-second range) if I truly want to secure that spot and hopefully I place.”

Archambault will look to translate his explosive speed on the gridiron to the track. Competing in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, relays, the long jump and the high jump, Archambault is hopeful that he can improve upon his marks from last season.

“I am hoping to really bring down my 400 time, my goal is sub-50 (seconds),” Archambault said. “I want the school record.” 

In the distance events, Summit will be led by last year state qualifiers Remeikis and Hagen.

With his final track season about to begin, Remeikis feels sentimental about the last four years, but he is also extremely motivated to qualify again in all the individual distance events this year.

“It’s my senior year, so I am definitely looking to enjoy the rest of it,” Remeikis said. “… Last year I finished on a high note, so I want to carry that momentum and do the same this year, but (qualify for state) in the 1600 and 3200 as well.” 

For Hagen, it is almost a given that she will perform well. Hagen is the reigning 4A state champion in cross-country, and she is also one of the top returning track distance runners in the 4A classification. 

Hagen is looking forward to topping her third and sixth place finishes at state last year while competing alongside her team. 

“We have a tight distance crew and team,” Hagen said, I want to see what we can throw down.”

The distance squad of the track team will be filled out by sophomore Joshua Shriver, sophomore Will Bentley, freshman Lauren McCalla and freshman Claire Jackson

Ultimately, the large roster is focused on having a hard-working and supportive atmosphere at practices and meets. 

“There are a lot of new runners here,” senior leader Liam Dalzell said. “I am really hoping to teach all the new runners about form, starts, relays — all sorts of stuff, mainly being a leader and bringing everyone closer as a team, really enjoying the sport all together.”

Head coach Kristy McClain and the rest of the coaching staff are hoping that this all will lead to the development of a well-rounded team. 

The Tigers’ track and field team is scheduled to start its season on Saturday, March 11, at the Columbine Invitational at Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood. The meet will allow most of the team to get a shot at their events for the first time this season and hopefully compete in some warmer Front Range weather.

The meet is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m.