Littleton – Highlands Ranch hurdler Alex Gove has grown accustomed to running in the spotlight after winning big-school state titles in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles last season.
Nikita Eades of Littleton, on the other hand, has been toiling in the shadows of her friendly rival, waiting for someone to take notice of her skills in the same events.
Gove and Eades went head-to-head in both hurdle races on the second day of the Liberty Bell track and field invitational on Saturday at Littleton Public Schools Stadium, and there was a surprise in the 100 hurdles and some exciting action in the 300.
Eades recorded a personal-best time of 13.82 seconds in the 100 and handed Gove her first loss of the season in the event.
“I’ve always been the underdog. Nobody’s paid me no mind, and that’s been a big motivating factor,” Eades said.
In the 300, Eades and Gove each bashed a hurdle – Eades early in the race; Gove on the third-to-last hurdle – but both recovered to finish first and second, respectively, with Gove posting the winning time of 43.61.
“It was a messy race,” said Gove, who will run for Wake Forest next season. “Nikita stumbled before me, and then it was my turn over here on the top of the last curve.”
Mullen finished ahead of Littleton and Chaparral to win the team title in the first year that girls have competed in the meet, which is in its 33rd year. Eades (track) and Rampart’s Renee Harris (field) were named the Liberty Bell’s most valuable female athletes.
For boys, who were split into two classes, host school Heritage took first place in the Class 1 team race ahead of Cherry Creek and Smoky Hill, and ThunderRidge won the Class 2 title in front of Cherokee Trail and Mullen.
Darius Reed of George Washington and J.T. Scheuerman of Littleton were named the most valuable track athletes, and Cherry Creek’s Eric Petersen and Faith Christian’s Ian Lettow earned the same honors in the field.
Scheuerman, who has been getting faster and faster, recorded a 10.50 in the 100 dash and 20.93 in the 200.
“Every time I step on the track I try to run a good race,” said Scheuerman, who posted a wind-aided time of 10.39 earlier this season.
Reed, who along with Scheuerman is possible candidate to compete on the junior national team in Beijing this summer, won the 110 and 300 hurdles, as expected.
In other top races, Dakota Ridge sisters Natasha and Alexa Rogers finished first and second, respectively, in the 3,200 run, and Caitlyn Able of Mullen won the 100 and 400.
