With everyone on the team contributing, the Fort Collins High School girls track team won the 2016 5A state title. On Saturday (May 21, 2016), while their senior classmates were walking across the stage for graduation, the girls track team was celebrating a state championship. With the entire team dealing with fatigue, and several of their key contributors battling injuries, the team defied the odds by racking up 81 points to take home the state title. Developing into one of the most dominant programs in the state, this is the team's second title in the past three years, winning last in 2014, and coming in second in 2015.

According to the Coloradoan, there were several standouts that contributed to the title, not only performing better than expected but also overcoming injuries.

Emma Dern took third in shot put after seeding fifth, and ninth in discus after seeding seventeenth. Kailey Patterson finished fourth in the long jump after seeding fourteenth. Lauren Gregory finished third in the 1,600, after an exhausting herself the day before in the 800-meter race where she did not place. Becca Schulte won the 800-meter, was fourth in the 200 and sixth in the 400. Finally, Audra Koopman won the long jump on Thursday and showed tremendous heart after blowing out her hamstring in a preliminary race, right before having to compete in the high jump Friday. Battling the painful injury, amazingly she was able to place fourth in the event. The next day, like something out of a movie, she competed in the 100-yard dash. Though she was only able to walk, just by finishing she was able to secure a much-needed point that helped her team clinch their victory.

 

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