The Panthers dove in the deep end to begin the season, competing at two meets in two days. Seven Panthers qualified for the state meet and the team won the Powell Triangular while finishing second at the Cody Invitational.

“It is always great to start out with that many qualifiers,” Powell High School head coach Stephanie Warren said. “It is definitely great to see those kids that have dedicated all year to swimming qualify right away.”

POWELL TRIANGULAR

The Panthers began the season on Friday by taking part in one of their three home meets of the season. Powell won a triangular, finishing with 418 points to beat Worland (316) and Cody (221). The meet was originally scheduled to be a quad, but Newcastle was unable to make the meet due to road conditions.

Senior Nate Johnston got off to an impressive start, winning the 200 free in a state qualifying time of 1:56.50 and the 500 free in a state qualifying time of 5:25.29. Johnston also was a part of both the Panthers’ second place 200 medley and 400 free relays.

Sophomore Jon Hawley was the other individual event winner, topping the field of divers with a state qualifying score of 171.15. Senior Caiden Gerhts also qualified with a score of 161.65, good for second place, and junior Ashtin Prentiss finished with a score of 159.55 to take third.

Other state qualifiers included senior Francis Rogers placing fourth in the 100 fly with a time of 1:09; Rogers also took third and qualified in the 200 IM with a time of 2:25.37. Junior Kobus Diver qualified in the 500 free with a time of 5:46.97, placing second, and Rui Parker in the 100 back with a time of 1:02.99 in third place.

Other top finishers included the 200 medley relay “A” team. Parker, Rogers, Johnston and senior Kyler Warren took second in the event, with a time of 1:50.68.

Sophomore Gabe Rose placed third in the 200 free in a time of 2:12.14, just behind the state mark of 2:12.00.

Freshman Cole Fauskee took third in the 50 free with a time of 26.99.

“Cole [Fauskee] swam in middle school and with some extra work he can be great,” Warren said.

The 200 free relay of Parker, Prentiss, Warren and Gerhts finished second in a time of 1:46.57.

The 400 free relay of Rogers, Gerhts, Diver and Johnston took second with a time of 3:58.15.

CODY INVITE

A home meet on Friday was followed by a short trip over to Cody on Saturday, where the Panthers participated in the Cody Invite and finished second with 316 points just behind Buffalo who won with 334 points. Riverton finished with 256 points in third and Cody finished fourth with 186.

Powell wound up shorthanded, as Warren said an illness — not COVID — has worked through the team. Of the 25 swimmers on the Panther roster, only 19 participated in Powell and 17 in Cody.

A change this year has split the conferences into north and south, with Powell in the north alongside Cody, Buffalo, Worland, Douglas and Newcastle. So this first weekend allowed the Panthers to face three conference foes.

“Seeing Buffalo right away was good to see where we stand against them despite being short,” Warren said.

On Saturday, Johnston was the sole individual winner for the Panthers, taking the 200 IM with a time of 2:08.40.

The 400 free relay composed of Parker, Rogers, Johnston and senior Ben Hawley also won with a time of 3:48.59.

Other top individual finishers included Parker, who took second in both the 50 free (with a time of 24.85) and the 100 free (53.60). Jon Hawley posted a score of 160.10 to take second in diving, while Gerhts finished third with a score of 150.50

The 200 medley relay team of Parker, Johnston, Rogers and Warren took second place with a time of 1:52.07.

The Panthers hope to be at full strength this weekend as they will head to Riverton for a Saturday invitational.

This will be the team’s last opportunity to compete before a three-week winter break. The team will return to action on Jan. 7-8 with a pair of home meets.

POWELL TRIANGULAR

Team scores: 1. Powell 418, 2. Worland, 3. Cody 221

* Denotes state qualifying mark

200 medley relay: 2. Rui Parker, Nate Johnston, Francis Rogers and Kyler Warren 1:50.58, 3. Kobus Diver, Ashtin Prentiss, Gabe Rose and Cole Fauskee 2:00.40, 5. Nathan Fuller, Ben Hawley, Riley Schiller and Connor Mayes 2:13.71

200 free: 1. Nate Johnston 1:56.50*, 3. Gabe Rose 2:12.14, 5. Nathan Fuller 2:52.15, 7. Connor Mayes 2:57.54

