The Powell Lady Panthers edged out Worland and Cody for second place at the Cody Invitational Swim Meet last week.The Powell girls scored team points in every event, and placed four swimmers in the top 12 in three of them in a performance Coach Luke Robertson called outstanding.

“I was really impressed with our performance,” Robertson. “They swam really well and had some good times.”

Jessica Wurzel and Monique Zorgati earned their first state-qualifying times during the competition.

Wurzel's time in the 500-yard freestyle was particularly impressive. Competing for the first time this year, she swam the distance in 6:15.63, nearly 30 seconds faster than her best time last year, and 18 seconds faster than the 3A qualifying standard.

“Jessica's time was phenomenal,” Robertson said. “I told her to try to qualify in the first meet and she did.”

Monique Zorgati's qualifying time in the 200 freestyle also came in her first competition of the year, and she also earned the team's highest individual finish, finishing second in the 50 freestyle. Her time in the 50 was less than a half-second from qualifying her for state in that event.

Maddy Jones and Anya Tracy each added a qualifying time during the meet. Jones qualified in the 200 and Tracy in the butterfly. Alyssa Smith just missed qualifying in the backstroke, finishing less than a half second above the standard.

While the Lady Panthers didn't win any first places, they placed at at least two swimmers in the top 12 in each individual event. The backstroke was a particularly strong event for Powell. Smith and Tracy finished third and fourth in the event, Emily LaPlante came in eighth and Baxter Heinert finished 10. The four swimmers combined for 31 team points in the event.

Powell also placed four in the 50 and the 200. In the 50, Monique Zorgati's second place was followed by Heinert in ninth, Korrie Kalberer in 10th, and Wurzel in 12th. Jones was fifth in the 200, followed by Belen Quillen in seventh, Belen Quillen in seventh, Claire Wetzel in 10th and Brittany Christensen in 11th.

In the individual medley, Smith finished fifth and Courtenay Zorgati was ninth. Courtenay Zoragti was eighth in diving with LaPlante finishing 10th and Hannah Sweet 11th.

In the butterfly, Tracy and Christensen finished fifth and eighth, respectively, while in the 100 Jones and Monique Zorgati finished thrid and fourth with Quillen fifth. Wurzel's 500 time was good for third, and Wetzel finished in seventh. Kalberer finished fifth for the Lady Panthers in the breaststroke, Lori Hetzel finished eighth and Rachel Bright 11th.

The medley relay A team, Smith, Courtenay Zorgati, Tracy and Quillen finished fourth. Tracy, Smith, Jones and Monique Zorgati combined to finish second in the 200 freestyle relay, and the 400-yard relay team, Chirstensen, Wurzel, Monique Zorgati and Jones finished second.

Robertson said the team showed improvement in the meet, and he expects them to contine to cut time as the season goes on.

This week is a busy one for the Lady Panthers. They travel to Worland Thursday for a dual meet and will be at home Saturday for the annual Gene Dozah meet at the Powell Aquatic Center. Swimming starts at 5 p.m. in Worland on Thursday and at 11 a.m. Saturday.