High school track preview: The top 30 Boise-area athletes to watch this spring
March serves as a tuneup for the Treasure Valley’s high school track and field athletes. It gives everyone a chance to dust off the cobwebs, find their form and set their sights on the finish line in May.
But insights are available for those looking closely. The Boise area is filled with powerhouse programs, Division I prospects and a handful of athletes gunning for the state record book.
Below are the top boys and girls to keep an eye on this spring. They are not ranked in order; they are grouped by classification and sorted alphabetically by school.
TOP GIRLS TO WATCH
Allie Bruce, Boise: She spent her freshman season finishing second to teammate Sammy Smith in the 1,600 and 3,200. But she started her sophomore year capturing the 5A state cross country title. The teammates will surely battle for supremacy again.
Logan Smith, Boise: Her future may lie with Stanford soccer, but the senior is also part of the Brave’s deep stable of distance runners. She earned three first-place medals a year ago, including an individual 800 title (2:11.68) and relay titles in the 4x400 and 4x800.
Sammy Smith, Boise: Her dominating freshman season included four first-place medals at state and Gatorade athlete of the year awards in both cross country and track. She’s yet to run this season as she wraps up a globe-trotting ski season, and she’s a prospect for the U-17 national soccer team. Whenever she returns, the younger Smith sister instantly becomes one of the state favorites in every distance event.
Gracie Strickland, Capital: Multiple Division I schools are after the reigning 5A state shot put champ, Capital coach Bryan Stith said. She broke 40 feet twice last year, including a throw of 40-3 at state. She’s already sniffing the threshold again.
Asia Lawyer, Centennial: It took Megan Rose’s all-class record of 12.02 seconds to deny Lawyer a 100-meter state title. The defending 5A runner-up enters as the heavy favorite to climb the podium this time. Look for her to contend in the 200 as well.
Kaila Mederios, Meridian: The senior cruised to a 5A long jump state title at 18-5.25 — 7 inches ahead of second place. She also took third in the triple jump (35-6.5). The first- and second-place finishers in that event are also back, setting up an intriguing season.
Jacoba Luteyn, Bishop Kelly: A 4A state runner-up in both the shot put and discus by a combined 3 inches, the senior has easily surpassed those marks this spring. She broke a 38-year-old school record in the shot put when her first throw of the season landed at 40-10.
Tatum Richards, Emmett: She broke the all-class state meet pole vault record as a sophomore at 12 feet, 8 inches. But the junior is not stopping there. She bested that mark by topping 12-10 twice in the offseason. And she’s also a threat in the 100 hurdles, earning fifth place last year.
Danika Hartman, Nampa: The junior took third in the 4A long and triple jumps last season. Then she turned heads with a long jump of 19-7 in June. That would have edged the all-class state meet record of 19-6.75.
Emma Hillam, Fruitland: The reigning 3A state champ in the 1,600 and 3,200 returns to defend those titles. But the Utah State signee also has some unfinished business after finishing second in the 800 by 0.46 seconds. She could make it 3-for-3 in the distance events this year.
Lydia Lindsey, Fruitland: The freshman announced herself as a statewide contender in his first high school meet last week, clearing 5-4 in the high jump. Only five girls across the entire state topped that mark a year ago.
Katie Compas, Parma: Her future may lie in volleyball, where she has committed to Utah State Eastern. But first, she has a 3A state high jump title to defend after clearing 5-2 at Middleton. She topped 5 feet at every meet a year ago.
Sydney Denison, Payette: The senior’s 3A state championship-winning triple jump of 36-5.5 would have won every state meet a year ago. She also brought home medals in the pole vault (third) and long jump (fourth).
Kendall Clark, Melba: A knee injury hampered her performance at the 2A state meet last year. But she still finished second in the triple jump at 35-8 after turning in the best jump in the state in any classification last year (37-1).
Meya Young, Melba: She made an impressive debut performance as a sophomore, winning a 2A state title in the long jump (17-4.25) and silver medals in the 100, 4x100 and 4x200. She’s out to turn those silvers into gold.
