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    #Smiles: LVHS Lady Tiger’s swimming and diving team wins relays; places three in Pentathlon Top-10

    A series to share #smiles across our community through the achievements of our local youth, brought to you by Rendezvous Dental.

    Featured photo: The top-10 athletes at the Bruce Gresly Pentathlon on Saturday included three Lady Tigers: Ashlon Koch (2nd) second from right, Olivia Fowler (4th) fourth from right, and Lily Gose (7th) seventh from right. h/t Susan Gray Gose

    LVHS Wins Relays and Places Three in Pentathlon Top-10

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    By Susan Gray Gose

    The Lander Valley High girls swimming and diving team hit the pool for their first meets over the weekend and showed they are ready to defend their state title. The team is 31-strong, one of the largest in recent years.

    “We’ve got one of the biggest teams we’ve had in a long time, which has been fun,” said Head Coach Shawna Morgan. “There is a lot of work to be done with technique and mindset, so we will be concentrating on that for a while.”

    Morgan returns this season with Tim Hester and Diving Coach Faith Hamilton. The three have overseen three straight 3A-State titles for the girls. Lantien Chu, who moved to California, helped coach the team to the initial 2016 win.

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    Morgan was pleased with the team’s performance at the Lander Relays on Friday and the Bruce Gresly Pentathlon on Saturday, both in the home pool. Lander won the Relays by more than 100-points over second-place Sublette. On Saturday, Lander placed three swimmers in the top-10 positions of the pentathlon (where swimmers each compete in five events—50-free, 100-free, 100-back, 100-breast, and 100-fly). Sophomore Ashlon Koch took second, senior Olivia Fowler placed fourth, and senior Lily Gose finished seventh. Senior Makayla McPherson missed the 10th spot by only one point.

    “I’m impressed with the performances of our veterans and really, really impressed with the performances of our new athletes,” said Morgan. “I can’t wait to see what they accomplish by the end of the season.”

    Several of the veterans claimed state qualifying standards as soon as they hit the water to race. Seniors Fowler, Gose, McPherson, Leah Brown, and Li Platz all q’ed. Over the two days, Fowler made it in six events, Gose in four, McPherson and Brown in three, and Platz in the butterfly. Joining them are junior Kristen McPherson in the backstroke and sophomore sensation Koch with six events.

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    Two freshmen showed they will be key competitors. Lainy Duncan qualified in three events, and Lillyan Hamilton in two. Both bring experience from their years with the strong Lander Swim Club.

    Other athletes swam impressive races and proved they will be contenders too: senior McKella Stigers, juniors Jenny Bautz and Sierra Firth, sophomore Asha Reid, and freshmen Katlyn Brinda and Annabelle Nachazel. Rounding out the swim squad with strong swims are veteran swimming sisters Anne and Jessica Baron, Madeline Logan, Kristen Winn, Kelsey Plaisted, Karah Ratliff, Mia Cox, Ansley Else, and Emma Fousek.

    A highlight for the team this season is a squad of five divers. Platz is diving, along with senior Grace Flint, sophomores Tori Newton and Tanisha Hootch, and freshman Skylar Woodruff. Newton had the highest score among Lander divers on Friday, and Platz claimed it Saturday. The addition of strong divers will help the team with its state-title quest, since last year no Lander divers made it to the finals.

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    Coach Morgan said two qualities she hopes to bring out more of this year are fun and positivity: “The best part of the meets this weekend was how much fun the girls were having. I feel that there is a lot of pressure put on them to constantly win, and this year I really want them to have fun and stay positive. We are going to try some new training techniques and really work on mindset. Hopefully, it works in our favor.”

    All of that should help the athletes combat any stress from being the team with the target on their backs. The head coach for the Powell girls swimming and diving told the Powell Tribune last week: “I’m ready to go fishing for Moby Dick in a row boat and take along the tarter sauce.” The “white whale” he refers to is Lander, who beat runner-up Powell at state last year by more than 100 points. Competitive teams from Buffalo and Lyman will also have their harpoons aimed at Lander, but the Tigers are ready.

