Explosive Elizabeth senior Mason Anthony wins long-awaited gold at state
LAKEWOOD – Elizabeth senior Mason Anthony got to know the ins and outs of the Jefferson County Stadium podium over three trips and a handful of strong finishes at the state track and field meet, but the top step remained a mystery until Thursday.
Anthony climbed to the top of the pyramid after the first event, long jump, of his final state meet. His winning leap of 22 feet, 9 inches bested Jefferson Academy’s Zace Buckhold by 3.25 inches and erased the pain of close calls from the previous three years.
“It’s great,” Anthony said. “I’ve been waiting four years to finally get on the first-place podium instead of the second-place podium (spot).”
Anthony was joined in the event by classmate Reece Ullery. Ullery just missed the podium, finishing 11th at 20-10.25, but won in a different way.
“Considering he came back from ankle surgery that he had in November on his primary jumping foot is impressive,” Cardinal coach Colin Lyons said.
After his win, Anthony heightened expectations for the rest of his meet. When he was done in the pit, he took the track where he logged the top preliminary time in the 110-meter hurdles at 14.66 seconds. Now, he’s eyeing meet records in both hurdles races.
“If I can do that, I’ll be happy,” Anthony said.
Lyons has watched as Anthony, who plans to run at UCCS next year, reaped the benefits of a more committed approach after his freshman year.
“You could tell sophomore year, junior year and now senior year,” Lyons said. “He’s just kept on progressing very well each year.”
Now, the explosive kid from Elizabeth is considering being a multi-event athlete when he becomes a Mountain Lion in the fall. That would include throws and distance.
“He’s an extremely talented kid,” Lyons said. “He’s all-around. He’s got speed. He’s got power.”
As Anthony tells it, he’s also matured mentally. The results earned him his first gold at state, and if things keep up, it might not be his last trip to the top of the podium.
“It definitely makes me less nervous, just to get it out of the way and realize that if I don’t think about it too much and just do what I need to do, I’ll be fine,” Anthony said. “Last year, the year before, I would get so nervous, overthink everything, but now I’ve finally got to the point where I just realized I know how to do what I need to do.”
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Mason Anthony, senior at Elizabeth High School, stands at the top of the podium after placing first in the long jump during the 2019 Colorado State Track and Field Tournament at the Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood, Colorado. (Photo by Katie Klann, The Gazette)
Mason Anthony, senior at Elizabeth High School, competes in the long jump during the 2019 Colorado State Track and Field Tournament at the Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood, Colorado. (Photo by Katie Klann, The Gazette)
Mason Anthony, senior at Elizabeth High School, competes in the long jump during the 2019 Colorado State Track and Field Tournament at the Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood, Colorado. (Photo by Katie Klann, The Gazette)
Mason Anthony, senior at Elizabeth High School, stands at the top of the podium after placing first in the long jump during the 2019 Colorado State Track and Field Tournament at the Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood, Colorado. (Photo by Katie Klann, The Gazette)