TOP BOYS TO WATCH
Mason Lawyer, Boise: The Washington State signee returns to defend his 200 5A state title (21.67), but don’t expect him to stop there. He’ll contend in the 100 and 400 after finishing sixth and third, respectively, in those events at state last year.
Liam Murray, Boise: The Dartmouth commit broke the 50-second barrier in the 400 five times last season, including a 48.54-second time for the 5A state title. Five of the top eight finishers in the 400 all return, providing him plenty of competition.
Jacob Webster, Centennial: The junior already broke the 11-second barrier in the 100 with a 10.98 finish in a dual with Boise. He’s also a contender in the 200, where he finished sixth at the 5A state meet last year.
Barrett Davis, Eagle: The reigning 5A state long jump champ (22-5) returns to defend his crown. He’s also the defending runner-up in the triple jump behind Meridian’s Eli Lawrence. And watch for him to contend in the 100, too.
Eli Lawrence, Meridian: The two-time 5A state champ in the triple jump enters as the heavy favorite for another first-place finish. He topped 48 feet four times last year before needing jumps of 46-0.5 and 46-3.5 to cruise to district and state titles.
Noah Peterson, Meridian: The senior was one of the last to qualify for state last season after finishing eighth in the pole vault at district. Then he uncorked a vault of 15-6 for the state title. He won’t sneak up on anyone this year.
Cole Miller, Bishop Kelly: The junior took first in two events (triple jump, 4x100 relay) and second in two more (high jump, long jump) at last year’s state meet. With a triple jump of 46-3 and a high jump of 6-2 to start the year, he remains a threat for four gold medals.
James Onanubosi, Bishop Kelly: The 4A 100-meter record holder also broke the record in the 200 last year but finished second in the event. The Arizona signee returns seeking that elusive 200 title and another spot in the record books.
Landon Helms, Emmett: If not for a lost coronavirus season, the Texas A&M signee might be gunning for his fourth state title in both the pole vault and 110 hurdles. He already owns the 4A state meet pole vault record (15 feet, 6 inches). The all-class record (16-6) could soon fall.
Trais Higgins, Nampa: The future Idaho wide receiver wraps up his high school career on the oval. He took third in the 4A long jump (21-7.5) a year ago and brought home a second-place medal as part of the Bulldogs’ 4x100 relay.
Cace Lewis, Payette: The senior swept the 3A district titles in the high, long and triple jumps. He then brought home a second-place state medal in the high jump based on the number of attempts, a fate he’ll try to avenge this year.
McKoy Richardson, Melba: The junior tripped over the final hurdle and still came home with the 2A 300 hurdles title last spring at 40.46 seconds. He’s a medley relay champ, second-place finisher in the 4x400 relay and third-place medalist in the high jump, so the only question that remains is which events he will focus on.
Grady Mylander, Nampa Christian: The Utah State signee set 2A state meet records in the 1,600 and 3,200 while also finishing first in the 800. He also turned in the fastest time in any division at the state cross country meet last fall, setting the stage for a monster senior season.
Carter Woodland, Notus: The 1A WIC’s offensive football player of the year also dominates on the track. He earned three state medals a year ago, including first place in the triple jump (42-3), third place in the long jump (19-11.75) and fifth place in the 100 (11.57).
Ian Stockett, Victory Charter: He swept the 1A 1,600 and 3,200 titles last year as a sophomore. Now the reigning state cross country champ has his eyes set on the 1A state meet record in the 1,600 (4:22.50).
KEY DATES
The top meets in the Treasure Valley this spring.
- April 16: Boise Relays at Dona Larsen Park
- April 22: Patriot Invite at Centennial
- April 29-30: YMCA Invite at Mountain View
- May 5: Boise City Championship at Bishop Kelly
- May 5: Gary Gorrell Twilight Classic at Eagle
- May 6: Canyon County “Moke Strong” Championship at Ridgevue
- May 12-13: 5A District Three meet at Kuna
- May 13-14: 4A District Three Meet at Ridgevue
- May 20-21: 5A/4A state meet at Dona Larsen Park; 3A/2A/1A state meet at Middleton
