Panthers look for more State

The Saratoga Panther Track team came home Saturday from a busy last weekend of the 2017 track season, after road trips to Thermopolis and Lander.

The two contests represented the last meets of the regular season for the Panther team, which this year has been one of the largest teams fielded by Saratoga in some time. With Regionals next weekend in Lander, the Panthers have amassed an impressive list of athletes from the women’s and men’s teams that have prequalified for State. This weekend in Lander will be another opportunity for students not yet prequalified to do so.

The Panthers’ weekend started out Friday in Thermopolis at the Thermopolis Invitational. A computer glitch for run times at the track meet made it difficult for coaches and the press to get results, but by late Monday official results were released by meet authorities.

The Panther boys had a strong showing in Thermopolis, with seven top-10 placements in various events. Two athletes and a group of four pre-qualified for State in three events.

Sam Schneider’s fifth place high jump of 5’10” was good for prequalification, as was Alex Ziegler’s 200-meter dash time of 23.47 seconds. The 200-meter relay team of Jaxon King, Logan Seahorn, Greg Swanson and Thomas Ingraham took sixth in the event which prequalified the boys for State.

Ziegler’s fourth place 400-meter dash, and Joey Gonzales’ 3,200-meter run was good for fourth.

The Thermopolis meet also seems to have suited the Lady Panthers who brought home nine top 10 finishes with three State prequalifications.

Taylor Bennett’s triple jump of 32’10” was good for a second place and prequalified her for State. Senior Katie Loose took fourth place in the 1,600-meter run and prequalified for State in the event. And the four-lady team that ran the 400-meter relay prequalified for State with their performance of 55.55 seconds.

Saturday in Lander, the Lady Panthers had a strong showing. Bennett took second in the long jump with a distance of 15’0.25.” She also took third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 28.33.

Both these performances earned Bennett berths in State.

Senior Katie Loose took first in the 3,200-meter run, with Ashlyn Johnson coming in second in the same event. Meredith Lincoln rounded out the girls’ individual efforts with a third place take in the long jump.

The Ladies’ 400-meter relay team brought glory to the Panthers with a second place finish, good enough for the four members, Shaelee Hamann, Shianne Baker, Lincoln and Mychaela Jackman to prequalify for a place at State.

For the Panther gents, Sam Schneider pre-qualified for State in the high jump at 6’. Ziegler ran the 800-meter run and took third, with Aaron Detterer taking eighth place in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:23.22.

With the regular season ended, the Saratoga Panthers will next attend Regionals in Lander May 12-13. State will be held in Casper May 18-20.