LAKEWOOD – Forty feet was the goal for Falcon junior Kiah Hicks.

She’d never eclipsed the mark in competition – “All season I’ve been like 39-9, 39-2,” she said – and as the shot put left her hand on her second attempt Friday afternoon at the Colorado Track and Field State Championships, she didn’t think it would reach the magic mark.

But it continued to climb and fly, and it finally landed at 40-11.25. Hicks jumped and shouted in celebration.

“Excitement,” she said of the moment. “I just wanted to run around.”

It was a personal best, a school record and – though her competitors had multiple remaining chances – it secured the 4A state championship.

Hicks, who finished second at the state meet last year, beat out several area competitors – Sierra senior Elizabeth Robertson (39-9.5), Harrison senior Alyssa Mlodzik (38-11.75) and Woodland Park senior Laura Daily (38-5.25) finished second through fourth, respectively.

Hicks’ title was part of a big day for the Colorado Springs area in 4A and 5A competition.

Standout sophomore GinAsia Hamilton dazzled in her events. As the anchor leg on Fountain-Fort Carson’s 5A girls’ 800 relay team, she overcame a significant deficit to give the Trojans the title in a school-record time of 1:39.88. Then, in the 200, she took the lead down the stretch and won with a time of 24.15. F-FC also won the 800 sprint medley (1:45.61), while Harrison won the 4A girls’ sprint medley (1:48.64).

Cheyenne Mountain senior Kita Alvares won the 4A girls’ 100 hurdles in a personal-record time of 14.42 seconds, and Wasson senior Trevor Brown won the 4A boys’ 110 hurdles in 13.85. Brown, who has one of the top 10 times nationally in the 110 hurdles, also placed second in the triple jump.

Two of the day’s best races featured area runners battling to the finish line. In the 4A boys’ 800, Widefield junior Boris Berian held off hard-charging Canon City senior Tabor Stevens to win the event. Berian posted a 1:53.43, just .04 in front of Stevens, who moved from sixth to second in the final 200 meters.

And in the 5A boys’ 200, Doherty senior Kenny Chambers ran a 21.30, barely edging F-FC sophomore Markesh Woodson (21.37). The victory gave Chambers his first state title, but he made sure to congratulate Woodson after the race, giving him a hug and words of encouragement.

“I told him I wasn’t running near as fast as him when I was his age,” the Missouri-bound Chambers said.

Coronado senior Travvis Scott won the 5A boys’ high jump, clearing 6-10. ThunderRidge senior Dave Day also cleared 6-10, but Scott won because he had fewer misses. And Doherty junior Kelsey English won the 5A girls’ high jump by clearing 5-8.

Mesa Ridge junior Kadeshia Rose made a comeback to capture the 4A girls’ 200 and will have a big Saturday, competing in the 100, 400 and 400 relay.

On Thursday, Doherty’s Jaden Terry won the discus (177-1), just ahead of F-FC’s Jamarius Mathis (176-6).

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