Showcasing their talents around the state the Powell Panther boys’ track and field team had a strong weekend — with three athletes competing at the Wyoming Track Classic in Casper on Friday and the full team putting on a good showing at the Rocky Mountain Invite in Cowley on Saturday.

WYOMING TRACK CLASSIC

A five year hiatus kept the best of the best from competing in Casper, but the annual event returned to Harry Geldien Stadium at Kelly Walsh on Friday evening.

The WTC brings in the top eight athletes regardless of class to compete in each track event and top nine in field events to see who is the best in each event before the state meet.

The top three finishers receive medals for the event.

Daniel Merritt placed third in the 800 meters (1:58.17) while Cody Seifert placed third in the triple jump with a leap of 42 feet, 8 1/4 inches.

“Having Anna [Bartholomew], Addy [Thorington], Cody and Daniel earn medals was a huge accomplishment,” coach Scott Smith said.

Seifert also placed seventh in the long jump (20-10 1/4) and Hyrum Jeide was the final Panther competing for the boys — placing fourth in the 300 hurdles (40.86) and eighth in the 110 meter hurdles (16.8).

One record fell on the boys’ side for the WTC, with Lander’s Gage Gose setting a new meet record in the 400 (48.27)

Powell placed ninth overall as a team, with 29 teams in attendance — 4A Natrona County finished on top with 83 points.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN INVITE

After a few competitors made their way to Casper on Friday, the full Panthers team made the trip to Cowley on Saturday — taking part in the smaller Rocky Mountain Invite.

Overall Powell had four individual event winners on the day, with Merritt winning the 400 meters (51.61); Simon Shoopman winning the 110 meter hurdles (16.09); Isaiah Woyak winning the high jump (6-4) and Nathan Dupont winning the long jump (20-2).

Stuart Shoopman also returned for the Panthers and just missed out on qualifying in the 110 meter hurdles (16.81).

“(It’s) good to see Isaiah and Stuart competing again,” Smith said. “They are still not 100% but they are looking like they will get back to that level around the time of year it will count.”

Powell added new qualifiers with Jace Hyde in the high jump (6-0) and Adam Williams in the pole vault (12-6). 

The Panthers won two relays, with the 4x100 team of Jeide, Dupont, Simon Shoopman and Seifert with a time of 45.03 seconds to earn an automatic qualifying mark; while the team of Merritt, Hyde, Evan Whitlock and Korbyn Warren won the 4x400 (3:47.68).

Merritt added one more qualifying time to his growing list in the 400.

“We have a few kids like Daniel and Waycee [Harvey] that have qualified in more than four events and we will have to figure that out,” Smith said.

No team scores were kept at the Rocky Mountain Invite.

FINAL MEETS

Powell wraps up the regular season this week, starting out at 1 p.m. on Thursday in Cody with the Trackstravaganza.

The regular season then concludes at 1 p.m. on Friday in Thermopolis, with the Panthers hoping to add more automatic qualifiers before the regional meet next weekend in Worland.

Smith said these two meets will help make the final determinations of who will be entered in what events.

WYOMING TRACK CLASSIC 

* Denotes state qualifying mark

Team scores: 1. Natrona County 83, 2. Cody 62, 3. Cheyenne Central 59, 4. Torrington 36, 5. Sheridan 29, T6. Kelly Walsh and Laramie 25.5, 8. Lander 23, 9. Powell 20, T10. Lingle-Ft. Laramie and Thunder Basin 19, 12. Green River 18, 13. Douglas 17, 14. Buffalo 13, T15. Burns and Campbell County 12, T17. Kemmerer and Riverton 10, T19. Wheatland and Rock Springs 9, 21. Worland 5, T22. Midwest, Sundance and Pine Bluffs 4, 25. Big Horn 3, 26. Burlington 2, T27. Rawlins, Greybull and Encampment 1

800 meters: 3. Daniel Merritt 1:58.17*

110 meter hurdles: 8. Hyrum Jeide 16.8

300 meter hurdles: 4. Hyrum Jeide 40.86*

Long jump: 7. Cody Seifert 20-10 1/4*

Triple jump: 3. Cody Seifert 42-8 1/4*

ROCKY MOUNTAIN INVITE

100 meters: 13. Nathan Preator 12.44, 15. Ryan Cordes 12.73, 16. Treyson Norris 12.79, 18. Marshall Lewis 12.82, 19. Toby Sessions 12.96

200 meters: 3. Cody Seifert 23.92, 4. Daniel Merritt 24.02, 5. Evan Whitlock 24.1, 6. Jace Hyde 24.65, 12. Seeger Wormald 26.66, 13. Toby Sessions 26.73, 15. Brighton Streeter 27.25

400 meters: 1. Daniel Merritt 51.61*, T3. Hyrum Jeide 52.96, 5. Jace Hyde 53.65, 6. Evan Whitlock 53.84, 12. Thomas Shuman 1:00.1

800 meters: 3. Korbyn Warren 2:13.59, 6. Liam Taylor 2:18.84, 7. Josh Pfeiffer 2:25.86, 8. Thomas Shuman 2:37.59

1600 meters: 1. Liam Taylor 4:56.17, 3. Josh Pfeiffer 5:33.99, 4. Tate Allred 5:37.11, 7. Colin Walker 6:09.98

110 meter hurdles: 1. Simon Shoopman 16.09*, 3. Hyrum Jeide 16.52*, 4. Stuart Shoopman 16.81, 5. Nathan Preator 17.96, 6. Jeremy Harms 18.48, 8. Treyson Norris 19.28, 9. Evan Staidle 19.39, 11. Michael Legerski 20.39, 13. Wyatt Heffington 21.71

300 meter hurdles: 2. Simon Shoopman 43.25, 3. Stuart Shoopman 44.47, 8. Jeremy Harms 48.43, 10. Evan Staidle 49.5, 12. Michael Legerski 51.01

4x100 relay: 1. Hyrum Jeide, Nathan Dupont, Simon Shoopman and Cody Seifert 45.03*

4x400 relay: 1. Daniel Merritt, Jace Hyde, Evan Whitlock and Korbyn Warren 3:47.68

High jump: 1. Isaiah Woyak 6-4*, T3. Jace Hyde 6-0*, T6. Nathan Dupont 5-8, T10. Nathan Preator 5-6, 12. Taeson Schultz 5-4

Pole vault: 2. Adam Williams 12-6*, 5. Jeremy Harms 11-0, T7. Wyatt Heffington 10-0

Long jump: 1. Nathan Dupont 20-2*, 14. Marshall Lewis 16-10, 16. Ryan Cordes 16-5, 17. Evan Staidle 16-4, 18. Tevon Schultz 15-10 1/2

Triple jump: T4. Nathan Preator 37-10 1/2, 9. Evan Staidle 34-9 1/4, T14. Tevon Schultz 33-8, 18. Seeger Wormald 32-8 1/2, 19. Taeson Schultz 32-1, 20. Ryan Cordes 31-5 1/2

Shot put: 2. Jonathan Harms 38-2, 8. Wesley Preator 34-5, 11. Gabe Weimer 33-2, 13. Keenan Wenzel 31-5, 17. Johnathon Moody 30-3 1/2, 19. Joey Andrade 30-1, 30. Mason Coombs 20-3

Discus: 7. Gabe Weimer 101-8, 9. Jonathan Harms 96-7, 10. Wesley Preator 94-5, 11. Keenan Wenzel 91-6, 12. Johnathon Moody 86-3, 14. Joey Andrade 84-5, 27. Mason Coombs 59-5