The Powell High School track and field team is off to a running start as the spring season begins with 40 boys and 20 girls on the team.

The girls’ side is pretty well balanced in ages with about five or six freshmen. The boys’ end is fairly young with about half either freshmen or first-timers on the team, said PHS head track coach Scott Smith.

The girls placed third at state last year and all but one of those student-athletes returned following last year’s graduation.

“It is good we have a lot of boys, but we have a lot of quality with the girls and a lot of potential,” Smith said. “Everywhere I look there is potential.”

Some of the team’s new faces are also new to the school and are already grabbing attention from the team’s various coaches, Smith said. Among those is senior sprinter Shaylee Tharp.

“She is a really nice kid — very humble, those are the ones you like because they end up being good for you,” Smith said.

The Panthers started practicing on March 7 and were picking up steam well during their first week of practices, Smith said, noting that some of the Panthers stayed fresh by participating on Cody High School’s indoor team over the winter.

Seniors Anissa Warner and Lexee Craig, junior Teo Faulkner, junior Emily Sweet and sophomore JuliaKay O’Neill participated on the Broncs girls team, who finished seventh of 15 teams at the Wyoming State Indoor Track Championships earlier this month.

Warner placed third at state after clearing the 5-6 mark in the high jump, and she’s not alone in aiming high this season.

The Panthers have a large group going out for pole vaulting, about 14 in all, Smith said. Craig ranked eighth at state for pole vaulting last year and some of the newcomers to the event are picking it up well, Smith said.

“The kids coming back from last year get after it and compete hard,” Smith said.

Having placed at state every year in her career and second last year, Smith said he was pleased to see Danna Hanks back on the roster. Last year’s state-qualifier Nate Magill is also back on the team and doing well already, Smith said.

Paige Gann is another Panther who qualified for state in 2015 and is back for more this year.

“He just finished basketball, so we’re trying to get everything else caught up,” Smith said. “Everything looks good because the weather was good.”

Unseasonably warm temperatures in early March were a welcomed change of pace for the Panthers as they prepared for their first meet of the season, which is slated for 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Cody.

“We won’t be ready and neither will they, but this is just to get some kids in and they can get a taste for what they need to work on,” Smith said. “The best thing right now is the kids have been hustling and working hard. They have been doing a great job of that and that is a big thing we preach.”

Powell’s only home meet of the season will be on April 9 and an after-school relay will be held on April 21.