In an event filled with quality runners from across the state, singling anyone out is like trying to find the proverbial needle in a haystack.
Loveland’s Kaylee Packham was that needle.
The defending champion in the 300-meter hurdles, fresh off signing her letter of intent to attend Brigham Young University last week, used a late push over the final hurdle to beat Mullen’s Taylor Klein on Saturday at the 15th annual Mullen Runners Roost Invitational.
“I knew she was good in the threes (300) and am glad she was here to push me,” said Packham, whose time of 42.70 seconds (0.01 seconds off her personal best) was just 0.02 seconds faster than Klein.
“I always have a really hard start, and I like to finish strong. I know if I hit my steps that I would be able to catch her on that last one.”
The final leg of the Indians’ 800 relay team was Packham’s second big performance. Loveland broke George Washington’s 8-year-old meet record with a time of 1 minute, 41.37 seconds.
Packham is more than aware of the target on her back that comes with being a defending champion.
“It is a lot of pressure, but if I focus on beating my own time and not so much on my competition and winning,” she said, “I usually do better.”
Another impressive performance came from Littleton senior Kaela Edwards in the 800.
A year after her team didn’t participate in the Mullen event, Edwards was eager to to notch a quality victory. A wire-to-wire victory was highlighted by a final 300 meters in which she pulled away from a quality field to finish in 2:10.62.
“I really tried to run that event without thinking, just run hard,” said Edwards, who finished fourth in the event at state last season. “I feel like if you just don’t think about it, it makes it easier because you’re not stressing yourself out.”
Another longtime girls record to fall was in the sprint medley relay. George Washington shattered Smoky Hill’s 8-year-old record by nearly five seconds with a time of 1:46.88.
One the boys side, the premier event — the 100-meter dash — went to Fairview’s Ben Meyer, who celebrated with a big yell at the finish line.
The senior rallied in the final 20 meters to catch Mullen’s Jaylyn Mars and win with a time of 10.64 seconds, ahead of Mars’ 10.66.
“This time I just tried to move my arms faster this time and I have been training harder and lifting weights,” said Meyer, who is not a stranger to Mars. “It definitely paid off.”
Thompson Valley’s Josh Mielke was dominant in the hurdles, winning the 110 and 300. Class 5A cross country champion Kirk Webb of Monarch bested the field in the mile, winning in 4:16.21.
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354, or jyunt@denverpost.com
