The first two days of the Class 3A State Track and Field Championships are in the books, with the Powell High School teams making multiple trips to the podium, including three state championships.

Middle distance runner Jay Cox won the 800 meter run in dominating fashion, running the event in a blistering time of 1:59.68 — a full 3 seconds faster than runner-up Ezekiel Newman of Lovell.

“I feel amazing,” Cox said after the race. “Every lap I’ve ever ran, every 400 interval, this is what I do it for. It’s finally paid off.”

Not to be outdone, the Lady Panther relay team of Jayden Asher, Jaz Haney, Emma Karhu and Caitlyn Miner came out of nowhere to win the 4x100 relay with a time of 52.31, less than a 10th of a second ahead of Lovell. Going into the event, Miner said the team was just hoping to make the podium; it was a fitting end to the careers of Miner and fellow senior Haney.

“It felt really good, especially since we thought we might take sixth,” Miner said. “But we got first place, and that was awesome.”

Haney agreed.

“It was super-exciting for me, because I’ve never ran in a relay before at state,” she said. “It just feels so incredible.”

Another surprise came in the boys’ triple jump, as Powell athletes continued to defy expectations. After finishing second to Mountain View’s Mason Ozuna in the 3A West Regional meet last weekend, Dylan Preator flipped the script Friday, out-jumping Ozuna by 5 inches to claim the state title. Teammate Dalton Woodward placed seventh in the same event.

In the pole vault, junior Brody Karhu took second place, clearing a height of 13 feet, 6 inches. On the girls’ side, PHS sophomores Emma Karhu and Maddie Hackenberg each cleared personal bests to finish third (10 feet) and 11th (9 feet), respectively.

“For Maddie to PR and Emma to PR, what else could you ask for at state?” said assistant vault coach Greg Bennett. “They had a good tailwind today, and just did outstanding. I’m happy for both of them.”

In field events, Cassidy Miner finished fifth in the shot put with a toss of 34 feet, 2 inches. Teammate Rachel Bonander also made the podium in her final state meet, finishing eighth with a distance of 31 feet, 11.5 inches. In the discus, Bonander finished fourth, while Miner placed sixth.

Senior Gabri Lundberg continued to impress in the high jump, posting a third-place finish with a height of 4 feet, 10 inches.

In Thursday’s opening-day action, distance Alan Merritt capped off his senior season with a third place finish in the 3200 meters; fellow senior Jayden Yates finished seventh.

In the discus, Ryan Good placed third with a throw of 152 feet, 3 inches, while Zeke Frankenberry made his first trip to state count, making the podium with a throw of 127 feet, 5 inches — good for eighth place.

Saturday’s events will all take place on the track, as the weather forecast convinced race organizers to finish all field events today.