by nathan oster
The Greybull Buffs will travel to this weekend’s State 2A Track and Field Championships with an even dozen state qualifiers after Kate Wilkinson, Jackie Miller and Lindsay Kern reserved their spots in regional competition in Lander.
The 2A West Regional went about as expected, with the Lovell girls and Wind River boys capturing the team titles — just as GHS Coach Jeff Sukut predicted they would in the days leading up to the meet.
The Buffs left town feeling good about themselves too, as the girls racked up 41 points to finish sixth while the boys accumulated 29 to land in seventh place. In both divisions, there were 10 teams.
“We did well,” said Sukut. “I was hoping to try to get about in the middle of the pack, maybe a little higher, but I had a feeling that’s about where we were going to land.
“The kids had some of their top performances of the season, which is what coaches hope for —to peak at the regional, and then hopefully again at state.”
For the Buffs, the story was the three new qualifiers.
Wilkinson, a senior, joined Alex Powers, Michaela Jolley and Karly Thomas (all of whom had AQd in the hurdles) on the 400-meter relay team, stepping in for Jessica Hunt, who normally runs it and was away at ISEF. In Lander, the foursome did just enough to qualify, finishing fourth in a time of 56.32 seconds. Lovell won it, in a time of 52.49 seconds.
Miller made it in the open 400, finishing fourth in a time of 1:06.53, which was just a shade above her personal best. “She’s been pretty consistent in her times,” said Sukut. “We’re hoping she can bring it down a bit at state. If she can do that, she’ll have a good chance of placing.”
Kern, a sophomore, qualified for the second consecutive year in the shot put, heaving it 28 feet, 5 inches. According to Sukut, she scratched on a throw “that would have been in the 30-foot range.”
The trio of Powers, Thomas and Jolley produced the other team points in Lander.
Powers “had a great meet,” according to Sukut. She won the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 17.12 seconds and was fourth in the 300s in 51.12 seconds. Both times were personal bests for the sophomore.
She also turn in a personal best in the long jump, soaring 14-6 to finish seventh and qualify.
Thomas, who had the fastest time after the prelims of the 100 hurdles, finished fourth in the finals. She followed that up with an eighth in the 300 hurdles.
Jolley was fifth in the 100s and seventh in the 300s.
The Buffs had a couple of near misses as well, as Jolley missed qualifying in the long jump by just a half inch and Alicia Brown placed 10th in the discus.
On the boys’ side, Sukut said Clay Cundall and Edward DeCabooter had good meets.
Cundall posted personal bests in both hurdle races, finishing secong in the 300s and fourth in the 110s.
DeCabooter ran his best mile of the season and also qualified in the 3,200 and 800 meters.
While the 12 will be going on to state, the regional marked the end of the line for the rest of the Buffs.
“For some of our younger kids, who maybe didn’t improve their times and distances quite as much, they gave a good effort and hopefully they’ll be back out again next season,” said Sukut. “By then, they’ll be a year older, a year stronger, and hopefully a year faster.”
On to state
The three-day state competition will begin today, and the Buffs will be busy throughout the weekend.
The following boys have qualified:
• Cundall, in the 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles and 400-meter relay;
• DeCabooter, in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters;
• Dylan Brenner, on the 400-meter relay team;
• Dillon McCoy, on the 400-meter relay team;
• Shane Clucas, in the 200 and on the 400-meter relay team.
On the girls’ side, Sukut will be taking the following seven:
• Hunt, in the high jump;
• Miller, in the 400;
• Kern, in the shot put;
• Thomas, in the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and on the 400-meter relay team;
• Powers, in the long jump, 100 and 300 hurdles, and on the 400-meter relay team;
• Jolley, in the 100 and 300 hurdles and on the 400-meter relay team;
• Wilkinson, on the 400-meter relay team.
CLASS 2A WEST REGIONAL
GIRLS — Lovell 202, Saratoga 96, Kemmerer 66, Big Piney 65, Wind River 64, Greybull 41, Rocky Mt. 38.5, Shoshoni 23.5, Wyoming Indian 21, Riverside 20.
400 METERS — 4, Jackie Miller, 1:06.53.
100 HURDLES — 1, Alex Powers, 17.12. 4, Karly Thomas, 17.61. 5, Michaela Jolley, 17.68.
300 HURDLES — 4, Powers, 51.12. 7, Jolley, 52.69. 8, Thomas, 54.44.
400 RELAY — 4, Greybull (Thomas, Powers, Wilkinson, Jolley), 56.32.
LONG JUMP — 7, Powers, 14-6.
SHOT PUT — 7, Lindsay Kern, 28-5.
BOYS — Wind River 162, Lovell 127, Wyoming Indian 96, Kemmerer 81, Big Piney 77, Saratoga 72, Greybull 29, Rocky Mt. 7, Riverside 3.
200 METERS — 5, Shane Clucas, 24.67.
800 METERS — 8, Edward DeCabooter, 2:06.84.
1,600 METERS — 4, DeCabooter, 4:45.65.
3,200 METERS — 6, DeCabooter, 10:42.7.
110 HURDLES — 4, Clay Cundall, 17.59.
300 HURDLES — 2, Cundall, 42.29.
400 RELAY — 6, Greybull (Clucas, Cundall, Dylan Brenner, Dillon McCoy), 47.54.