With the CHSAA State Track and Field Championships starting next weekend, all the athletes are asking the same question: Who’s going to qualify for state?

The Ignacio and Bayfield track and field teams have their fair share of athletes who may make the trip to Denver on May 16, 17, and 18 at Jeffco Stadium in Denver. There are also quite a few Bobcats and Wolverines who have a few seconds or a couple of inches sitting between them and a coveted top 18 state qualifying spot. Here is a list of all the athletes who are currently qualified and everyone who has a bit of work to do to.

Ignacio:

Boys 110 meter hurdles: Lincoln DeKay

The sophomore’s season-best time of 16.36 seconds is good for ninth place in the 2A division.

Boys 300 hurdles: Lincoln DeKay

DeKay’s hurdling skills have also earned him the 14th spot in 2A in the 300 hurdles, with a time of 43.40.

Boys 4x400

The Bobcat boys are currently the last team qualified, with their time of 3 minutes, 42.16 seconds being 18th-best in 2A.

Boys 4x800

Ignacio’s 4x800 is slightly more secure in the top 18 than its 4x400, with its 8:51.81 time having the Bobcats ranked 13th.

Girls high jump: Samantha Riddell

The sophomore’s 4-10 jump is ranked 16th.

The Bobcats have a slew of athletes who are just barely outside of the top 18.

Boys 400, 800 and 1600: Cayson Burcham

Burcham’s 400 time of 52.70 is the 19th-best in 2A and the freshman is just 0.03 seconds away from qualification.

He also has the 22nd-best time in the 800, with his 2:06.16 being 1.25 seconds away from the top 18.

Burcham also has an outside shot in the 1600, as his 4:53.93 time has him at 27th place, 6.25 seconds away from earning a trip to state.

Boys pole vault: Zane Pontine

The sophomore vaulter is currently ranked 23rd with a vault of 10-3. He needs to jump a foot higher to qualify for state.

Girls 800, 1600, long jump, triple jump and pole vault: Maci Barnes

Barnes could theoretically go to state for five events. However, she is currently qualified in just one.

The senior’s jump of 31-9 in triple jump has her in 18th place in 2A.

Barnes’s time of 2:32.86 in the 800 is number 20, and she needs to trim off 1.05 seconds to be in. She is also 23rd in the 1600, with a time of 5:49.65. If she can shave 6.91 seconds, she’ll qualify.

A long jump mark of 15-5 has her in 19th place, tied with two other jumpers. Finding an extra inch will ensure she qualifies. Barnes also has a chance in pole vault, with her 7-8 performance being good for 25th in 2A.

Bayfield:

The Wolverines are also in good shape to send some athletes to state, although they compete in the 3A class, as opposed to Ignacio’s 2A status. Similar to Ignacio, they have a collection of athletes on the bubble, who need just a bit more to earn the right to compete in Denver. First, the athletes who are currently qualified:

Boys high jump: Tanner Neeley

The sophomore jumper is currently ranked 11th in 3A, with a jump of 6-1.

Boys shot put and discus: Gabriel Archuleta

The senior Wolverine is their strongest representative, with top 10 marks in both shot put and discus. In shot put, his mark of 46-9.5 is seventh-best. In discus, his throw of 152-5 is good for fifth place.

Girls 200: Vivien Clance

The freshman runner’s time of 27.20 is the number 18 time in 3A.

The Wolverines also have several hopefuls who aren’t currently in, but have a shot:

Boys 200: Ayden Casillas

The sophomore sprinter is ranked 26th with a time of 23.04. He needs to find 0.16 seconds to earn a trip to Denver.

Boys 4x100

The Wolverine relay team is currently ranked 26th with their 45.99 time. They are 0.78 seconds away from being part of the state competition.

Girls 100m: Vivien Clance

If Clance can shave off 0.09 seconds from her current time of 13.18, she has a chance to go to state for the 100 and 200. She is currently in 26th place in 3A.

Girls 4x100

The Wolverines could send both of their 4x100 teams to state. However, their girls 4x100 team needs to trim off 1.1 seconds from their current time of 54.46 if they want the chance to compete at state.

Girls 4x400

Similar to the 4x100, the Bayfield girls 4x400 team is also in 27th place. Their time of 4:36.85 is 9.5 seconds off from qualifying them for state.

Both schools will be heading to the Dennis Teeters Tiger Invite in Grand Junction this weekend, which is their last chance to qualify as many athletes as they can for state.

AJ Bonanno is an 11th-grade intern from Animas High School.