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PREDICTIONS: 2025 Simplot Games
Written by Joiner Evans & Donny Speas
Edits & additional commentary via Garrett Zatlin
The Simplot Games are routinely one of the nation's best indoor track meets each and every year. In fact, you can often find athletes traveling from all over the Intermountain West (and even some international competitors) to compete on Idaho State's famous wooden oval.
This year's distance fields include both defending Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) champions, in addition to many other superstar athletes who would usually command a headline of their own.
Let's get into it, shall we?
Girl's 800 Meters
Mary Maclean (Canada) -2:10
Maya Markowska (Canada) - 2:12
Sage Siegrist (Grand Junction) -2:13
Natalie Washburn (Timnath) -2:14
Brecklyn Bugnet (Fremont) -2:15
Analysis: When looking at this group of girls, there are several standouts. Two of those standouts are Canadians who come into this race with impressive resumes which put them ahead of the pack.
Mary Maclean is a true middle distance runner is seemingly coming into this weekend in the best form of her life. Fresh off of an impressive 2:47 (1k) run, Maclean looks to have the perquisite turnover to take this race. Not only that, but the Canadian has run 2:08 for the half-mile distance with several other performances where she went sub-2:10 (800).
We then come to Maya Markowska who has a similar resume to Maclean with a 2:08 PR for 800 meters. She has fewer sub-2:10 performances, but has proven that she can consistently run under 2:15 (800). However, on the other hand, Markowska appears to be more long distance-centered with a 4:30 (1500) personal best. Depending on the skillset that you prefer, there may be an argument for Markowska to be the pre-race favorite.
Now to the Americans.
Coming into this meet on a hot streak is Grand Junction’s Sage Siegrist with a 2:13 personal best for 800 meters. She has run 2:15 or faster four separate times in her career, with her other 800-meter efforts bordering the 2:20 mark. That consistency is a valuable trait to have, especially in a major meet like the Simplot Games that can, at times, be overwhelming.
And similar to Maclean, she appears to be more middle distance-oriented with a 28.19 (200) and 59.14 (400) personal best.
Another runner who has proven to be in top form this winter is Natalie Washburn of Timnath High School. Running a personal best of 2:14 for 800 meters, Washburn will look to carry that momentum into Saturday. She's also a strong 200-meter runner, meaning that Washburn could prove lethal in the latter stages of this race if she's close enough to the other contenders.
Lastly, we have Utah native Brecklyn Bugnet who boasts a solid 2:12 PR over 800 meters. However, she has “only” run sub-2:14 twice, making her a bit of an unknown for a field such as this. This year alone, she has run 2:23 with her fastest indoor track mark being slightly faster in 2:20. That, however, could be due for a reset.
Boy's 800 Meters
1. Martin Honl (Layton Christian) - 1:53
2. Reid Bartholomew (Gallatin) - 1:54
3. Garrison Johnson (Weber) - 1:54
4. Ethan Willis (West Side) - 1:55
5. Austin Riley (Mountain View) - 1:55
Analysis: While not quite as deep as some of the other distance events at the Simplot Games, the boy's 800 meters should still be quite exciting.
Quite possibly the most interesting athlete in this race is Martin Honl. The Czechia native has only been in the United States for a little over a month, but the current Layton Christian senior holds personal bests of 50.73 (400) and 1:53 (800), both of which should instantly make him competitive at this weekend's meet.
So far in the United States, he ran 1:56 (800) for 3rd place at the UCCTCA Indoor Invitational three weeks ago.
Another athlete who had a very good race at the aforementioned UCCTCA Indoor Invitational was Weber senior, Garrison Johnson. He ran an indoor track personal best of 1:56 for 800 meters and an impressive outright 4:23 personal best for 1600 meters. If things break right for Johnson, then there is a real possibility that he will come away with a massive resume-boosting win this weekend.
The final athlete who I'll be covering is Reid Bartholomew. The Gallatin junior has quite the range as he's run everything from a 7.47 in the 60-meter dash up to a 4:39 mile time this winter. In theory, this should make him a perfect 800-meter runner. This season, he's run 1:55 and should be mixing things up for the win on Saturday.
