The champions, all-state teams and state results from the spring sports season have been added to champlists.com. Here’s a quick rundown of some of this spring’s highlights:
Softball: Thunder Basin won its second consecutive state championship after beating Cheyenne East in the championship. Three players earned their third consecutive all-state selection: Campbell County’s Avery Gray, Cheyenne East’s Trista Stehwien and Thunder Basin’s Lauren O’Loughlin. Gray is a junior.
Soccer: The boys teams from Thunder Basin and Worland and the girls teams from Kelly Walsh and Cody won team titles. Thunder Basin’s title was its first, while Worland (15-0-1) won its fifth title in a row, not including the canceled 2020 season. KW’s title was its first since 2005, while Cody, which went 17-0, won its second in a row and fifth in the past six state tournaments. Eleven players earned their third all-state nod, with Cody’s Ally Boysen, Jessa Lynn and Reece Niemann, Jackson’s Taya McClennen, Lander’s Delaney Sullivan and Laramie’s Allison Beeston earning those honors for girls and Cody’s Matt Nelson, Douglas’ Jackson Hughes, Sheridan’s Colson Coon, Thunder Basin’s Caleb Howell and Worland’s Court Gonsalez for boys’ teams. McLennen is a junior.
Track and field: Cheyenne Central’s girls won their fifth consecutive state track meet, while Powell won its third straight and Saratoga its second straight. Big Piney won the remaining girls title. Eleven girls state meet records fell: 4A and overall 400 (Addie Pendergast, Sheridan, 54.62); 1A 1600 (Bryli Groll, Cokeville, 5:21.44); 1A 3200 (Groll, 11:50.81); 1A 300 hurdles (Addison Barnes, Cokeville, 44.92); 3A 4×100 relay (Worland, 49.97); 1A 4×100 relay (Riverside, 50.82); 4A and overall 1600 medley relay (Cody, 4:12.26); 3A 1600 medley relay (Rawlins, 4:14.04); 1A 1600 medley relay (Burlington, 4:33.15); 4A and overall 4×800 relay (Cody, 9:26.48); 4A and overall long jump (Taliah Morris, Cheyenne East, 19-8.5).
Natrona, Powell, Big Horn and Burlington all won boys track titles. Natrona’s boys won their 24th state championship, tying Cheyenne Central for the most in state history. Nine boys state meet records fell: 2A 400 (Cody Hape, Burns, 48.46); 2A 800 (Colby Jenks, Big Piney, 1:53.64); 2A 3200 (Owen Burnett, Kemmerer, 9:26.38); 3A 110 hurdles (Gage Gose, Lander, 14.24); 3A and overall 300 hurdles (Gose, 36.10); 2A 300 hurdles (Jenks, 38.22); 2A 4×100 relay (Big Horn, 43.88); 4A 1600 medley relay (Sheridan, 3:32.09); 2A 1600 medley relay (Kemmerer, 3:37.26).
Four all-time best marks fell this season, including three at the state track meet. Gose turned in a 36.10 in the 300 hurdles at state, the only boys’ mark to fall this year. Pendergast ran a 23.58 in the 200 at the Trojan Invite in April, the only individual girls’ mark broken in 2023. The other two all-time bests set this year were in relays, as Cody set the best marks in both the 1600 medley relay (4:12.26) and the 4×800 relay (9:26.48), both at state.
If you see anything on the site that looks incorrect, give me a shout and let me know. 🙂
–patrick