2018 Golden Baton Awards


Fountain-Fort Carson, Denver East, and Cherry Creek racked up a lot of relay points at state this year.

The state meet has come and gone, meaning it's now time to hand out the Golden Baton awards to those teams that accumulated the most relay points at this year's state meet.

Starting with 1A, Heritage Christian Academy was a runaway winner. The Eagles qualified and scored in all nine relays, including two first-place finishes. The Springfield girls relays (who won an astounding four) nearly kept them in it, but a near-absence of boys relay points meant the Longhorns couldn't chase down the Eagles this time.

1A Top Two 

Heritage Christian Academy - 54, Springfield - 44

In 2A, the Golden Baton has long gone to Paonia. Paonia relays were heard from this year, but not in nearly as big of a way as the last five years. Instead, Lyons, Cedareadge, and Vail Christian battled it out for supremacy.

2A Top Two

Lyons - 41, Cedaredge - 37

There are no long traditions of supremacy in 3A, largely because the top teams have been moving in and out of the classification in recent years. But this year's teams at the top have been producing solid relays for years on end even so.

3A Top Two

The Classical Academy - 52, Lutheran - 51

Niwot has had command of the 4A relay situation for a while, particularly on the girls side of the ledger. Niwot held onto that distinction this year, but a couple other programs kept it interesting.

4A Top Two

Niwot - 41, Pine Creek - 34

Relays have long been a point of emphasis and excellence at Fountain-Fort Carson and Cherokee Trail. Both programs still rank as giants among the 5A teams, but there's a new team at the top this year (and judging by their roster situation, this could be the situation for a while).

5A Top Two

Denver East - 47, Fountain-Fort Carson - 32


Previous Years Golden Baton Winners: 2017201620152014, 2013, 2012