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For two seasons, the Copper Hills High School track coaches tried to get sprinter Jake Smith to try the decathlon.

Smith finally gave in and agreed to try the event "one time" at the BYU Invitational earlier this month.

He might want to reconsider that "one time" promise. In his first 10-event decathlon, Smith crushed the field by 612 points and destroyed the Copper Hills school record by 1,252 points.

"I just tried to go out and have fun," Smith said. "I didn't do very well in the discus, and running the 1,500 [meters] was one of the worst track experiences of my life."

Despite those few struggles, Smith excelled throughout the two-day event, having top performances in the 100 meter (11.21), shot put (41 feet 3.25 inches), high jump (5 feet 10 inches), 400 meters (53.45), 110 meter hurdles (15.92) and pole vault (12 feet 3.75 inches).

"He's just such a natural athlete, but it was tough convincing him to try so many things he'd never done before," said Copper Hills coach Garth Rushforth.

Smith had never run through a full flight of hurdles, nor thrown the javelin, discus or shot put except during a few run-throughs at practice the week before, Rushforth said.

"In the pole vault, we started him at 7 feet and he kept working on his steps and adjusting as the bar went higher," Rushforth said. "The pole vault is such a technical event, and he mastered it in a matter of about an hour."

Rushforth thinks Smith's potential in the decathlon is unlimited and said he could score very high if he ever really worked on it.

Because the decathlon is only contested once a year in Utah, Smith now turns his attention to this weekend's state meet, where he is qualified in the 100 and 200 meter sprint events, along with the Grizzlies' 4 x 100 relay team.

"I just want to run my race at state and see what happens," said Smith, who has one of the top 100 times in Class 5A track.

After high school, Smith plans to attend Dixie State College and play receiver for the football team. As for his track, Smith said he was bitten by the decathlon bug.

"I really liked the event and I think I'd like to try it again," he said. Grizzlies sprinter cruises to victory

Copper Hills sprinter Jake Smith tried the decathlon for the first time at last week's BYU Invitational. The Grizzlies senior won the event by more than 600 points and broke the Copper Hills school record by more than 1,200 points.

Smith is qualified to run in this week's state track meet in the 100 and 200 meter sprints and 4 x 100 relay.

Smith will take his athletic talents to Dixie State College, where he plans to play receiver for the football team.