How do you win a state track championship when you score in just a single field event? You dominate on the track with a few individual titles, get a lot of points for lower placings, and have solid relay teams.
The Lander Tigers did just that in winning their second state boys track championship in as many years over a cold, wet, windy, weekend in Casper.
Paced by first place finishes in both hurdles by junior Gage Gose, a win from senior Blaine Goklish in the 800 meter run, and key placings by Matisse Weaver, Reed McFadden, Shawn Cozzens, and Goklish in other open events. Jonah Brown’s four points in clearing 11-6 to take fifth in the pole vault was another key factor in holding off second place Mountain View.
The Tigers shined in the relay events scoring 36 team points with two first place, and two second place finishes.
Lander won the sprint medley relay behind Caynen Brown, Shawn Cozzens, Gage Gose, and Blaine Goklish.
They were second in both the 4×100 and 4×800 meter relays with Jonah Brown, Shawn Cozzens, Caynen Brown and Matisse Weaver running a time of 45.02 in the sprint relay.
The 4×800 meter team finished behind Mountain View but had a great runner-up time of 8:35.64 garnered by Reed McFadden, Diego Lobatos, Aidan Russell, and Blaine Goklish.
That left the 4×400 meter relay for the Tigers.
The 4×400 relay is the final event at every track meet. Entering this last race late Saturday afternoon the Tigers held a tenuous 2.5-point lead over Mountain View.
While all the races and points have equal importance in determining a state championship, the 4×400 takes on a higher level of drama when a state championship is on the line.
The Tiger relay team of Matisse Weaver, Reed McFadden, Aidan Russell and Gage Gose left no doubt, dominating the relay with a first place time of 3:28.55 and another Class 3-A state championship.
The boys had the fanfare of a state title, but the Lady Tigers had a great meet as well finishing a close third in a packed 3-A girls division with 76.5 points.
In similar fashion to the boys, the girls won just one event, the 4×100 meter relay, but tallied points in most running events, and placed high in all four relays. Just like the boys, they earned just one scoring spot in the field events with Asha Reid placing seventh in the high jump.
The 4×100 meter relay team of Avery Bever, Abigail Gribowskas, Alexa Colman, and Avery Crane had near perfect exchanges in spite of the cold, wet conditions and won the event in 50:37.
A first, two seconds, and a third in a state championship meet is a solid team effort.
The 4×400 relay team of Ellie Kaufman, Kyndal McFadden, Bria Calvert, and Avery Crane finished third in 4:09.69, while the 4×800 meter squad of Marlee Jones, Kyra Simonson, Kyndal McFadden, and Annika Wilmot was second in 10:17.26, and the sprint medley team of Alexa Colman, Avery Bever, Ellie Kaufman, and Ameya Eddy was also runner-up in 4:29.46.
Freshman Ameya Eddy had the highest individual finish with a 5:17.41 time in the 1600 meter relay in a second place effort.
Avery Bever, Avery Crane, Abbigal Gribowskas, Kyra Simonson, and Eddy all picked up placing points from fourth to seventh place to add to the Lady Tiger total.
In Class 4-A the Riverton girls did not score at the state meet and the Wolverine boys scored three points, behind eighth place finished by Tristan Watkins in the 200 meter dash, Caleb Crowly in the 400 meter dash, and Kaden Chatfield in the 3200 meter run.
