{gallery}05_12_09/track{/gallery} Powell senior Rustin Myrick powers over a hurdle during Friday's 110-meter hurdles race. The event is one of four in which Myrick has already qualified for the state track meet. The Panthers compete in regional action this weekend in Cody. Tribune photo by Randal HorobikPowell track teams tune up for regional meetIt may not be home sweet home, but for the members of the Powell High School track team, performing in Cody is quickly becoming the next-best thing this spring. The Panther boys captured the team title and the Panther girls were third on Friday. The event was the third invitational meet this season Powell attended at Cody High School, which will also serve as the host facility for this week's 3A West regional meet.

“We're obviously getting to know the facility,” quipped Panther head track coach Scott Smith.

Numerous Powell athletes used that knowledge to their benefit on Friday. Drew MaGill became the latest Panther athlete to achieve automatic qualifier status for the 2009 state meet. MaGill won the triple jump with a distance of 41 feet, 8.5 inches to surpass the qualifying standard. He narrowly missed adding a long jump title on the day.

“It was nice to get another pre-qualifier out of the meet,” said Smith. “He has been close (to the qualifying standard) all year, so it was really nice to see him get it.”

The Panthers narrowly missed picking up a second automatic qualifier. Stephanie Paul breezed to victory in the 200 meters, but fell mere hundredths of a second short of the needed qualifying standard.

“That's the great thing about track, however,” said Smith. “She still has the chance to qualify this week by placing in the top eight.”

Powell's boys tallied 179 points at the meet to finish 30 ahead of Burlington and 35 points ahead of 3A rival Cody.

The Panther girls finished with 99 points, trailing only Cody and Burlington in the standings.

“This meet was small in the number of teams, but high in quality,” said Smith. “Burlington is the top-rated team, both girls and boys, in 1A. Cody is the top-rated team in 3A and Lovell's boys and girls are rated in the top three in our region.”

The Panthers will travel to Cody on Friday for the start of 3A regional competition.

“Our varsity teams are pretty much put together,” said Smith. “Now we just need to polish them up for regional competition.”

The top eight individual place winners and the top four relay teams in each event at regional competition earn spots in the state track and field championships. Athletes who have previously automatically qualified for state by surpassing performance standards established by the Wyoming High School Activities Association also qualify, regardless of their place at the regional meet.

Girls team standings — Cody 170, Burlington 139, Powell 99, Lovell 81, Worland 53.

Individuals: 100-7. Kendra Ostrum 15.00, 8. Kami Cooley 15.25; 200-1. Stephanie Paul 27.64, 3. Alyssa Rodriguez 28.52; 400-1. Stephanie Paul 1:03.89, 2. Alyssa Rodriguez 1:05.06, 4. Kassey MacDonald 1:09.75; 800-3. Desiree Murray 2:33.82, 4. Skye Albert 2:41.71, 6. Kassey MacDonald 2:47.99, 7. Tamara Brown 2:48.65; 1600-5. Megan Darrow 7:02.09; 4x100 relay-2. Stephanie Paul, Kendra Ostrum, Alyssa Rodriguez and Kami Cooley 54.32; 4. Kendra Ostrum 4'9”, 8. Hannah Pollart 4'5”; Long jump-7. Kassey MacDonald 13'7”; Triple jump-8. Kendra Ostrum 31'3”; Shot put-4. Marquette McArthur 29'7”, 6. Hannah Groves 28'10”, 7. Emily Kath 28'10”; Discus-3. Marquette McArthur 94'3”, 5. Emily Kath 90'2”.

Boys team standings — Powell 179, Burlington 149, Cody 144, Lovell 83, Worland 49.