Five Powell Panther swimmers opened their season by qualifying for the state meet Friday night in a double dual meet with Lander and Cody.Returning qualifiers Trent Eckerdt, Devin Lynn and Erik Rodriguez were joined by sophomores Kyle Anderson and Andre Miasso in earning slots in state competition. Lynn's qualifying time in the breaststroke was also good for first place in the event, one of two first place finishes for the Panthers. Lynn also qualified in the individual medley, finishing second in the event. He was a top-12 finisher in both events at state last year.Rodriguez earned Powell's other first place while qualifying in the 50 meter freestyle, a performance that he could hardly believe himelf. Asked if he had surprised himself, Rodriguez said, “Yeah, I qualified and won the heat. It was a surprise.”Eckerdt's qualifying time came in his specialty, the butterfly, the same stroke with which he placed seventh at state last year, and earned fourth place in the meet. Anderson finished right behind in the event, taking fifth place and qualifying for state in the event.Miasso, an exchange student from Brazil, punched his ticket to state while finishing second in the 100 meter freestyle.Rodriguez, Lynn, Eckerdt and Cole Good accounted for another second place for the Panthers in the medley relay.Rodriguez took Powell's only third place in the backstroke. Anderson finished fourth in the 400 meter freestyle, and the 200 and 400 meter freestyle relays both finished fourth as well.Diver Forrest Renaud-Fontaine finished fifth behind four Lander divers in that event, and Good finished sixth. Billy Cummings finished fifth in the backstroke and seventh in the 200. Also finishing seventh place were Eckerdt in the 400 meters, Good in the backstroke, Jarred LaPierre in the breaststroke and the 100, and Billy Cummings in the 200.Also finishing in the top 10 were Ric Nisely with an eighth place in the 100 and ninth place in the 50, and divers Danny McKearney and Tyler McCauley, who finished eighth and ninth, respectively.Scoring in the double dual resulted in one win and one loss for the Panthers, who out-scored Cody 97-71, but fell to the defending state champion Lander Tigers 140-40.Powell's next competition will be in Riverton next Saturday when they enter the Riverton Invitational.

Five Powell Panther swimmers opened their season by qualifying for the state meet Friday night in a double dual meet with Lander and Cody.

Returning qualifiers Trent Eckerdt, Devin Lynn and Erik Rodriguez were joined by sophomores Kyle Anderson and Andre Miasso in earning slots in state competition.

Lynn's qualifying time in the breaststroke was also good for first place in the event, one of two first place finishes for the Panthers. Lynn also qualified in the individual medley, finishing second in the event. He was a top-12 finisher in both events at state last year.

Rodriguez earned Powell's other first place while qualifying in the 50 meter freestyle, a performance that he could hardly believe himelf.

Asked if he had surprised himself, Rodriguez said, “Yeah, I qualified and won the heat. It was a surprise.”

Eckerdt's qualifying time came in his specialty, the butterfly, the same stroke with which he placed seventh at state last year, and earned fourth place in the meet. Anderson finished right behind in the event, taking fifth place and qualifying for state in the event.

Miasso, an exchange student from Brazil, punched his ticket to state while finishing second in the 100 meter freestyle.

Rodriguez, Lynn, Eckerdt and Cole Good accounted for another second place for the Panthers in the medley relay.

Rodriguez took Powell's only third place in the backstroke. Anderson finished fourth in the 400 meter freestyle, and the 200 and 400 meter freestyle relays both finished fourth as well.

Diver Forrest Renaud-Fontaine finished fifth behind four Lander divers in that event, and Good finished sixth. Billy Cummings finished fifth in the backstroke and seventh in the 200. Also finishing seventh place were Eckerdt in the 400 meters, Good in the backstroke, Jarred LaPierre in the breaststroke and the 100, and Billy Cummings in the 200.

Also finishing in the top 10 were Ric Nisely with an eighth place in the 100 and ninth place in the 50, and divers Danny McKearney and Tyler McCauley, who finished eighth and ninth, respectively.

Scoring in the double dual resulted in one win and one loss for the Panthers, who out-scored Cody 97-71, but fell to the defending state champion Lander Tigers 140-40.

Powell's next competition will be in Riverton next Saturday when they enter the Riverton Invitational.