Finals in all four classes will start at 3 Friday and Saturday. For the first time in Class 4A, each event has 15 qualifiers, five from each of the three regions. The eight winners will advance to the finals, leaving many state qualifiers behind. In the past, all eight state qualifiers scored points for their team. Based on qualifying times from the regionals, Reed and Western on the boys side and Cheyenne and Mojave on the girls have the best chances of winning team titles.
Every team has to earn a place to score.
Reed qualified nine boys in individual events and all four relay teams. Mentzer expects his squad to pick up most of its points in the sprints, relays, pole vault, shot put and discus. Western saw its chances improve significantly when its boys 400-meter relay team was reinstated by a jury of appeals following a disqualification at the Sunset Regional. The Warriors relay team, which has run a faster time than any of the other qualifiers, will be allowed to compete in today's preliminary. On the girls side, Cheyenne coach Fred Sowerby likes his team's chances.