Grizzlies tested at large Powell invitational

Teams from across Wyoming traveled to Powell on a beautiful spring day last Saturday for the L.A. Kohnke Invitational, giving Rocky Mountain one of its largest and most competitive meets of the season. With some events featuring as many as 80 competitors, the Grizzlies still came away with several strong performances.

Schools in attendance included Big Horn, Burlington, Cody, Greybull, Lander Valley, Lovell, Powell, Riverside, Riverton, Sheridan and Worland, providing a strong early-season test.

Rocky’s boys were led by Mason Moss, who turned in an outstanding all-around performance with four top-eight finishes. Moss placed second in the 110-meter hurdles (16.11), fourth in the 200 meters (23.66), sixth in the 100 meters (11.87) and seventh in the 400 meters (53.87).

Jaxson Sponsel added a 10th-place finish in the triple jump (34-2.25), while John Mader placed ninth in the discus (116-0).

Additional top-20 finishes for the boys included William Watts, who took 17th in the 100 (12.09) and 19th in the 200 (24.45), Jaxx May with a 15th-place finish in the 400 (58.18), Zach Unruh placing 18th in the 400 (1:00.82) and 20th in the 800 (2:30.52), Evin Clendenen placing 12th in the discus (113-8) and Kellan Jackson finishing 13th in the discus (113-7). Cooper Winland also placed 14th in the shot put (40-7.75).

On the girls side, the sprint medley relay team of Avery Thomas, Layla Gardner, Bailey Gifford and Leah Haslem placed seventh with a time of 5:08.01. Individually, Sawyer Bassett took fifth in the triple jump (32-11.5), while Thomas placed eighth (32-1). In the pole vault, Gardner and Keylee Christiansen each tied for 10th, both clearing 7-0.

Additional top-20 finishes for the girls were Gifford, who placed 12th in the 400 (1:12.38), and Haslem, who finished 19th in the 1,600 (6:43.67).

Head coach Tobee Christiansen said competing at larger meets continues to benefit the team.

“We attend meets with a lot of bigger schools,” Christiansen said. “It is fun to watch our kids compete not only against big schools but against themselves from previous weeks and previous marks.

“I love our athletes’ work ethic. They come and get after it.”

Rocky had planned to compete in Shoshoni on Friday, but that meet was canceled. The Grizzlies will instead travel to Greybull this Saturday. Action begins at 10 a.m.

Also competing

Other boys competing were Cooper Ward (12.27 in the 100), May (12.28 in the 100, 25.09 in the 200), Landon Pruett (12.87 in the 100, 26.04 in the 200), Cache Thompson (26.32 in the 200), Cameron Minchow (15-5 in the long jump), Winland (97-6 in the discus), Jackson (36-11 in the shot put), Clendenen (35-1 in the shot put) and Paul Shetler (68-9 in the discus, 30-0 in the shot put).

For the girls, additional competitors were Gifford (3:00.19 in the 800, 12-6.5 in the long jump), Haslem (2:57.33 in the 800), Evynn Alvarez (8:13.25 in the 1,600, 10-0.5 in the long jump) and Ellie Alvarez (8:15.54 in the 1,600, 10-2.75 in the long jump).