h/t Susan Gray Gose – Divers Li Platz, Grace Flint, and Skyler Woodruff were all smiles, along with diving coach Faith Hamilton (second from right), at the Last Chance meet after Flint joined Platz and Woodruff with a high enough score to qualify for State.
The following was shared with County 10:
Lady Tigers Take Advantage of Last Chance Meet before State
By Susan Gray Gose
The Lander swimming and diving team had one last chance to qualify athletes for the Nov. 7-8 State meet in Gillette, and they used the opportunity well. The Last Chance Meet, held in Riverton on Halloween, saw six Tigers reach new state marks, and one diver, senior Grace Flint, punch her ticket to State for the first time.
The defending 3A State championship team now has 18 athletes qualified for State—two more than last year when the Tigers won the State title by more than 100 points. But swim coaches Shawna Morgan and Tim Hester predict a fiercer fight this year from Powell, who won the 3A West conference, and Buffalo, who took the 3A East meet.
In diving, Flint racked up 277.05 points in six dives to qualify. She joins teammates already qualified, senior Li Platz, who dove to second at the Last Chance meet, and junior Skyler Woodruff, who took fourth.
“All our divers have worked incredibly hard this season, and we are happy to have three at State,” said Lander diving coach Faith Hamilton. “Having both our seniors at State is very exciting. We hope to be able to grab a few extra points for the team from the diving end of the pool.”
In swimming events, sophomore Asha Reid grabbed one more q time in the 200-yard IM, bringing her total State q’s to three. Freshmen Katelyn Brinda and Annabelle Nachazel, showing an aptitude for endurance, added the 200-yard freestyles to their existing marks in the 500-yard freestyle.
Senior Leah Brown, one of the team’s top sprinters, proved her versatility by winning the 200-yard IM and qualifying in that event for the first time, bringing her q’s to five. Senior Makayla McPherson now has seven q’s after making the mark in the 100-yard breaststroke. Freshman Lainy Duncan added the backstroke to her qualified times, giving her all eight State swimming times.
Senior Olivia Fowler and sophomore Ashlon Koch are qualified in all eight swimming events, while senior Lily Gose missed the backstroke by .16-seconds and has seven. Rounding out the Tiger’s State squad are senior McKella Stigers (100 yard breaststroke), junior Sierra Firth (200 and 500-yard free), junior Jenny Bautz (100-yard breaststroke), junior Anja Harms (50, 100, and 200-yard free, 200-yard IM), Kristen McPherson (100-yard back, 200-yard IM), and freshman Lillyan Hamilton (50, 100, and 200-yard free, 100-yard fly). Platz is also qualified in the 100-yard fly, along with diving.
Lander’s coaches now have the hard work of deciding which athlete will compete in which events at State. Each can only compete in up to two individual events and two relays. As the coaches make their choices, they will look closely at the other teams’ rosters, trying to predict where Tigers will garner the most points.
“Every team has worked hard and is ready for State,” said head coach Morgan. “We have to believe in our program and ourselves, and we will do amazing things at State. It's going to be an exciting meet that is going to be very close. Every point is going to be hard-fought, but more than anything I hope the girls meet their individual goals and have fun.”
Last Chance Meet, Riverton, Oct. 31, 2019:
200-Yard Medley Relay: 1. Lander ‘A’ (O. Fowler, L. Duncan, A. Koch, L. Brown) 2:02.21, 2. Lander ‘B’ 2:05.07 (K. McPherson, M. Stigers, M. McPherson, A. Harms), Lander ‘C’ 2:16.03 (A. Reid, J. Bautz, L. Platz, T. Bautz), 6. Lander ‘D’ 2:44.61 (D. Forbis, E. Fousek, J. Baron, K. Ratliff), 7. Lander ‘E’ 2:49.24 (M. Logan, K. Plaisted, M. Cox, K. Winn)
200-Yard Freestyle: 1. Josie Dike RIV 2:05.00, 2. Lillyan Hamilton 2:16.36, 3. Katelyn Brinda 2:18.51, 4. Annabelle Nachazel 2:21.58, 5. Sierra Firth 2:24.95, 8. Anne Baron LAN 2:37.33, 10. Katrina Winn LAN 2:51.16
200-Yard I.M.: 1. Leah Brown LAN 2:35.85, 2. Lily Gose LAN 2:37.17 3. Asha Reid LAN 2:38.98, 4. Kelsey Plaisted LAN 2:53.34, 5. Divya Forbis LAN 2:56.84, 6. Jessica Baron LAN 3:11.44,
50-Yard Freestyle: 1. Ashlon Koch LAN 26.35, 2. Olivia Fowler LAN 26.43, 3. Anja Harms LAN 27.95. 4. Makayla McPherson LAN 28.45, 10. Jenny Bautz LAN 30.41, 12. Madeline Logan LAN 34.74, 13. Karah Ratliff LAN 37.77. 14. Ansley Else LAN 38.71, 15. Mia Cox LAN 40.21
1-Meter Diving: 1. Elizabeth Pierson RIV 326.05, 2. Li PLatz LAN 278.20, 3. Grace Flint LAN 277.05, 4. Skyler Woodruff LAN 267.35
100-Yard Butterfly: 1. Josie Dike RIV 1:06.15, 2. Li Platz LAN 1:11.84, 3. Kristen McPheron LAN 1:17.86, 4. Kelsey Plaisted LAN 1:27.62
100-Yard Freestyle: 1. Ashlon Koch LAN 56.40, 2. Olivia Fowler LAN 56.83, 3. Leah Brown LAN 1:01.31, 5. McKella Stigers LAN 1:04.26, 7. Sierra Firth LAN 1:05.33, 8. Asha Reid LAN 1:05.71, 9. Annabelle Nachazel LAN 1:05.73, 12. Jenny Bautz LAN 1:07.99, 13. Lainy Duncan LAN 1:15.84 (breaststroke), 14. Jessica Baron LAN 1:16.40, 15. Madeline Logan LAN 1:18.56, 16. Katrina Winn LAN 1:20.71, 17. Ansley Else LAN 1:24.46, 18. Karah Ratfliff LAN 1:26.63, 19. Emma Fousek LAN 1:28.30
500-Yard Freestyle: 1. Michaela Osborne RIV 6:29.13, 3. Anne Baron LAN 6:33.02, 4. Anja Harms LAN 6:34.02
200-Yard Free Relay: 1. Lander ‘A’ 1:48.41 (O. Fowler, L. Dunan, L. Brown, L. Gose), Lander ‘B’ 1:49.03 (A. Koch, L. Hamilton, A. Harms, M. McPherson), 4. Lander ‘D’ 2:05.45 (K. McPherson, T. Bautz, S. Firth, A. Baron), 5. Lander ‘C’ 2:05.69 (L. Platz, A. Nachazel, G. Flint, A. Reid)
100-Yard Backstroke: 1. Lainy Duncan LAN 1:11.50, 2. Lily Gose LAN 1:12.66, 3. Lillyan Hamilton LAN 1:16.76, 6. Mia Cox LAN 1:38.42
100-Yard Breaststroke: 1. Makayla McPherson LAN 1:22.33, 4. Theresa Bautz LAN 1:26.66. 5. Kristen McPherson LAN 1:27.08, 8. Divya Forbis LAN 1:33.51, 9. Emma Fousek LAN 1:35.30,
400-Yard Free Relay: 1. Riverton ‘A’ 4:19.41, 2. Lander ‘A’ (M. Stigers, L. Gose, A. Nachazel, A. Baron) 4:23.79. 3. Lander ‘B’ (S. Firth, L. Hamilton, J. Bautz, D. Forbis) 4:35.57