Gaps close, records fall at West Regionals

Posted 2/16/16

Powell placed second to Lander for the third straight year, and finished just 29 points behind the Tigers, while three Panthers claimed region titles, one claimed an 18-year-old conference record and another joined the PHS Hall of …

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Gaps close, records fall at West Regionals

Posted

Fuller breaks conference record, Riedhammer joins Hall of Fame

The Powell High School boys swim team achieved major individual milestones while earning one of its most impressive Class 3A West Regional finishes in recent history.

Powell placed second to Lander for the third straight year, and finished just 29 points behind the Tigers, while three Panthers claimed region titles, one claimed an 18-year-old conference record and another joined the PHS Hall of Fame.

“Twenty-nine points is the closest we’ve been to Lander in years,” PHS head coach Stephanie Warren said. “From the very first meet that we matched up against them, the whole team saw, ‘Wow, we haven’t been able to be this close.’ And they’ve been wanting to push themselves this whole time.”

The Panthers were motivated by another shot to dent Lander’s armor, and by the faster competition in each lane.

“When you’re swimming against fast people you tend to swim faster,” Warren said. “They were able to really pace and push themselves with the other competitors around them.”

Senior Seth Fuller broke former Panther Levi Asay’s 3A West Regionals record in the 100-yard back with a time of 56.69. Asay swam it in 56.84 in 1998.

Senior Josh Riedhammer reached second place on the PHS Hall of Fame with a time of 56.89 in the 100-yard fly. Riedhammer placed second in the event and was fifth in the 500-yard free with a time of 5:50.97.

Junior Nate Magill won the diving competition with a score of 359.40, just ahead of second-place finisher and fellow Panther Hudson Wilkerson.

Wilkerson, a sophomore, scored 343.65 as the Powell duo continued to push each other to new heights.

“To sweep first and second is pretty cool,” Warren said.

The two-day, 11-dive competition is a greater challenge than single-day, six-dive competitions of most regular season meets.

“To be able to come back and keep up the momentum and consistency you had the day before … I was very pleased with that in overall performance,” Warren said.

Riedhammer and fellow seniors Fuller, Brandon Anderson and Tyson Wages led the way for the Panthers.

“They set the pace and tone for everyone and they really helped get everyone else in that same direction,” Warren said.

Anderson placed fifth in the 100-yard fly with a time of 1:00.76, and sixth in the 50-yard free with a time of 23.98. Both times were personal bests for Anderson.

Wages’ time of 1:04.95 in the 100-yard back was good for fifth place, and his time of 56.61 in the 100-yard free was a personal best and good for seventh place.

Powell’s 200-yard medley relay team also claimed gold for the Panthers. The team of Fuller, Kacey Creed, Riedhammer and Anderson finished in 146.15, just 0.80 seconds ahead of Lyman.

Junior Joe Kuntz swam a fifth-place time of 2:06.64 in the 200-yard free, and was sixth in the 100-yard free with a time of 56.65, besting his previous best time of 67.21.

Creed was second in the 100-yard breast with a time of 1:06.21, and fourth in the 100-yard fly with a time of 57.91 — a personal best for the sophomore.

“We had a whole bunch of personal bests swim, which is really good because of where we’re at, getting ready to taper for state,” Warren said.

Freshman Joe Rogers qualified for his second event, the 100-yard free, with a time of 59.31 in the prelims. Rogers finished ninth with a 100.41 in the finals.

Junior Owen Dent added the 100-yard breast to his qualifications with a mark of 1:15.96 in the prelims. Dent finished in sixth with a final time of 1:16.72.

“I think he kind of surprised himself a little bit,” Warren said. “He ended up placing sixth in the breaststroke. He’s made some great improvements over the last two years he’s been swimming.”

Sophomore Jared Fuller took sixth in the 100-yard back with a time of 1:07.07.

Freshman Chris Lopez was just 0.06 seconds away from a qualifying time in the 50-yard free. Lopez cut a second off of his time to finish in 12th at 26.56.

The Panthers will get a final chance to qualify for state when they host Worland at 5 p.m. on Friday in the Powell Aquatic Center.

A handful of swimmers will taper this week for Worland in an effort to bring more Panthers to state.

“Those who haven’t qualified will have that last chance to qualify for state. Those guys will be at a full taper,” Warren said. “It’s all going to be pretty individualized for what they’re swimming.”

All swimmers, even those who have qualified for state, will compete in the final regular season meet.

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