    The LVHS girls team posed with their many Crocs in the pool before their first meet on Friday. h/t Melissa McPherson

    RESULTS:

    LANDER RELAYS AUG. 30, 2019:
    Team Scores: 1. Lander 425, 2. Sublette 294, 3. Riverton 199, 4. Kemmerer 141, 5. Worland 137, 6. Newcastle 122

    200-yard Medley Relay: 1. A-Lander 2:02.54 (L. Brown, L. Duncan, M. McPherson, L. Hamilton), 3. B-Lander 2:08.91 (K. McPherson, M. Stigers L. Platz, A. Reid), 8. D-Lander 2:31.81 (M. Logan, J. Bautz, J. Baron, S. Firth), 13. E-Lander 2:57.89 (M. Cox, E. Fousek, K. Winn, K. Ratliff)

    200-yard Freestyle: 1. Ashlon Koch LAN 2:05.73, 2. Olivia Fowler LAN 2:10.70, 4. Lily Gose LAN 2:17.89, 5. Lainey Duncan LAN 2:21.01, 10. Katelyn Brinda LAN 2:33.23, 12. Asha Reid LAN 2:39.70

    400-yard Medley Relay: 1. A-Lander 4:40.44 (M. McPherson, O. Fowler, L. Duncan, A. Koch)

    50-yard Freestyle: 1. Leah Brown LAN 27.35, 2. Lillyan Hamilton LAN 27.53, 4. McKella Stigers LAN 29.83, 5. Jenny Bautz LAN 30.25, 13. Kelsey Plaisted LAN 34.21, 18. Katrina Winn LAN 36.72, 21. Karah Ratliff LAN 39.93, 25. Mia Cox LAN 42.97, 26. Ansley Else LAN 44.11, 27. Emma Fousek LAN 44.46

    1-Meter Diving: 1. Elizabeth Pierson RIV 139.45, 3. Tori Newton LAN 118.85, 4. Grace Flint LAN 117.85, 5. Li Platz LAN 100.75, 7. Skyler Woodruff LAN 91.35, EXH Tanisha Hootch 25.90

    200-Fly Relay: 1. A-Sublette 1:59.47, 2. A-Lander 2:07.15 (L. Gose, L. Platz, L. Duncan, M. McPherson)

    100-yard Freestyle: 1. Amelia Despain KEM 1:04.54, 2. Sierra Firth LAN 1:07.46, 3. Asha Reid LAN 1:08.30, 4. Annabelle Nachazel 1:10.09, 6. Anne Baron LAN 1:12.14, 10. Jessica Baron LAN 1:17.40, 13. Katrina Winn LAN 1:23.21, 18. Karah Ratfliff LAN 1:35.52, 19. Mia Cox LAN 1:37.67

    500-yard Free Relay (50 y., 100 y., 150 y., 200 y.): 1. A-Lander 5:26.32 (L. Brown, L. Hamilton, O. Fowler, L. Gose)

    200-yard Free Relay: 1. A-Lander 1:50.22 (M. McPherson, M. Stigers, L. Brown, A. Koch), 5. B-Lander 2:01.93 (K. Brinda, L. Platz, A. Reid, K. McPherson), C-Lander 2:02.47 (A.Nachazel, S. Firth, J. Bautz, A. Baron), 11. D-Lander 2:22.00 (J. Baron, G. Flint, K. Plaisted, M. Logan), 14. E-Lander 2:54.45 (A. Else, M. Cox, E. Fousek, K. Ratliff)

    100-yard Backstroke: 1. Hannah Gross NEW 1:03.47, 2. Kristen McPherson LAN 1:10.56, 7. Kelsey Plaisted LAN 1:27.24, 11. Madeline Logan LAN 1:33.26, 12. Jessica Baron LAN 1:33.83

    100-yard Breaststroke: 1. Teryn Thatcher KEM 1:12.89, 4. McKella Stigers LAN 1:26.97, 5. A. Baron LAN 1:33.28, 7. Annabelle Nachazel 1:35.37, 10. Emma Fousek 1:47.54

    400-yard Free Relay: 1. A-Lander 4:02.97 (O. Fowler, L. Hamilton, L. Gose, A. Koch), 4. B-Lander 4:48.37 (K. Brinda, S. Firth, K. McPherson, M. Logan)

    BRUCE GRESLY PENTATHLON AUG. 31, 2019:

    Top-10 All-Around: 1. Hannah Gross NEW 218, 2. Ashlon Koch LAN 202, 4. Olivia Fowler LAN 178, 7. Lily Gose LAN 121

    100-yard Butterfly: 1. Ashlon Koch LAN 1:04.59, 5. Olivia Fowler LAN 1:09.52, 10. Lainy Duncan 1:12.02, 12. Makayla McPherson LAN 1:12.39, 14. Lily Gose LAN 1:12.87, 24. Lillyan Hamilton LAN 1:17.23, 30. Kristen McPherson LAN 1:19.67, 32. Asha Reid LAN 1:20.42, 36. Katelyn Brinda LAN 1:22.43, 43. Sierra Firth LAN 1:27.61, 44. Jenny Bautz LAN 1:27.80, 50. Anne Baron LAN 1:33.41, 60. Kelsey Plaisted LAN 1:40.01, 63. Jessica Baron LAN 1:41.65, 69. Madeline Logan LAN 1:46.00, EXH Li Platz LAN 1:15.17,

