Fast times were flying on the track but it was a Panther thrower who earned the first qualifying mark of the indoor season for the Powell High School indoor track and field team. Katie O’Brien earned her spot at the state meet with a throw 3 feet past the qualifying standard.

Stepping into the ring for the first time this season O’Brien achieved the mark by throwing 38 1/4 to take fourth place overall.

“I was really happy to see Katie throw so well first meet out,” coach Scott Smith said. “She competed hard as her best throws were in finals and coach (Tom) Rowley sees ways for her to get even better.”

O’Brien was second among 3A throwers in the competition, just 3 inches behind Harper Boche of Torrington.

Another top 10 finish for the Panther girls came from Kinley Cooley, who finished seventh in the 1600 meters with a 5:51.79.

A top relay for the girls came in the 1600 sprint medley, where the quartet of Audrey Johnson, Averie Warner, and the Jacobsen sisters, Ashlee and Kenna, finished second with a 4:50.24.

“A lot of kids did a great job of sticking their nose in and competing hard,” Smith said. “(There are) a lot of things that we can make better which we wouldn’t have known without competing in a meet, so it was great to get it in.”

The boys had two top 10 performers, both in the triple jump.

Tevon Schultz was the top placer in fifth, finishing with a leap of 37-2, a jump Smith said was nearly 2 feet further than his best jump in outdoor track.

Lincoln Crawford was the other Panther in the top 10, tying for ninth with a leap of 33-8.

In indoor track the Panthers will consistently be squaring off against both 4A and 3A competition, something Smith said will help make his athletes better throughout the season.

“It is great to compete against the best and it will make us better,” Smith said. “It really lets the young and inexperienced kids see what and how great things can be accomplished. It is also great for our upper level kids to compete against the best to push themselves to go as far as possible.”

No team scores were kept at the first meet, and the Panthers will now use the next couple of weeks to practice before returning to Gillette on Feb. 2.

“The next two weeks we will really be focusing on technique in the field events, hand-offs for relays and starts for sprinters when they are doing conditioning workouts,” Smith said.

Powell will likely be able to get out on the track over the next week for practice, with temperatures projected to rise into the 40s.

CAMPBELL COUNTY INVITE

* Denotes state qualifying mark, no team scores were kept at the event

GIRLS RESULTS

55 meters — 48. Audrey Johnson 8.19, 59. Averie Warner 8.3, 110. Naomi Whipple 8.66, T115. Aramonie Brinkerhoff 8.69, 127. Kate Williams 8.8, 141. Lainni Cary 8.96, 178. Kaitlyn Griffith 9.44, T179. McKay Kilkrease 9.48, 191. Ryann Hutzenbieler 9.78, 192. Sophia Petrie 9.84

400 meters — 17. Kenna Jacobsen 1:08.34, 33. Melissa Merritt 1:12.89, 48. Ashlee Jacobsen 1:18.68, 51. Salem Brown 1:19.31

800 meters — 43. Ava Gilliatt 3:11.98, 45. Gracie Wolff 3:12.77

1600 meters — 7. Kinley Cooley 5:51.79, 17. Karee Cooley 6:26.72, 30. Salem Brown 6:45.1, 36. Gracie Wolff 7:00.13

55 meter hurdles — 34. Kate Williams 10.79, 48. Aramonie Brinkerhoff 11.36, 56. Naomi Whipple 13

4x200 relay — 15. Ashlee Jacobsen, Audrey Johnson, Averie Warner and Aramonie Brinkerhoff 2:04.86; 20. Kate Williams, Kaitlyn Griffith, Sophia Petrie and Naomi Whipple 2:18.09

4x800 relay — 5. Brynn Hillman, Myah Rakness, Karee Cooley and Kinley Cooley 10:55.82

1600 sprint medley relay — 2. Audrey Johnson, Averie Warner, Ashlee Jacobsen and Kenna Jacobsen 4:50.24

Long jump — 55. Ryann Hutzenbieler 11-10 1/2, T58. Lainni Cary 11-5

Triple jump — 31. Ryann Hutzenbieler 25-3

Shot put — 4. Katie O’Brien 38-0 1/4*, 65. Shayna George 20-3 1/2

BOYS RESULTS

55 meters — T65. Sondre Furuhaug 7.25, 67. Chance Franks 7.27, T88. Trevion Solberg 7.43, T98. Jordan Loera 7.47, T125. Tevon Schultz 7.7, T139. Trevon Abraham 7.88, T146. Dominik Bieber 8

800 meters — 11. Liam Taylor 2:16.07, 16. Korbyn Warren 2:20.14, 40. Thomas Shuman 2:45.33, 46. Nathan Varian 2:54.37

1600 meters — 15. Liam Taylor 4:58.67, 18. Korbyn Warren 5:01.02, 44. Colin Walker 5:47.43, 56. Nathan Varian 6:06.6, 60 Thomas Shuman 6:22.12

55 meter hurdles — 21. Lincoln Crawford 9.96

4x200 relay — 12. Chance Franks, Sondre Furuhaug, Jordan Loera and Trevon Abraham 1:46.55; 15. Trevion Solberg, Lincoln Crawford, Tevon Schultz and Liam Taylor 1:49.88

1600 sprint medley relay — 5. Trevon Abraham, Sondre Furuhaug, Chance Franks and Korbyn Warren 4:08.16

Long jump — 31. Sondre Furuhaug 17-5 1/4, 38. Tevon Schultz 16-6, 49. Lincoln Crawford 16-1 1/4

Triple jump — 5. Tevon Schultz 37-2, T9. Lincoln Crawford 33-8

Shot put — 29. Seston Shoopman 36-11 1/4