The Powell High School girls’ swimming and diving team had a busy but successful week, with dominating home wins over cross-county rival Cody on Tuesday, Oct. 15 and Riverton on Friday.

Powell combined for a whopping 42 personal-best performances over the two events, highlighted by Anna Fuller posting the fourth-best time in PHS history in the 500 freestyle.

Friday’s meet at the Powell Aquatic Center was also Senior Night, as the Lady Panthers honored its six seniors for their contributions to the team: Ashlyn Aguirre, Fuller, Hannah Hawley, Rachel Kuntz, Lauren Lejeune and Sidney O’Brien.

“Our six seniors have provided important leadership in the pool, on deck and in the classroom,” said PHS head coach Bob Smartt. “They are currently mentoring our freshman class, which is rapidly developing into one of the strongest groups of newcomers in Wyoming 3A. We hope our seniors finish with a flourish at conference and state. We are counting on them to provide big individual and relay points for us at both concluding meets.”

The Lady Panthers will travel to Riverton Friday for the 3A West Conference Meet, with the 3A State Meet set for a week later in Gillette. A total of 18 PHS swimmers and divers have now qualified for state.

Lady Panthers 219,  Riverton 66

Against Riverton at the Powell Aquatic Center on Friday, the Lady Panthers won 11 of 12 events — though Riverton was without its top swimmer, multi-event state champion Josie Dike.

The event was highlighted by first-through-fourth PHS finishes in the 50 freestyle, diving, 100 butterfly and 500 freestyle.

“An important highlight for our team was the state-qualifying performance by sophomore Taycee Walker in diving,” said Smartt. “Taycee hit all six of her dives to score 151.50, a personal best by 18 points. She also became the team’s 18th state qualifier, compared to the 12 athletes we qualified for state last year.”

Individual event winners for Powell were Addison Moretti (200 IM and 100 butterfly), Madison Lowery (200 freestyle), Emma Mitchell (50 freestyle), Emma Karhu (diving), Anna Fuller (100 freestyle), Elizabeth Liggett (500 freestyle) and Kuntz (100 breaststroke).

The Lady Panthers finished with 24 personal-best performances, including double personal bests by Aguirre (200 IM and 100 backstroke, both state times), Lowery (200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke), Sarah Miller (200 freestyle and 100 butterfly), Fuller (100 freestyle and 100 backstroke, both state times), Lily Halter (50 freestyle and 100 backstroke) and Juanita Martinez (50 and 500 freestyle).

“The 50 freestyle was a feature race for our team with freshman Emma Mitchell earning her second event state cut by winning in 27.81,” Smartt said. “New personal bests were also set in the event  by Lily Halter (28.65), Sydney Legler (28.75) and Juanita Martinez (39.68).”

Powell posted 19 state marks for the meet, including double state times by Moretti, O’Brien and Kuntz.

Lady Panthers 122, Cody 63

Anna Fuller’s 500 freestyle time of 5:44.93 was the highlight of the Oct. 15 meet against the Fillies, earning the senior special recognition.

“Anna’s time in the 500 freestyle placed her fourth on the Powell Wall of Fame,” Smartt said. “In addition to her Wall of Fame performance, she also won the 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:16.11.”

Other double-event winners included Lucia Harder and Addison Moretti. Lucia improved her personal best by five seconds to win the 200 freestyle in 2:13.76; she also won the 100 freestyle (1:00.16) and led off the winning 200 and 400 freestyle relays. 

Despite battling an illness, Moretti won the 100 butterfly (1:11.42) and 100 backstroke (1:12.79). Emma Karhu won the diving portion of the event with a time of 190.55.

The Lady Panthers had 18 personal-best performances, including double personal bests by Colette Sanders (100 free and 100 back) and Fuller. Lucia Harder had a triple personal best, as she led off the 200 free relay in 27.68, to accompany her 100 and 200 freestyle best times.

“Emma Mitchell edged closer to the state cut in the 50 freestyle with a time improvement of .3 seconds to 28.08,” Smartt said.

Powell had 20 state-qualifying performances, including double marks by Elizabeth Liggett (200 IM and 500 freestyle), Rachel Kuntz (200 IM and 100 breaststroke), Grace Harder (200 freestyle and 100 butterfly) and Sidney O’Brien (50 freestyle and 100 freestyle).

Lady Panthers 219, Riverton 66

200 Medley Relay

1. Sidney O’Brien, Rachel Kuntz, Lucia Harder, Elizabeth Liggett 2:08.78, 2. Grace Sapp, Gabby Paterson, Kylie Kahl, Lauren Lejeune 2:17.86

200 Freestyle

1. Madison Lowery 2:22.34, 2. Azurdey Burton 2:38.67, 5. Katie Beavers 3:05.40, 6. Sarah Miller 3:16.92

200 IM

1. Addison Moretti 2:34.80, 2. Ashlyn Aguirre 2:35.68, 4. Grace Harder 2:40.03, 5. Colette Sanders 3:05.39

50 Freestyle

1. Emma Mitchell 27.81, 2. Lucia Harder 27.82, 3. Lily Halter 28.62, 4. Sydney Legler 28.75, 8. Grace Sapp 32.09, 11. Juanita Martinez 39.68, 12. Hannah Hawley 43.82

1 Mtr Diving

1. Emma Karhu 182.85, 2. Maddi Hackenberg 160.20, 3. Kami Jensen 155.65, 4. Taycee Walker 151.50

100 Butterfly

1. Addison Moretti 1:10.94, 2. Rachel Kuntz 1:15.50, 3. Sidney O’Brien 1:15.58, 4. Sarah Miller 1:45.93

100 Freestyle

1. Anna Fuller 58.02, 3. Gabby Paterson 1:02.66, 4. Emma Mitchell 1:07.44, 8. Azurdey Burton 1:10.68, 9. Lauren Lejeune 1:11.26

500 Freestyle

1. Elizabeth Liggett 6:33.29, 2. Lucia Harder 6:33.78, 3. Dakota Hansen 6:34.28, 4. Jaunita Martinez 8:46.28

200 Freestyle Relay

1. Emma Mitchell, Addison Moretti, Emma Karhu, Lucia Harder 1:55.90, 3. Kami Jensen, Grace Sapp, Maddi Hackenberg, Azurdey Burton 2:12.42

100 Backstroke

2. Anna Fuller 1:11.95, 3. Ashlyn Aguirre 1:12.06, 4. Kylie Kahl 1:12.52, 5. Sydney Legler 1:16.68, 6. Lily Halter 1:18.29, 7. Katie Beavers 1:33.13, 8. Hannah Hawley 1:54.69

100 Breaststroke

1. Rachel Kuntz 1:20.92, 3. Sidney O’Brien 1:22.41, 4. Gabby Paterson 1:24.79, 5. Grace Harder 1:27.77, 6. Madison Lowery 1:28.28, 8. Lauren Lejeune 1:32.20, 9. Dakota Hansen 1:33.10, 10. Colette Sanders 1:33.45

400 Freestyle Relay

1. Addison Moretti, Elizabeth Liggett, Anna Fuller, Gabby Paterson 4:12.35, 3. Ashlyn Aguirre, Emma Mitchell, Sydney Legler, Dakota Hansen 4:29.78, 4. Azurdey Burton, Lily Halter, Kami Jensen, Colette Sanders 4:56.56, 6. Jaunita Martinez, Katie Beavers, Sarah Miller, Hannah Hawley 6:15.06