In concert with updates to sister sites champlists.com and wyoming-basketball.com, here are some highlights from the 2023-24 winter high school sports season in Wyoming:
Alpine skiiing: Jackson swept the team titles for the 13th consecutive year, with the Jackson girls winning their 15th consecutive state championship, after the state meet was cut short due to dangerous conditions on the second day of the meet. Only the giant slalom was contested, with Jackson’s Dylan Witherite winning the girls title and Liam Logan winning the boys. The cancelation was the first time since 1986 and just the second time ever that the state meet could not be finished.
Nordic skiing: For the first time since 2009, neither Jackson team won a state title, with Kelly Walsh winning its first boys Nordic title since 1995 and the Lander girls winning their second straight Nordic championship. Natrona’s Ally Wheeler swept the girls individual titles for the second consecutive year, winning the 5K freestyle and 10K classic events, and in doing so became just the sixth girl in state history to notch at least four individual Nordic championships. Lander’s Bennett Hutchison won the boys freestyle race for the second straight year, while Kelly Walsh’s Fisk-Bergstrom Johansson won the 10K classic race.
Boys swimming: Lander continued its 3A run of dominance, winning its 28th consecutive state championship. Meanwhile, the Laramie boys won their seventh consecutive 4A championship. Double championship winners were Sheridan’s Ben Forsythe (4A 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke), Lander’s Benny Kulow (3A 100 and 200 freestyle), Cheyenne South’s Caleb Brewer (4A 200 IM and 100 butterfly), Lander’s Finn Richards (3A 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke), and Lander’s Reed McFadden (3A 200 IM and 100 butterfly).
Indoor track: Sheridan won the 4A boys title for the fifth time in six years, while Cheyenne East won the 4A girls title for the second time and the first since 2012. Cody swept the 3A team titles for the second consecutive year in just the second year of the 3A level being offered. Multiple individual champions included Cheyenne East’s Taliah Morris (4A girls 55, 200, long jump) and Maggie Madsen (4A girls 800, 1600, 3200); Star Valley’s Valerie Jirak (3A girls 55, 200, 400); Cody’s Ada Nelson (3A girls 800, 1600); Cheyenne Central’s Tegan Krause (4A boys 55, 200); Natrona’s Kaiden Lee (4A boys high jump, long jump, triple jump); Star Valley’s Habtamu Wetzel (3A boys 1600, 3200); and Lander’s Reed McFadden (3A boys 55 hurdles, 200, 400).
Wrestling: Three wrestlers completed four-time state championship runs, with Thunder Basin’s Antonio Avila, Rock Springs’ Broc Fletcher and Green River’s Kale Knezovich all pulling off the feat in 2024 — the first time three wrestlers had ever finished four-year title runs in a year. Thunder Basin won its first state title in wrestling by winning the 4A title, while Green River repeated as 3A champ and Moorcroft won its first 2A championship since 2020. Star Valley won the second girls wrestling title even though the Braves only had one individual champion.
Boys basketball: Some familiar teams won state titles in 2024. Cheyenne Central won its 27th state championship in taking the 4A title, extending its state record; Wyoming Indian won its 13th 2A championship; Upton won its third 1A title in four years. And then Powell finished 26-0 to win the 3A title and become the first Wyoming boys team to go undefeated since 2012. Buffalo’s Eli Patterson became just the sixth boys basketball player from the state to notch four all-state selections.
Girls basketball: Douglas’ 27-0 run in Class 3A led to the Bearcats’ state-record sixth consecutive state title (not counting 2020, when the state tournament was canceled). Sheridan (4A), Tongue River (2A) and Southeast (1A) also took home state crowns. Cheyenne East’s Bradie Schlabs and Cody’s Molly Hays became the 21st and 22nd girls basketball players from Wyoming to finish their careers with four all-state selections.
What were some of your highlights of the winter sports season? Leave a comment below. And please let me know if any of my 2023-24 winter sports season updates are wrong or look weird; I appreciate the help!
–patrick