Grizzly seniors lead by example at state track meet

The Rocky Mountain Grizzlies and Lady Grizz didn’t have the numbers to qualify for a medal at the state track meet in Casper over the weekend, but they did produce some outstanding results, led by the senior class.

Both the Rocky girls and boys placed 10th in their respective Class 2A divisions, the girls tied with Moorcroft with 23 points and the boys with 14 points. Kemmerer won the girls state title, Big Horn the boys.

“I was proud of them,” head coach Tobee Christiansen said of the seniors. “First of all, it’s sometimes tough to come out your senior year, especially when State Track is after graduation and after school’s out. So I was impressed with the way they ended their season.”

Senior Tarynn Schoening finished her high school career by placing second in the pole vault, clearing the bar and matching her personal record at 8-6. Only Laynee Walker of Kemmerer vaulted higher, setting a new Class 2A state record at 11-2.

Junior Keylee Christiansen placed fifth – tied with two others – at 7-6, a height she has consistently reached all season.

“The vaulters had a good weekend,” Christiansen said. “Coby (Wachob) got on the stand, too. All of our vaulters placed.”

Sophomore Kaysie Cooley matched her PR by clearing 4-7 in the high jump, placing fifth.

“Kaysie’s got great form,” Coach C noted.

Senior Brittly Boettcher finished her career with an individual medal, placing sixth in the 100-meter intermediate hurdles in a time of 18.09 after qualifying for finals fourth in 17.83. Christiansen said Boettcher fought through adversity this season.

“Her knee was hurt during basketball, and it flared up again at the start of track season. We had a hard time getting her healthy,” he said.

Senior Elliahna Scheeler also took home a medal in her final meet, placing seventh in the discus with a throw of 97-7.

Freshman Leah Haslem ran well in the 1,600 meters and almost placed, finishing 10th in a time of 6:12.72, beating her personal best time by nearly five seconds. Haslem started at the back of the pack but moved up to almost place.

“She’s got a lot of grit,” Christiansen said. “I like her determination.”

The 400-meter relay team of Charlee Welling, Kennedy Brimhall, Cooley and Boettcher placed sixth in 54.92, a full second faster than the quartet ran at the regional meet in Shoshoni.

Other girls results at the state meet were:

1,600-meter sprint medley relay -- Rocky 12th (Kennedy Brimhall, Tarynn Schoening, Bailey Gifford, Leah Haslem), 5:10.57; long jump – Charlee Welling 16th, 14-2.

Boys results

The top performer for the Rocky boys was senior Hudson May, who placed fifth in both the 400-meter dash and the 800 meters. May ran the 400 finals in 52.67, his best time of the season after running 53.03 in the preliminaries. He also ran the 800 in a season best time of 2:03.30.

Christiansen noted how May has overcome injuries throughout his career.

“He tore his knee up in middle school, and I think he’s had three surgeries. He tweaked it in basketball this year, and ever since then, it sometimes acts like a dislocation, then will be stiff and sore after that. He’s battled that injury his whole high school career.

“That was a good time to run season bests. Hudson has been one of the hardest working kids I’ve coached. That shows his mentality and will probably serve him well in life.”

Junior Will Watts placed eighth in the 200-meter dash in 24.37 after qualifying seventh at 23.42, just 4/100ths of a second off his personal record.

Junior Jacoby Wachob broke his personal record in the pole vault, clearing 10-6, which propelled him to a seventh-place finish.

“It kind of clicked for him form wise last week. I wish we had another week with him,” Coach C noted.

The team of William Fuller, Landon Pruett, Cooper Ward and Watts ran their best time of the season in the 400-meter relay and placed sixth in 46.53.

Sophomore Sam Loyning nearly placed in the 1,600 meters, finishing ninth in a time of 5:08.78.

Also just out of the running for medal was senior Hayden Wambeke in the discus with a personal-record toss of 118-1, good for ninth place. He also finished 12th in the shot put with a throw of 38-11½, while sophomore Joaquin Scheeler finished 11th at 39-6¾, a personal record.

Other boys results at the state meet were:

100m dash – Will Watts 11th in prelims, 12.04; 200m dash – Landon Pruett 15th in prelims, 24.99; 800 meters – Sam Loyning 15th, 2:13.73; long jump – William Fuller 17th, 17-4½; triple jump – Joaquin Scheeler 15th, 34-1.