16 high school track and field athletes to watch this spring

Bishop Gorman won its second straight boys track and field championship in 2019 and still has a strong contingent led by Zion Branch. The Centennial girls have won nine consecutive state crowns but will have to wait until next year to defend their state title because there are no state championships.

Athletes to watch

Boys

Zion Branch, Bishop Gorman: The junior placed second in the triple jump and third in the 110 hurdles in the 2019 Class 4A state meet.

Anthony Egnor, Cheyenne: The junior qualified for the 2019 Mountain Region meet in the 800, also expected to be a strong contender in the 400.

Noah Espeleta, Arbor View: The junior qualified for the 2019 Mountain Region meet in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200.

Justin Johnson, Durango: The senior has posted times of 10.9 in the 100 and 22.3 in the 200.

Daniel Krynzel, Green Valley: The senior finished second in the discus in the 2019 Class 4A state meet, also qualified in the shot put.

Noah Norris, Centennial: The senior was the 2019 Class 4A state champion in the 800 and ran on the winning 3,200 relay and runner-up 1,600 relay teams.

Branden Smith, Cimarron-Memorial: The senior ran 22.5 in the 2020 UNLV Invitational, also competes in the 100.

Ashton Zaidi, Coronado: The senior finished fifth in the pole vault in the 2019 Class 4A state meet.

Girls

Grace Cunningham, Silverado: The senior was the 2019 Class 4A state champion in the high jump and finished fifth in the state in the long jump, ran on the 800 relay team that placed third and the 400 relay team that was eighth.

Ajanae Cressey, Sierra Vista: The senior finished fourth in the long jump, fifth in the triple jump, fifth in the 100 hurdles and eighth in the 300 hurdles in the 2019 Class 4A state meet.

Olivia Garcia, Cimarron-Memorial: The junior finished fifth in the 2019 Class 4A state meet 1,600, also competes in the 800 and 3,200.

Toni Mack, Silverado: The senior finished second in the 2019 Class 4A state meet in the triple jump.

Aja Melo-Powell, Spring Valley: The senior finished fifth in the 100 at the 2019 Class 4A state meet.

Erin Thompson, Faith Lutheran: The senior finished second at the 2019 Class 4A state meet in the high jump.

Alayna Varner, Silverado: The senior finished fourth in the 400 at the Class 4A state meet, also qualified in the 200.

Hannah Watson, Moapa Valley: The senior was the Class 3A state champion in the pole vault, second in the long jump and third in the 100 hurdles and triple jump at the 2019 state meet.

Contact Jason Orts at jorts@reviewjournal.com. Follow @SportsWithOrts on Twitter.