Big prep meets set for this week

Even though the 2003 prep track and field season starts in earnest this week, the results as they come in by next Saturday afternoon may go a long way toward determining how the season will eventually end.

The Davis Super Meet, which began today and finishes Wednesday in Kaysville, features most of the top 5A and 4A teams in the state, and this Saturday's coaches' invitational in Orem should bring in just about everyone else as well.

Though the crowns won't officially be awarded until May 17 at BYU, most observers have a pretty good idea which teams and individuals will be vying for the gold long before the Provo get-together.

As always, certain schools in each classification stand out. In 5A boys, defending champ Davis should be considered the favorite again. Challenging the Darts will be Bingham, Alta, West Jordan and Viewmont.

In the 5A girls, it will likely be a race between Alta, Davis, Fremont and defending champ Bingham.

In 4A, top team contenders include Box Elder and Mountain View in boys, with Mountain View most likely to battle Orem for the girls crown.

The 3A team race could be a three-team affair like last year, with Pine View, Canyon View and Hurricane vying for the title in boys. Throw in great distance programs from Judge Memorial and Ogden, and it could be a five-team showdown when all is said and done.

In 3A girls, look for Judge Memorial, Pine View, Ogden and always-tough Cedar to battle it out.

The 2A and 1A races look equally close and competitive.

Utah is also blessed with a superb group of individual athletes, some of national prominence, who will once again grace the tracks around the state this spring. Here's a look at the best of the best as reported by coaches in the state:

Among the top male performers is Mountain View junior Leif Arrhenius, who dominated the shot put and discus last year and again with indoor track this spring. Already among the nation's top throwers, Arrhenius will join with Bruin distance stars Mike Steele and Steve Strickland as Mountain View tries to overtake powerful Box Elder for the 4A title.

Other distance runners to watch include Davis' Jace Nye, Brad Phippen and Mark Oram, who've helped the Darts to two consecutive state cross country titles; West Jordan's Bob Lambert, Ryan Merriman of Bingham, Fremont's Tyler Douglass, Jared Rohatinsky of Provo (really coming on this spring) and Jordan's Jared Bienlien. And in the lower divisions, Hurricane's Tony Jones and Nick McKay of St. Joseph's will be ones to beat.