Mead’s Underwood, Niwot’s Shults run into history books

PREP TRACK AND FIELD

Local athletes motivated with early times

Niwot’s Madison Shults is on the fast track to another individual state championship. DAILY CAMERA FILE PHOTO

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By Brent W. New

bwnew@ prairiemountainmedia.com

While everyone in the state will more than likely be chasing them the rest of the spring season, Niwot’s Madison Shults and Mead’s Tavon Underwood are on the heels of track and field ghosts.

Last week, Shults ran the second-fastest time by a Colorado high school runner in the 800-meter run, per ColoradoTrackStats.com — going 2 minutes, 4.28 seconds at the Arcadia Invite in California.

Underwood finished with the fifth-fastest 400 in 46.60.

“I’ve kind of moved past chasing people in the state,” Underwood said. “It’s a little abstract.”

Of course, the times at Arcadia aren’t eligible for any of the state’s all-time prep records due to the fact that they came outside of Colorado. Times at sea-level are generally faster.

To claim those, Underwood, committed to Kansas State, would have to run a 400 under 46.23 to break former Littleton runner J.T. Scheuerman’s prep record from 2006.

Underwood is close: He ran 47.17 at the Runners Roost of Fort Collins back in March.

Shults, meanwhile, would need to break 2:07.75 in-state to take hold of Niwot’s school record in the 800, which is held by former runner Taylor James, who is now at Stanford.

According to ColoradoTrackStats, Shults’ time of 2:04.28 in the 800 was the third instance a Niwot girls runner ran under 2:06. Elise Cranny (2:04.81) did so in California in 2014. James (2:05.83) did it in Tennessee in 2019.

The state meet and preps record is held by former Cherry Creek runner Jordyn Colter, who ran a 2:04.56 in 2015.

When asked about records, Shults said she didn’t even know the school’s best mark in the 800. She laughed.

Instead, the Stanford commit said she just wants to defend her state title in 400 and 800, then try and go after another personal-best time and possible national title in the 800.

“And just to take time and celebrate our team,” she said. “Just take time and be kind before I have to go off to college.”

Shults will run at the Boulder County Track and Field Championships Saturday. Niwot has won the past 11 girls titles at the meet.

“It’s one of the more special ones and one we’re always looking forward to,” Shults said.

Underwood said he will not be running at it.