Panthers in the running

Posted 10/15/15

The past two seasons, the teams that have finished first and second at conference, have also finished first and second at state.

The Powell Panthers have been the runner up both years, and could make it a third straight when they bring another …

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Panthers in the running

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Last chance to qualify for state

If recent history is any indication, one needs to look only at the Class 3A West Conference meet to predict results at state.

The past two seasons, the teams that have finished first and second at conference, have also finished first and second at state.

The Powell Panthers have been the runner up both years, and could make it a third straight when they bring another strong team to the conference meet in Kemmerer this weekend.

But head coach Luke Robertson isn’t yet concerned with team results.

“I’m going to go out, and I’m going to tell them to swim their race the best they can, and we’re going to give it everything we have, and we’re going to let things fall where they fall,” Robertson said Wednesday morning inside his Westside Elementary office.

The coach knows his team well enough to let them compete without the arbitrary pressure of a team goal.

“I think we swim better when we’re relaxed,” he said.

Robertson is more concerned with putting the final touches on the roster — which currently sits at 14 — he will bring to the state meet. Three Panthers have realistic shots at earning their first qualifications of the season, while others could add a second or third.

“With a lot of kids we’re still trying to add qualifications, even if they already have one, let’s add another one,” he said.

Sophomores Sydney Horton and Dagne Stratton, and freshman McKenzie Thompson could be on the verge of heading to state, but it will take their best performances of their young careers.

“Because of the excitement of that meet, it’s a good place to cut time,” Robertson said.

Horton has been inching closer to a qualification in the 500-yard free, and was just 0.67 seconds shy in her final regular season meet in Powell.

Thompson is a little further off in the 500 free, but could reach the qualifying mark of 6:41.50 with a few days of tapering prior to conference.

Stratton is also close to a qualification in the 100-yard fly.

Panthers who already qualified will get a preview of some of the competition they will see at state, while Robertson gets an idea of what both his, and the competition’s, state lineup will look like.

“It will probably pretty closely match my state lineup,” Robertson said. “In conference I like to place girls in events they’re strong in.”

Robertson said this weekend’s lineup will be about 80 percent similar to his eventual state lineup. He uses the conference meet to see what events would best suit each swimmer.

“For instance, if I knew (a swimmer) was going to swim this event, but I’m kind of up in the air between these two (other) events, then I can try those out and see how they do,” he said.

Occasionally, the placement of other teams’ swimmers can affect where Robertson places his at state, in an effort to maximize team points, but he said he’s careful to view confernece lineups with a grain of salt.

“Don’t look at the conference lineup and think, 'OK that’s what the state lineup is going to be.’ There’s always going to be exceptions, but I think it gives you somewhat of a sense of what they’re going to do,” Robertson said.

Upperclass stalwarts Amanda Tracy, Tristan Bohlman, Aly Schneider, Katie Brown and others will be racing for conference titles, and, perhaps unwittingly, a shot at second place.

The Panthers will be swimming for personal bests, and if history repeats itself, Powell could three-peat as the runners-up in conference, and beyond.

“If you do well in that conference with Jackson, that helps,” Robertson admitted.

The Panthers leave for Kemmerer today (Thursday) and will get in a warm-up swim at the conference pool in the evening. Competition begins at 1 p.m. on Friday, and finals start at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

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