Class 3-A Girls Team Scores: 1. Powell 96, 2. Mountain View 90, 3. Lander 76.5, 4. Rawlins 67, 5. Torrington 64, 6. Buffalo 53.5, 7. Lyman 51.5, 8. Wheatland 51, 9. Pinedale 40, 10. Burns 35.5, 11. Kemmerer 24, 12. Worland 20, 13. Lovell 17. 14. Thermopolis 10, 15. Douglas 6
100 Meter Dash: 1. Jenna Hillman, POW 12.65, 4. Avery Bever, LAN 13.03
200 Meter Dash: 1. Jenna Hillman, POW 26.59, 6. Avery Crane, LAN 27.08, 7. Abigail Gribowskas, LAN 27.11
400 Meter Dash: 1. Lily Nichols, WHT 59.05, 5. Abigail Gribowskas, LAN 1:01.33, 6. Ellie Kaufman, LAN 1:02.10
800 Meter Run: 1. Lily Nichols, WHT 2:19.29, 4. Ameya Eddy, LAN 2:25.42
1600 Meter Run: 1. Ryann Smith, RAW 5:11.33, 2. Ameya Eddy, LAN 5:17.41
3200 Meter Run: 1. Emma Gonzalez, BUR 11:32.18, 7. Kyra Simonson, LAN 12:21. 77
100 Meter Hurdles: 1. Eva Nitschke, RAW 15.03
300 Meter Hurdles: 1. Eva Nitschke, RAW 45.62, 6. Avery Crane, LAN 48.61
4×100 Meter Relay: 1. Lander (Avery Bever, Abigail Gribowskas, Alexa Colman, Avery Crane) 50:37
4×400 Meter Relay: 1. Powell 4:07.05, 3. Lander (Ellie Kaufman, Kyndal McFadden, Bria Calvert, Avery Crane) 4:09.69
4×800 Meter Relay: 1. Mountain View 10:06.90, 2. Lander (Marlee Jones, Kyra Simonson, Kyndal McFadden, Annika Wilmot) 10:17.26
Sprint Medley Relay: 1. Rawlins 4:25.65, 2. Lander (Alexa Colman, Avery Bever, Ellie Kaufman, Ameya Eddy) 4:29.46
High Jump: 1. Mya Hutchings, MV 5-2, 7. Asha Reid, LAN 4-8
Pole Vault: 1. Mylie Micheli, MV 10-0
Long Jump: 1. Sage Bradshaw, LYM 16-11.5
Triple Jump: 1. Allison Brummell, TOR 35-6
Shot Put: 1. Katy Dexter, PIN 38-9
Discus: 1. Katy Dexter, PIN 125-11
Class 3-A Boys Team Scores: 1. Lander 98, 2. Mountain View 88.5, 3. Powell 75.5, 4. Torrington 61, 5. Worland 55, 6. Wheatland 54, 7. Lovell 52, 8. Rawlins 51, 9. Douglas 48.5, 10. Burns 47, 11. Buffalo 24, 12. Kemmerer 23, 13. Lyman 20.5, 14. Pinedale 2, 15. Thermopolis 1
100 Meter Dash: 1. Rodee Brow, WHT 10.98, 5. Shawn Cozzens, LAN 11.41
200 Meter Dash: 1. Brendan Flock, TOR 22.48, 5. Shawn Cozzens, LAN 23.29, 6. Matisse Weaver, LAN 23.46
400 Meter Dash: 1. Rodee Brow, WHT 49.22
800 Meter Run: 1. Blaine Goklish, LAN 1:58.85, 3. Reed McFadden, LAN 1:59.27
1600 Meter Run: 1. Owen Burnett, KEM 4:23.46, 4. Blaine Goklish, LAN 4:34.62
3200 Meter Run: 1. Owen Burnett, KEM 9:46.49
110 Meter High Hurdles: 1. Gage Gose, LAN 14.81
300 Meter Intermediate Hurdles: 1. Gage Gose, LAN 38.69, 3. Matisse Weaver, LAN 40.35
4×100 Meter Relay: 1. Wheatland 44.14, 2. Lander (Jonah Brown, Shawn Cozzens, Caynen Brown, Matisse Weaver) 45.02
4×400 Meter Relay: 1. Lander (Matisse Weaver, Reed McFadden, Aidan Russell, Gage Gose) 3:28.55
4×800 Meter Relay: 1. Mountain View 8:30.55, 2. Lander (Reed McFadden, Diego Lobatos, Aidan Russell, Blaine Goklish) 8:35.64
Sprint Medley Relay: 1. Lander (Caynen Brown, Shawn Cozzens, Gage Gose, Blaine Goklish) 3:43.08
High Jump: 1. Kaden Bauersachs, DOU 6-2
Pole Vault: 1. Connor Micheli, MV 14-6, 5. Jonah Brown, LAN 11-6
Long Jump: 1. Alex Bradshaw, LYM 20-11.25
Triple Jump: 1. Jackson Kirkbride, BUR 42-10
Shot Put: 1. Quinn Lindsay, LOV 57-11
Discus: 1. Quinn Lindsay, LOV 174-3