200 IM: 3. Francis Rogers 2:25.37*, 4. Kyler Warren 2:40.27, 7. Riley Schiller 2:47.56, David Polson 2:49.98

50 free: 3. Cole Fauskee 26.99, 4. Caiden Gerhts 27.08

1-meter diving (six dives): 1. Jon Hawley 171.15*, 2. Caiden Gerhts 161.65*, 3. Ashtin Prentiss 159.55*, 5. Taggart Shumway 124.50, 6. Ben Hawley 116.50

100 fly: 2. Rui Parker 58.29*, 4. Francis Rogers 1:09.00*, 5. Kobus Diver 1:09.74*, 6. Riley Schiller 1:12.62

100 free: 4. David Polson 1:04.94, 5. Aidan Cannizarro 1:07.74, 6. Lucas Legler 1:11.06, 7. Nathan Fuller 1:11.29, 9. Hunter Davis 1:20.62

500 free: 1. Nate Johnston 5:25.29*, 2. Kobus Diver 5:46.97, 4. Gabe Rose 5:51.74*, 6. Connor Mayes 8:04.33

200 free relay: 2. Rui Parker, Ashtin Prentiss, Kyler Warren and Caiden Gerhts 1:46.57, 3. Jon Hawley, Aidan Cannizarro, Hunter Davis and Ben Hawley 2:00.77, 4. Cole Fauskee, Lucas Legler, Connor Mayes and David Polson 2:02.40

100 back: 3. Rui Parker 1:02.99*, 5. Aidan Cannizarro 1:15.81, 6. Hunter Davis 1:22.22

100 breast: 5. Kyler Warren 1:22.83, 6. Ashtin Prentiss 1:23.56

400 free relay: 2. Francis Rogers, Caiden Gerhts, Kobus Diver and Nate Johnston 3:58.15, 3. Gabe Rose, Nathan Fuller, Jon Hawley and Ben Hawley 4:27.62, 5. Aidan Cannizarro, Taggart Shumway, David Polson and Riley Schiller 4:42.58

CODY INVITE

Team scores: 1. Buffalo 334, 2. Powell 316, 3. Riverton 256, 4. Cody 186

200 medley relay: 2. Rui Parker, Nate Johnston, Francis Rogers and Kyler Warren 1:52.07

200 free: 5. Francis Rogers 2:13.51, 6. Kobus Diver 2:13.75, 7. Kyler Warren 2:29.37

200 IM: 1. Nate Johnston 2:08.40*, 6. Gabe Rose 2:26.22*, 9. Nathan Fuller 2:54.40, 10. Lucas Legler 3:19.19

50 free: 2. Rui Parker 24.85*, 6. Caiden Gerhts 27.14, 11. David Polson 28.99, 12. Taggart Shumway 31.24, 13. Wesley Hoffman 38.18

1-meter diving (six dives): 2. Jon Hawley 160.10*, 3. Caiden Gerhts 150.50, 4. Taggart Shumway 139.40, 6. Ben Hawley 134.15

100 fly: 4. Nate Johnston 1:02.28*, 5. Gabe Rose*, 7. Kyler Warren 1:15.81

100 free: 2. Rui Parker 53.60*, 6. Kobus Diver 1:02.59, 7. Ben Hawley 1:02.78, 12. Aidan Cannizarro 1:09.21, 14. Hunter Davis 1:21.90, 15. Wesley Hoffman 1:35.11

500 free: 5. Francis Rogers 6:20.92, 11. Jon Hawley 7:41.39, 12. Connor Mayes 7:57.74

200 free relay: 4. Ben Hawley, Kobus Diver, Caiden Gerhts and David Polson 1:52.33, 6. Wesley Hoffman, Lucas Legler, Hunter Davis and Connor Mayes 2:18.59

100 back: 4. Nathan Fuller 1:17.67, 5. David Polson 1:19.06, 6. Hunter Davis 1:20.71

100 breast: 8. Connor Mayes 1:54.36

400 free relay: 1. Rui Parker, Ben Hawley, Francis Rogers and Nate Johnston 3:48.59, 5. Caiden Gerhts, Gabe Rose, Kyler Warren and Kobus Diver 4:18.40, 7. Nathan Fuller, David Polson, Aidan Cannizarro and Jon Hawley 4:46.47