With the close of the fall sports season comes a big update of champions to champlists.com, the source for Wyoming’s state champions and a host of other information for a swath of sports. Some highlights from this fall:
Cross country: Star Valley, Evanston and Burlington won team titles, with Burlington’s championship the first as an independent team. Natrona, Powell and Wright won the girls championships. Star Valley’s Habtamu Wetzel won the 4A boys title for the second time, while Charlie Hulbert (Cody) and Howard McNiven (Burlington) won their first individual titles. The girls champions were all first-time winners — Jackson’s Madison Antonino, Worland’s Zena Tapia and Burlington’s Jessie Michaels.
Golf: Riverton’s Parker Paxton and Lovell’s Erika Cook won the Class 3A boys and girls individual titles, respectively, for the fourth consecutive year, becoming just the fifth and sixth golfers in state history to win four individual state titles in their career. The Upton boys won their first state golf championship by taking the 2A title. Cheyenne East (4A) and Riverton (3A) also won boys titles. Sheridan (4A), Wheatland (3A) and Thermopolis (2A) won the girls team titles. Cheyenne East’s Daniel Meyers (4A boys), Upton’s Logan Timberman (2A boys), Natrona’s Cheyenne Ward (4A girls) and Sundance’s Savanah Peterson (2A girls) also won individual titles, each winning their first.
Girls swimming: Kelly Walsh’s girls won the 4A title, the program’s first state championship, while Green River won the 3A girls championship. Green River’s Tanith Smith joined a small group of swimmers to have ever won six individual titles, winning the 50 freestyle for the third consecutive year and the 100 freestyle twice to go with the 100 backstroke title she won in 2021. Smith, a junior, would become just the sixth girls swimmer in state history to finish with eight individual championships if she can win two more next year. The 4A team chase ended close, with the top four teams separated by just 13 points, the closest finish among four teams in state history.
Tennis: Laramie (boys) and Cheyenne Central (girls) won team titles; Central’s girls won their 17th team championship, extending a state record. Cheyenne South’s Andrew Lock won the boys No. 1 singles title for the second consecutive year. Kelly Walsh’s Taylor Nokes won the girls No. 1 singles title. Both are seniors. Meanwhile, sophomore Hailey Mathis-Breitkopf of Cheyenne Central won the No. 2 singles title for the second consecutive year.
Volleyball: Laramie (4A), Mountain View (3A), Big Horn (2A) and Cokeville (1A) won state championships. Laramie and Mountain View both won titles for the third time in four years, while Big Horn won for the second time in three years. Cokeville, meanwhile, won its first title since 2020 but won its 26th state championship overall, more than double any other program in the state. Laramie’s Maddy Stucky and Big Horn’s Saydee Zimmer were named all-state for the fourth consecutive year, becoming just the 15th and 16th players in state history to be so recognized. Big Horn’s Emme Mullinax and Emma Prior and Powell’s Addy Thorington were named all-state for the third consecutive year, while two-time all-state selections included Buffalo’s Cassidy Bessler and Tess Rule, Burns’ Brooke Hansen, Campbell County’s Aubrey Dewine, Cody’s Molly Hays, Greybull’s Kelsie McColloch, Lingle’s Natalie Speckner, Lyman’s Hailey Eldredge, Mountain View’s Kate Walker, Rock River’s Mikayla Alexander, Sundance’s Jaylin Mills, Thunder Basin’s Piper Martin, Upton’s Sophie Louderback and Wright’s Jazmin McOmber.
As always, if you see anything that looks incorrect or weird on the site, let me know!
–patrick