    100-yard Backstroke: 1. Olivia Fowler LAN 1:03.57, 2. Ashlon Koch LAN 1:03.72, 8. Leah Brown LAN 1:10.26, 11. Makayla McPherson 1:10.85, 12. K. McPherson 1:11.57, 20. Lily Gose LAN 1:14.10, 21. Asha Reid LAN 1:14.64, 28. M. Stigers LAN 1:16.55, 30. K. Brinda LAN 1:16.77, 33. L. Hamilton LAN 1:17.79, 36. Jenny Bautz LAN 1:18.07, 40. Sierra Firth LAN 1:19.56, 48. Annabelle Nachazel LAN 1:23.34, 58. Kelsey Plaisted LAN 1:28.28, 61. Anne Baron LAN 1:29.20, 70. Madeline Logan LAN 1:33.68, 73. Jessica Baron LAN 1:35.13, EXH Katrina Winn LAN 1:44.34, EXH Mia Cox LAN 1:44.77, EXH Karah Ratliff LAN 1:46.85, EXH Emma Fousek LAN 1:57.22

    50-yard Freestyle: 1. Hanna Gross NEW 26.05, 4. Ashlon Koch LAN 27.11, 5. Olivia Fowler LAN 27.15, 10. Lily Gose LAN 28.17, 11. Leah Brown LAN 28.18, 11. Lillyan Hamilton LAN 28.18, 15. Makayla McPherson LAN 28.37, 26. Lainy Duncan LAN 29.45, 26. McKella Stigers LAN 29.45, 35. Asha Reid LAN 30.21, 39. Sierra Firth LAN 30.53, 43. Katelyn Brinda LAN 30.75, 45. Jenny Bautz LAN 30.92, 47. Kristen McPherson LAN 31.05, 54. Annabelle Nachazel LAN 32.24, 64. Anne Baron LAN 33.35, 71. Kelsey Plaisted LAN 34.12, 75. Jessica Baron LAN 34.98, 77. Madeline Logan LAN 36.22, EXH Katrina Winn LAN 39.25, EXH Karah Ratfliff LAN 39.80, EXH Mia Cox LAN 41.62, EXH Ansley Else LAN 42.75, EXH Emma Fousek LAN 42.99

    100-yard Breaststroke: 1. Hannah Gross NEW 1:17.91, 3. Ashlon Koch LAN 1:19.34, 4. Lainy Duncan LAN 1:19.46, 6. Lily Gose LAN 1:19.98, 9. Olivia Fowler LAN 1:21.92, 11. Jenny Bautz LAN 1:22.60, 15. Makayla McPherson LAN 1:23.92, 18. McKella Stigers LAN 1:24.88, 28. Leah Brown LAN 1:28.70, 29. Asha Reid LAN 1:28.85, 31. Kristen McPherson LAN 1:29.07, 37. Sierra Firth LAN 1:32.25, 44. Anne Baron LAN 1:34.61, 50. Kelsey Plaisted LAN 1:35.98, 52. Annabelle Nachazel LAN 1:32.76, 56. Katelyn Brinda LAN 1:39.27, 59. Jessica Baron LAN 1:40.47, 76. Madeline Logan LAN 1:49.85, EXH Emma Fousek LAN 1:49.69, EXH Katrina Winn LAN 1:52.88

    100-yard Freestyle: 1. Josie Dike RIV 56.91, 3. Ashlon Koch LAN 57.69, 4. Olivia Fowler LAN 59.01, 6. Lily Gose LAN 1:01.33, 9. Leah Brown LAN 1:01.66, 10. Lillyan Hamilton LAN 1:02.10, 16. Makayla McPherson LAN 1:03.75, 26. Lainy Duncan 1:06.23, 28. Sierra Firth LAN 1:06.73, 36. McKella Stigers LAN 1:09.10, 37. Asha Reid LAN 1:09.40, 39. Katelyn Brinda LAN 1:09.66, 40. Kristen McPherson LAN 1:09.79, 42. Jenny Bautz LAN 1:10.59, 50. Annabelle Nachazel LAN 1:12.25, 57. Anne Baron LAN 1:13.98, 63. Jessica Baron LAN 1:16.78, 73. Madeline Logan LAN 1:20.13, 76. Kelsey Plaisted LAN 1:22.30, EXH Li Platz LAN 1:05.41, EXH Katrina Winn LAN 1:24.99, EXH Mia Cox LAN 1:35.77, EXH Karah Ratliff LAN 1:36.41

    Girls 1-Meter Diving: 1. Isabella Romasko SUB 156.30, 8. Li Platz LAN 116.85, 9. Tori Newton LAN 115.75, 14. Grace Flint LAN 96.45, 16. Skyler Woodruff LAN 89.45, EXH Tanisha Hootch LAN 38.10

     

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