Panthers boast depth at Cody, Worland meets

Powell High School’s swim team won’t expand past its 21-girl roster, but the cohort that will represent the Panthers at state continues to grow. 

The Panthers added a 12th state qualifier and received contributions from every member during meets at Cody and Worland.

“We’re going to do well because we have depth,” PHS head coach Luke Robertson said. “Because everybody’s going to make a difference, and everybody’s going to score points.”

Powell beat the Cody Fillies 108-71 at a dual in the Paul Stock Recreation Center on Thursday and was the runner-up to the host the Warriors during Saturday’s invite.

The Panthers earned second place with a total team-effort in Worland, where 16 of the 18 girls in competition scored for the team.

Powell’s depth should bode well for the conference and state meets, where top-heavy teams are limited. Swimmers can compete in only two individual events.

“It’s not just this group of four or five girls that are earning all of our points,” Robertson said. “It’s important for the girls to know that everybody makes a difference. We’re going to be one of those teams where it’s going to be those 10th places, 11th places, 12th places that are going to make the difference for us.”

The Panthers scored 258 points in Worland, ahead of the Lander Tigers’ 205 but behind the Warriors’ 293.

After racking up six new qualifications in Cody, Powell added six in Worland, plus a handful of close calls.

Freshman Caitlyn Miner qualified in the 200-yard free in Cody and is now qualified in every event, including diving.

Senior Amanda Tracy also added the 200-yard free in Cody to finish her list of qualifications. (Tracy does not dive.)

Junior Beth McCaslin earned her first qualification of the season with a fifth-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke in Worland. McCaslin qualified in the backstroke for the second straight season with a time of 1:15.12.

Sophomore Kendyl Bohlman qualified in the 200-yard free with a time of 2:22.61, good for third place.

“In Worland we had lots of kids knocking on the door in the 500 free,” Robertson said.

Sophomore Sydney Horton and freshman Katrina Twitchell each made significant cuts in the 500-yard free as they took sixth and seventh place respectively.

Horton’s time of 6:50.18 was a 9-second improvement while Twitchell’s time of 6:50.46 was 18 seconds faster than her previous best.

Freshman McKenzie Thompson cut 28 seconds in the 500-yard free as she took 12th place with a time of 7:00.92.

Junior Olivia Lang cut 1 second off her time in the 100-yard breaststroke and is now just 1.5 seconds away from a qualifying time. Lang finished 11th with a time of 1:24.66.

The Panthers won three events and finished in the top three in six others in Worland.

Tracy won the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:24.37 and was second in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:17.20). Caitlyn Miner won the 100-yard fly (1:09.12), junior Aly Schneider took third in the 50-yard freestyle (27.55) and second in the 100-yard free (59.91), junior Mary Lynn was second in diving (146.35) and sophomore Rylie Kannard was third in the 100-yard back (1:12.49)

Sophomore Aspen Aguirre qualified in the 200-yard free with a time of 2:22.88 in Cody.

Schneider (first place, 1:22.28) and senior Tristan Bohlman (2nd, 1:22.89) each qualified in the 100-yard breaststroke.

As in Worland on Saturday, a pair of Panthers made major strides in the 500-yard free on Thursday.

Claire Miner cut 36 seconds to finish third with a time of 6:32.66, and Emily McCaslin cut 22 seconds off of her previous best.

“That’s the first time (Claire) swam it this year,” Robertson said. “Claire’s just looked really strong this year, especially in freestyle.”

Lynn again set a new personal best off the 1-meter diving board.

She scored 169.5 points to win the event.

“Seems like almost every weekend she’s improved her score by about 5 points,” Robertson said.

The Panthers have three more meets prior to conference in Kemmerer, starting with Riverton at 4 p.m. on Friday. They return to Powell for a dual against Cody at 5 p.m.