High school boys track: Elite athletes ready to claim titles and state records

Even after coming on the heels of a season where Luke Puskedra shattered the nine-minute barrier in the 3200 meters to leave his mark in the state record books, the current crop of distance runners in boys track appears as strong as ever.

In each classification, distance runners are primed to make this weekend's state track meet at BYU a memorable one.

Some, like Snow Canyon senior Hayden Hawks and Hurricane senior Karl Wilcock, want to cap strong final seasons with state titles that eluded them in earlier years. Others, like Timpview senior Jon Nelson and Davis senior Seth Gutzwiller, hope to mirror cross country success this past fall with first-place finishes in the spring.

Wilcock, in particular, has distanced himself from his competition at virtually every meet. Ever since he took home a first-place finish in the 1600 meters at the 2009 Simplot Games, the senior has ridden a wave of momentum in both the 1600 and 3200.

"It was a really good kick start for me," Wilcock said. "I had been training up for that and wanted to do really well. After that performance, I felt that I had a really good start to the season and I was going to be able to do well."

It promises to be a potentially huge weekend for some defending state champions as well. Two such athletes — Panguitch senior Trac Norris and Snow Canyon senior Adam Hine — can potentially finish high school as four-time state champions.

Hine has won in both the high jump and long jump each of the last three seasons and added a 4A high jump state record along the way. Another such sweep this time around would give him a rare distinction of sweeping state titles in two different events over a four-year span.

Norris can become the first boys athlete to claim four state titles in the 1600 in four seasons if he wins it again this weekend.

Simply claiming victory is not the only thing on his mind. Norris also wants to add his name to the state record book. He nearly claimed a 1A record in the 1600 at the BYU Invitational — falling just a second shy of the mark. Getting close is a confidence booster.

"It really gives you a mental benefit because state is on this track too," Norris said. "It's two weeks later, so you're going to be in just that much better shape. You just know you're going to be able to do it again."

Team races promise a host of familiar contenders.