Girl's 1600 Meters
Kayley Torrie (Cohrane) - 4:59
Paisley Taylor (YMCA-Team Idaho) - 5:03
Skye Jensen (American Fork) - 5:04
Raelee Richardson (Twin Falls) - 5:05
Ellie Esplin (Timpview) - 5:10
Analysis: We have a pretty clear pre-race favorite in this field.
Kayley Torrie of Cohrane High School in Canada comes in with an impressive resume which could earn her top honors. Fresh off of a 4:39 PR over 1500 meters (which converts to a 4:59 for 1600 meters), Torrie is plenty proven over eight laps.
Only two seconds off her seasonal best on the outdoor oval, Torrie is having herself a year. Not only that, but she boasts a a new 9:52 (3k) personal best, showing us that she has the endurance and speed to hang onto a fast pace.
Looking at the rest of the field, there are three girls with relatively similar resume’s who will look to battle for podium positions.
Let’s start off with Idaho native, Paisely Taylor. With a solid 5:01 mark over 1600-meters on her resume, Taylor is certainly no slouch. Within this 2025 indoor track season, she has run 5:05 for 1600 meters and 2:23 for 800 meters, showing everyone that she is consistent season after season.
With the fastest open 1600-meter time in the field, Skye Jensen will want to take this race out hard. With a 5:00 PR over this distance, Jensen is sitting right on the elusive five-minute barrier and will look to break through this coming weekend. However, she has only run 5:08 over the last few months, leaving wondering what she will do next.
We then come to Raelee Richardson of Twin Falls High School. Opening up her season this weekend, Richardson will look to make a strong start despite it being late in the season. With a 5:06 (1600) personal best, the Idaho sophomore should be considered a legitimate contender with many of these other contenders.
Having only run 5:22 (1600) this season, Ellie Esplin from Timpview High School is a little bit of an unknown. However, she does have a solid 5:08 mark on her resume. With a 2:19 (800) personal best, Esplin could also be dangerous in the latter stages of this eight-lap race.
Boy's 1600 Meters
1. Nate Stadtlander (Meridian) - 4:08
2. Tayshaun Ogomo (Herriman) - 4:10
3. Ryker Bement (American Fork) - 4:14
4. Symond Martin (Page) - 4:16
5. Brady Wilde (Lone Peak) - 4:19
Analysis: This event features some top names in this year's senior class, highlighted by two athletes in our Top-50 Recruit Rankings. And unsurprisingly, those two young men occupy the top-two spots in our predictions.
The athlete who I have coming out on top on Saturday afternoon is Meridan (ID) senior, Nate Stadtlander. The Idaho native has a personal best of 4:10 in this event and is a very well-rounded athlete. He was, after all, 5th at NXR Northwest meet this past cross country season and holds an impressive 800-meter personal best of 1:52!
So far this winter, the Oklahoma State commit has run a personal best in the mile, clocking an impressive 4:12 mark back in late January.
Stadtlander's biggest challenge looks to be Herriman (UT) senior, Tayshaun Ogomo. The dynamic, and at times underrated, distance ace has run 4:12 in this event and should be rounding into peak form. Ogomo has raced four times winter, setting indoor seasonal bests at every distance that he's contested.
One under-the-radar athlete who should be in the mix this weekend is Symond Martin, a junior from the small town of Page, Arizona. Martin has run times of 1:56 (800), 4:15 (1600) and 9:12 (3200). While he might not quite be at the level to consider him a favorite for the win this time around, he's not too far off -- Martin may very well surprise some people this weekend.
Girl's 3200 Meters
Jane Hedengren (Timpview) - 9:56
Lily Alder (Timpview) - 10:38
Millie Robinson (Westlake) - 10:46
Madelyn Reeder (Highland) - 10:56
Isabelle McCullough (Summit Academy) - 10:58
Analysis: Let’s get to the real question of this race: How fast will Jane Hedengren go?
