High school track: Many individual girls champions return

Returning champions galore highlight the girls track and field season, as a plethora of individual winners from last year will have a shot at defending their titles. The team championships? Those are also up for grabs. Here's a brief preview of the 2011 girls track and field season.

5A: While Riverton's boys team inched out Davis for the state title, the girls won in a landslide in 2010. The closest competitor (Davis) was more than 50 points in the rearview mirror.

With few returning individual winners, though, experience and team depth will play a huge role in the 5A championship chase. Riverton's Taylor Gomez is the standout runner for the Silverwolves. She took second place in both the 100 and 400 meters, Sylvia Harrison of Davis, meanwhile, took third in the 400 meters and will look to improve this year.

4A: 2010 was the battle of the freshmen at the 4A state meet, as Ogden's Avery Calton won the 1600 and 3200 and took second in the 800. Fellow freshman Summer Harper, of Orem, wasn't far behind and will challenge Calton again this season.

Besides the two freshmen, there are a number of returning champions to watch this year. Springville's Kaisa Rosenberg won the 100-, 200- and 400-meter sprints, while Snow Canyon's Lexie Esplin won the 100-meter hurdles. Emily Moore of Mountain Crest won the 300-meter hurdles.

Early on in the season, Springville's Lexi Eaton, who was the 4A girls basketball MVP, has been a force in the long jump and high jump.

3A: Park City won last year, and the Miners will be among the favorites again this season.

Park City took each of the top five spots in the 3200 last year, and three of those runners — Rebecca Cunningham, McKenzie Snyder and Emily Schmidt — will compete again this year.

Other returning winners include Hurricane's Angela Shields, who won the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, Bear River's Kaitlyn Wilcox, who won the 200 and 400 meters, and Damara Walker of Judge, who placed first in the long jump.