PHS swimmers nail second in two meets

Posted 1/14/14

The Panthers traveled to a quad in Cody on Friday, and Powell hosted the Gene Dozah Invitational Saturday.

Final scores from Cody were Lander, 429; Powell, 313; Cody, 167; and Riverton, 164.

Dozah final scores were Lander, 310; Powell, 282; …

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PHS swimmers nail second in two meets

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The Powell High School boys swim team took second in Friday and Saturday meets with some of the guys seizing first in events.

The Panthers traveled to a quad in Cody on Friday, and Powell hosted the Gene Dozah Invitational Saturday.

Final scores from Cody were Lander, 429; Powell, 313; Cody, 167; and Riverton, 164.

Dozah final scores were Lander, 310; Powell, 282; Worland, 200; Douglas, 148; Riverton, 137; Cody, 121; and Buffalo, 106.

“There were no new state qualifiers but the boys did add 13 new events to their growing lists of qualifications,” said Powell High School assistant swim coach Jerry Rodriguez.

“Coming in second is never what we want but second place to perennial 3A state champion, Lander — 19 years and counting — is not too bad,” Rodriguez said. “Especially, when you consider that they had 11 more swimmers than us and the point spread was only 28 points.”

“One of our standout swimmers of the meet was Ben Wetzel,” Rodriguez said.

Wetzel, a junior, took first place in the 200 yard freestyle at Cody and Dozah with times of 1:59.65 and 1:58.66, respectively. Wetzel grabbed first in the 500 yard freestyle at Cody with a time of 5:26.65. He landed second in the 500 yard free at Dozah with a time of 5:29.19.

Junior Billy Baker took first in the 100 yard backstroke at Cody with a time of 1:04.88. Baker snatched second in the 50 yard free at Cody with a time of 25.23 and third at Dozah in the 100 yard free with a time of 56.41. He swam to fourth at Dozah in the 100 yard back with a time of 1:04.08.

Senior Nic Tracy swam to first in the 100 yard backstroke at Dozah with a time of 1:00.99. He took fourth at Dozah in the 200 yard individual medley with a time of 2:19.97. Tracy grabbed fourth at Cody in the 500 yard free with a time of 6:12.93.

An important milestone was Tracy’s attempt to qualify for state in all of the freestyle events in one meet. “He succeeded, starting with a two-second personal best time in the 200 free, followed by the 500 free,” Rodriguez said. “He then swam the leadoff position in the 200 free relay and the 400 free relay. It also gives him the distinction of being the first on the team this season to qualify in all eight swimming events.”

Senior Jakob Bowers made second at Cody in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:29.07 and the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:02.49. He hit fourth at Dozah in the 50-yard free with a time of 24.74.

“Other notable swims were Seth Fuller cutting more than 16 seconds in his 200 free and more than three seconds in the 100 back,” Rodriguez said.

Sophomore Fuller came in third at Cody in the 100-yard back with a time of 1:05.95 and sixth in the 200 free with a time of 2:10.66.

Senior Quin Wetzel came in third at Cody in the 100-yard breast with a time of 1:19.24. Wetzel took sixth at Dozah in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:06.63.

Senior Edward Oursler was third at Dozah in the 200-yard free with a time of 2:05.22 and fourth in 100-yard breast with a time of 1:10.53. Oursler took fifth at Cody in the 50-yard free with a time of 25.77 and in the 100-yard back with a time of 1:09.32.

Junior Alex Bjornestad hit fourth at Dozah in the 100-yard free with a time of 57.15 and sixth at Cody in the 500-yard free with a time of 6:24.72.

Divers Quin Wetzel, Jake MaGill and freshman Garret Henderson made personal high scores, Rodriguez said.

In 1-meter diving at Dozah, Quin Wetzel hit third and senior Jake MaGill was close behind at fifth. MaGill hit fourth in diving at Cody. Henderson took 10th at Dozah.

The team of Baker, Bowers, Bjornestad and Oursler swam to second at Cody in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:53.95. Lander was first with a time of 1:51.92.

“We are trying a few different lineups in our relays searching for the fastest ones for state,” Rodriguez said. “The medley relay was second to Lander by only two seconds and about the same amount for the 400 free relay.”

The team of Tracy, Oursler, Bowers and Ben Wetzel took second at Cody in the 400-yard free relay with a time of 3:48.51. Lander at first, had a time of 3:46.81.

The team of Tracy, Baker, Bjornestad and Ben Wetzel took fourth at Cody in the 200-yard free relay with a time of 1:48.55.

The team of Tracy, Bowers, Oursler and Baker nailed second at Dozah in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:52.27.

The team of Baker, Tracy, Ben Wetzel and Bowers took third at Dozah in the 400-yard free relay with a time of 3:56.00.

“Next up, the Cody Triangular on Friday the 17th,” Rodriguez said.

“The entire team is looking strong and we are looking forward to swimming and diving in Cody on Friday,” said Powell High School coach Stephanie Warren. “We had a great weekend and Jerry and I are very proud of how well the swimmers and divers performed.”

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