To be honest, there is no number that feels too aggressive to predict. After a 4:36 mile effort at altitude, and based on the cross country season that she had, the possibilities are endless.
I don’t see a scenario where Hedengren runs above the 10:00 barrier. With an incredibly impressive resume featuring marks of 2:07 (800), 4:25 (mile) and 9:45 (3200), Hedengren is a national-caliber standout who is moving up closer to her ideal distance.
Hedengren’s teammate, Lily Alder, is impressive in her own right. Running a winter-time best of 4:47 in the mile at the Millrose Games, Alder is already on the roll in 2025. But what's even more exciting is that Alder’s overall personal best sits at 4:40 in addition to a formidable 10:31 (3200) mark. As an experienced racer, Alder is an incredibly dangerous competitor to be against.
Within this field, there appears to be a good bit of variation in terms of an athlete’s caliber. That, however, by no means indicates a lack of talent. Millie Robinson comes in a substantial resume, having run 5:07 for 1600 meters and 10:38 for 3200-meters. However, Robinson has not run faster than 11:13 this season, something that has made it tricky to analyze her.
Similarly, Madelyn Reeder has not yet competed this season, further complicating our predictions. And yet, despite this, Robinson has previously run 10:54 for 3200 meters and 5:06 for 1600-meters. Another athlete in the same boat is Isabelle McCullough of Summit Academy who has run a little faster than Reeder in 10:51.
I know I have talked about a lot of questions going into this race. What does this mean? Well, to keep it short, there is a lot that can happen in this race! Expect to see some new names and some surprises as this race is open to takers.
Boy's 3200 Meters
1. Charlie Vause (Rio Rancho) - 8:53
2. Jackson Spencer (Herriman) - 8:55
3. Kaden Evans (American Fork) - 8:55 4. Kyle Steadman (Mountain View) - 8:57
5. Jase Burton (Star Valley) - 8:58
Analysis: Right off the bat, the biggest name in this race is probably the NXN champion, Charlie Vause.
The recent BYU commit is an excellent athlete. And although his 3200-meter personal best is "only" 9:02, I doubt that remains the case for much longer. I say that because this will be the first 3200-meter race that he attempts since his career-defining NXN win.
So far this season, he has competed sparingly, running a low-key leg on a 4x400-meter relay and a 4:11 mile time at the Millrose Games. And yet, despite everything that we know about him, Vause is by no means unbeatable.
Next up is Jackson Spencer who has been having an amazing year since transferring to Herriman last fall. Earlier this winter, Spencer notched huge wins at the REP Distance Challenge (over 3200 meters) and at the UCCTCA Indoor Invitational (over 1600 meters). At both meets, the Herriman junior beat out numerous top athletes, including several names who are in this field.
While both Vause and Spencer are contenders for the win, it's American Fork senior Kaden Evans who holds the fastest personal best of anyone entered via his 8:44 (3200) PR that he ran to win the Runninglane Track Championships last May.
So far this winter, the Oklahoma State commit has mainly focused on the shorter distances, running 4:14 (1600) and 1:55 (800). That refined turnover could be a great complement to his already-elite strength.
Another Utah athlete who always seems to find himself in the mix is Kyle Steadman. The Mountain View senior had something of a breakout cross country season this past fall, running a head-turning time of 14:27 for 5000 meters after claiming his first cross country state title. This season, he's run 4:14 for 1600 meters and should be in the mix on Saturday if his success on the grass can be translated to the indoor oval.
Finally, we come to Jase Burton. The Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year has a ton of momentum after running 9:01 for 3200 meters at the UCCTCA Indoor Invitational earlier this month. There, he took down a handful of athletes who are also entered in this field.
Burton is undefeated over 3200 meters this season. And while I'm not necessarily saying that he'll pull off an upset, it certainly wouldn't be the most surprising thing that I've ever seen, either.
While I'm limiting my analysis to only five athletes, there are many many more that would typically warrant some ink. As such, I figured it couldn't hurt to list a few more names to keep an eye on. Those names are...
