LAKEWOOD — Tevin Donnell doesn’t listen to music before he runs. Instead, he just envisions himself running the race. And for the past three years, Donnell has visualized sprinting down the track faster than anyone else.
But Donnell wasn’t just the fastest guy on the track Saturday — he was the fastest in Colorado’s largest classification.
Donnell, a senior at Fountain-Fort Carson, won four gold medals on the last day of the state track and field championships at Jeffco Stadium. He became an individual state champion in the Class 5A boys 100- and 200-meter dashes, and helped his team win the 4×100 and 4×200 relays with strong third-leg performances.
“I won 4×100 and 4×200 gold medals as a freshman and junior, but this is the first year for the 100 and 200,” Donnell said.
Fountain-Fort Carson’s 4×100 relay had a winning time of 41.69 seconds. Its winning time in the 4×200 relay was 1:26.82.
And now Donnell will graduate having accomplished his goal of being the 100 and 200 champion.
“My freshman year,” he said, “I was fortunate enough to run with the 2011 100- and 200-meter champion, Markesh Woodsen. He holds our school records, so I always said I wanted to be him, and hopefully get some of his records.”
Donnell didn’t break any of Woodsen’s records this weekend, but he came close.
He won the 100 meters with a time of 10.88, and the 200 with a time of 21.81. Woodsen had marks of 10.45 in the 100, and 21.19 in the 200.
“Oh, yeah, he’s the fastest guy in 5A (this year) by far,” Fountain-Fort Carson coach Ben Montoya said of Donnell.
“Tevin proved it. And you have to prove it at the state meet. Other people think they’re better during the season, but you have to prove it at the state meet.”
Donnell oozes leadership as one of the Fountain-Fort Carson team captains, and he’s the one who sets an example for everyone else in the program.
“He came here and ran on the relays, and has been a state champion since he was a freshman,” Montoya said.
“He trains throughout the entire year. He just has an amazing work ethic. He’s a very caring person. He cares about everyone’s individual performances, and a lot about the team effort.
“Everybody on the team looks up to him, admires him and respects him.”
Donnell also was an impressive cornerback on the Trojans’ football team.
“One of the best football players we have,” Montoya said.
Donnell will play football and run track at CSU-Pueblo.
He finished his high school football career with 13 interceptions, 11 pass deflections and 151 tackles (including 78 solo stops). He also scored three touchdowns while playing for the Trojans.
Fountain-Fort Carson won the Class 5A team title Saturday for the second consecutive year with a total of 94 points. Donnell’s flawless performance was a huge reason for that success.
Morgan Dzakowic: 303-954-1275, mdzakowic@denverpost.com or
Boys highlights
- Monarch senior Andrew Barlow cleared 16 feet, 8½ inches to capture the Class 5A pole vault. Barlow attempted and missed at 17-4 for a state meet record.
- William Mayhew, a senior at Cheyenne Mountain, won the 4A boys 1,600 meter title. Mayhew also won the 800 on Friday and a few minutes later.
- Paul Roberts, a junior at Lyons, won his third state championship in the 2A boys 1,600, finishing in 4 minutes, 21.78 seconds.
- Cañon City senior Trenton Stringari won the 4A 100 hurdles (14.61), and 300 hurdles (37.71).
- Prairie senior Zacc Winn finished the 1A boys 1,600 meterd in 4:42.71 to win. Winn was 0.64 seconds off the 1A state meet record.
- Monarch sophomore Isaac Green captured the 5A boys 1,600 state title in 4:19.56.
- Springfield senior Ross Dunlap jumped 6-1 in the 1A boys high jump, one inch from the class record.
- Overland senior Josh Wright won the 5A boys 110 hurdles in 14.55, followed by Bear Creek senior Olabisi Johnson in 14.64.
