Grizzly tracksters compete well at regional track meet

Though relatively small in numbers, the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies found excellent success at the 2A West Regional Track meet in Shoshoni Friday and Saturday and will be taking 19 athletes to the state track meet this weekend.

“I was happy with the way the kids performed and competed,” head coach Tobee Christiansen said. “We didn’t have any weather issues, and the wind stayed away.”

Along with the 19 placers who will advance, there were others who just barely missed the cut, placing ninth or 10th in events when the top eight advance to State, though most of them qualified in other events.

“There are always a few heartbreaks in there that you wish would have turned out a little bit better,” Coach C said. “Really overall for the most part the kids performed where they were seeded or above.”

One of the highlights of the weekend was the performance of senior Hudson May, who placed second in the 800 meters and fourth in the 400-meter dash. May had already qualified for State in the 800 by time at an earlier meet, but he ran 2:06 even to place second on Friday, his second fastest time of the year. He qualified for finals in the 400 on Friday in fourth place at 53.62, then ran 53.08 to place fourth in the finals Saturday, by far his best time of the year.

“That kid is gritty,” Christiansen said. “With all the injuries he’s dealt with in high school, just for him to keep after it is amazing.”

Sophomore Sam Loyning battled to pass a Wyoming Indian runner down the stretch and placed eighth in the 800 in a personal record time of 2:12.30, and he also placed sixth in the 1,600 meters in 5:05.79.

“Sam has stepped up in a few places,” Christiansen said. “He’s been one we had our eyes on from middle school.”

Junior Will Watts blazed to a time of 11.61 in the 100-meter dash prelims, then placed fourth in the finals at 11.97. He also placed third in the 200-meter dash in a personal-record time of 23.38 after running 23.70 in the prelims.

Junior Landon Pruett placed eighth in the 200 in a time of 24.76 after qualifying sixth at 24.72, a personal record. Watts and Pruett were joined by William Fuller and Cooper Ward to place fourth in the 400-meter relay in a time of 47.24, a slower time than typical because the team struggled with one handoff, Coach C said.

Senior Hayden Wambeke performed well in the throws with two personal records. He placed fourth in the shot put with a toss of 40-7¼ and seventh in the discus at 118 feet.

“Hayden is kind of a gamer,” Christiansen said. “He did it (qualify for State) on his last throw to get in in the discus.”

Sophomore Joaquin Scheeler edged out teammate Cooper Winland in the shot put with an eighth-place throw of 38-8¼, with Winland close behind with a personal-record throw of 38-3. Scheeler also triple-jumped for the first time this season and placed eighth with a leap of 34-8¼.

Fuller placed seventh in the long jump, hitting the sand at 17-4¾, a PR, and Jacoby Wachob placed seventh in the pole vault, clearing 9-6.

The Grizzlies placed fifth in the final team standing in Shoshoni with 46 points ahead of Shoshoni, Greybull and Wind River and just behind fourth place Wyoming Indian (52 points). Thermopolis won the boys team title.

Other boys results at the regional track meet were:

100m dash – Landon Pruett 11th in prelims, 12.13 (PR), William Fuller 15th in prelims, 12.49, Cooper Ward 18th in prelims, 12.60; 400-meter dash – Fuller 16th in prelims, 59.46 (PR); 800 meters – Cole Minchow 16th, 2:22.87 (PR); 1,600 meters – Minchow 13th, 5:26.91; long jump – Ward 14th, 16-1½, Joaquin Scheeler 16th, 15-11¼ (PR); shot put – Kellan Jackson 15th, 35-7; discus – Alex Walker 14th (PR), 105-0 (PR), Scheeler 16th, 100-1, Jackson 17th, 99-11.

Girls results

For the Lady Grizzlies, senior Brittly Boettcher ran her best time of the season in the 100-meter intermediate hurdles, placing fourth in a season-best time of 18.09 after running 18.39 in the prelims to qualify for finals.

She joined Charlee Welling, Kennedy Brimhall and Kaysie Cooley to qualify for State in the 400-meter relay, placing fourth in 55.92.

Junior Kamryn Welling placed seventh in the 300-meter low hurdles in 53.94 after running a personal-record time of 53.35 in the prelims. She also placed seventh in the 400-meter dash in a time of 1:07.25, a PR, after qualifying seventh at 1:07.34. Freshman Bailey Gifford almost qualified in the race, finishing ninth at 1:10.66, one second out of eighth place.

Freshman Leah Haslem placed seventh in the 1,600 meters in a personal-record time of 6:17.27, and although they didn’t qualify for State, both Alvarez twins, Ellie and Evynn, ran personal records in the 1,600, Ellie 7:32.40 (14th) and Evynn 7:36.96 (16th).

“I’m proud of my Alvarez girls,” Christiansen said. “They both PR’d in the mile.”

The sprints produced a pair of heartbreak finishes. Boettcher finished ninth in the 100-meter dash trials in 13.96, and Welling finished ninth in the 200 in 28.65. Gifford finished ninth in the 400-meter dash in 1:10.66. All three did not advance to State by one placing, with the top eight advancing.

Similarly, Haslem finished ninth in the 800 meters in 2:44.78, a personal record, and Gifford was 10th in 2:45.89.

The 1,600-meter sprint relay team of Brimhall, Kamryn Welling, Gifford and Haslem placed sixth in 5:01.15, a season best time, and qualified for State based on their time, according to the regional track results listings.

In field events, senior Tarynn Schoening placed second in the pole vault at 8 feet, and junior Keylee Christiansen was third at 7-6. The vaulting duo have placed in every meet this season.

“They have been pretty consistent,” Coach C noted.

Senior Elliahna Scheeler punched her ticket to State by placing seventh in the discus with a throw of 92-6, and Charlee Welling placed eighth in the long jump with a season best 14-2¾ to advance.

Both Christiansen and Cooley qualified for State in the high jump, despite some problems with the facilities. Both cleared 4-3, and Cooley placed sixth on misses, Christiansen seventh.

“It was such a tough jumping surface,” Coach Christiansen said. “The kids slipped and slipped and slipped (on tiny rubber pellets).”

The Lady Grizzlies finished eighth in the final team standings with 41 points just behind Shoshoni (45 points). Kemmerer edged Big Piney for the girls team title.

Other girls results at the regional track meet were:

100m dash – Kennedy Brimhall 14th in prelims, 14.38; 200m dash – Brimhall 13th in prelims, 30.58; 400m dash – Delyla Welling 13th in prelims, 1:16.47; long jump – Evynn Alvarez 15th, 10-0, Ellie Alvarez 16th, 8-4 (PR); shot put – Elliahna Scheeler 12th, 26-1½.

State track

The Grizzlies will conclude the season at the Wyoming State Track Meet at Kelly Walsh High School in Casper Thursday through Saturday. Action begins today (Thursday) at 2 p.m. and continues Friday and Saturday at 9 a.m.