Noah Manwaring (Herriman)
Carter Moore (American Fork)
Habtamu Wetzel (Star Valley)
Simon Barlow (Bountiful)
Jonah & Micah Tang (Herriman)
Corbin Randall (Riverton)
Needless to say, making this 14-man final is an accomplishment in-and-of-itself.
Girl's 4x800-Meter Relay
Pleasant Grove Vikings - 10:06
Cheyenne Central Indians - 10:09
Western Slope Elite Warriors - 10:10
Davis Darts - 10:12
Valhalla Vikings - 10:24
Analysis: For this girls 4x800-meter relay, there are a plethora of unknowns, just like the girl's 3200-meter field. And yet, that's what makes this race so much more interesting.
The Pleasant Grove Vikings look to be bordering the 10:00 barrier with a strong 2:22 (800) mark coming out of Kelly Wilson this season. Sophie Starr is the team's second runner who has run 2:29 while the rest of this relay is right around that same 2:30 mark. That's great continuity across all four legs which, in theory, should limit variance.
But for as solid as the Vikings may be on paper, the only proven team this season is the Cheyenne Central, a group that has run 10:11. Despite having more of an unbalanced lineup, the Indians will need to compete up front to improve upon their seasonal best. Led by Adalyn Racines, there is a 10-second gap in their lineup from her to their slowest leg.
Meanwhile, Western Slope Elite is led by a strong 2:19 (800) mark from Sage Siegrist. However, similar to what we mentioned above, there is 17-second gap within her own lineup based on seasonal best times. But if this relay runs up to their full potential, then could cause some changes in lineup spread and overall times.
Keep an eye on T-Birds XC. With the likes of Jane Hedengren and Lily Alder, we could see a dynamite mark coming from that group of girls in the coming days.
Boy's 4x800-Meter Relay
1. Herriman Mustangs (UT) - 7:54
2. Wilson Long Beach Bruins (CA) - 7:55
3. Valhalla Track Club Vikings (UT) - 7:59
4. Thunder Basin Bolts (WY) - 8:05
5. Pleasant Grove Vikings (UT) - 8:10
Analysis: As you may or may not expect, this race is very Utah-heavy with three our of our top-five predicted teams hailing from the Beehive state.
The headliners are undoubtedly the Herriman Mustangs. The runner-up team at the 2024 NXN meet are admittedly more known for their exploits on the grass and over the longer distances on the track. However, it would be foolish to count them out if they run their top squad.
Hopefully, we get the opportunity to see Utah State commit, Tayshaun Ogomo, somewhere in this lineup. He has run 1:52 for the 800-meter distance and is probably one of the most dynamic athletes in this field.
Also from the state of Utah we have Valhalla Track Club, otherwise known as Viewmont High School. Led by senior Peter Gehring, this group has four athletes who have run between 2:00 and 2:02 for 800 meters this winter. That's not including 4:33 miler, David Tervort, who I'm confident could be right there on a good day.
Although I don't think Valhalla has the firepower to upset Herriman, they are an incredibly consistent team. That's why I'm giving them the nod for a top-three finish.
The last team who I'll be covering is Wilson Long Beach. In my mind, the Bruins have the best odds at pulling off an upset against Herriman despite the fact that no member of the Bruins have contested an 800-meter race this winter.
However, that team did have had a whopping seven guys run 1:25 or faster for 600 meters! And in my semi-professional opinion, I'm confident that at least four of those guys can run a pretty decent time for the half-mile distance.
But perhaps more importantly, the Bruins have a massive advantage over all of the other teams in this field: Wyland Obando.
Obando was the fourth-fastest sophomore in the nation over 800 meters last year. He hasn't contested an 800-meter race in 2025, but his personal best for the distance stands at 1:50.26. And frankly, have no questions about his fitness after seeing him run 1:18 for 600 meters earlier this month.
All this to say, that if Wilson Long Beach gets the baton in a decent position, then no result is impossible for this California powerhouse.
