Lady Warriors win 3A West regional

For the first time since 2014, the Worland Lady Warriors track and field team brought home the regional championship.

Competing at the 3A West regional championship in Mountain View on May 3-4, the Lady Warriors won the 3A West team title scoring 175 points. Second place was Powell with 140 points and third place was Lander with 125 points.

"I was happy for the kids. Did they ever show up and perform," said WHS track and field coach Tracey Wiley. "I was super proud of them, boys and girls, they were ready. They were focused and determined. We had a ton of [personal records], and to still be getting PRs this late in the season, I'm so proud of the whole team."

Wiley missed the final day of the regional meet to attend her son's college graduation.

"I was at my son's graduation, and the whole time, the kids were calling me, Facetiming me, telling me what they did and showing the races," said Wiley. "Their excitement was what it's all about."

Cherise Douzenis, Kalistynn Crippen and the Lady Warriors 4x100-meter relay team (Maddy Lloyd, Kalistynn Crippen, Nyssa Leyva, Erika Manahan) won individual regional championships in Mountain View.

Douzenis won the 200-meter (25.35) and 400-meter (57.41) dashes, was second in the long jump (16-11) and third in the 100-meter dash (12.66). The sophomore's 200-meter time set a 26-year-old regional record.

Crippen won the 100-meter dash, running a 12.45, setting a new personal record and beating Lander Valley's Avery Beaver, who was ranked first in the 100 going into regionals. The sophomore sprinter also finished second in the 200-meter dash (25.56), also running at a record-setting pace, and fourth in the high jump (4-11).

The 4x100-meter team crossed the finish line at 49.64, edging out Lander Valley who was second at 49.71.

"Cherise was seeded second in the finals in the 400. She was not having that. She took first and did a great job. She doesn't like second place and was determined to not let that happen in the finals, and I love that.  

"That was a PR for Kalistynn, and for her to beat Avery was great. In the 200, Cherise runs a 25.35 and Kalistynn a 25.56. They both broke the regional record held for 26 years. Having two girls break a 26-year-old record is amazing, and Cherise's name will be on that record," said Wiley.

Worland seniors Erika Manahan, Maci Newell and Manaia Peterson were among the many Worland athletes who came through for the team. Manahan dropped the high jump to pick up more points for the team by running the 400-meter dash. Aiming for a 1:02, the senior ran a 59.58 to finish fifth in the 400, setting a PR as well.

Peterson threw a PR in the discus (125-1) to finish fifth and a 34-4.5 to finish eighth in the shot.

Newell picked up the 800-meter run later in the season, improving with each meet in the event. At regionals, she had the chance to qualify for state in the 800, provided she finished in the top eight. She ran a 2:34.00 to finish eighth, punching her ticket to state.

"After the coaches meeting, I saw who was entered in the 800 and told coach [Tammy] Montoya that Maci can make the top eight. I told Maci the same thing, her eyes got big and said she was going to do it. She ran her heart out and fought and fought. 

"Erika, we talked about the high jump, and she could have gotten us points there, but if she could run a 1:02 in the 400, she'd get more points for the team. She said she could do it. She ran a 1:02 in practice, she makes the finals and then runs a 59.58. It was absolutely amazing. A big shout out to her and I'm super proud of her," said Wiley. "Manaia had a big PR in the discus. She's a senior and she's always stepped up at state and regionals. She hadn't AQ'd in the shot, but she stepped up and knew she could get it done."

Other highlights for the Lady Warriors at the 3A West were Zena Tapia finishing second in the 1600-meter run (5:24.65), third in the 800 meters (2:24.87) and third in the 3200-meter run (12:10.13). 

Ava Tapia was second in the 3200 meters (11:59.04) and third in the 1600 meters (5:41.10). 

Anna Richarson was third in the high jump (5-1), third in the 100-meter hurdles (16.16) and third in the 300-meter hurdles (47.86). 

Jumpers Madilyn Glanz and Jacy Fowler placed in the triple jump. Glanz jumped 32-11.25 to finish sixth, and Fowler marked at 32-2.5 to finish seventh.

"Ava ran an amazing two-mile. She got ahead of her sister, and Zena is so supportive of her. Ava is a competitor, and she broke 12 minutes. As a freshman, you love that, and she was so excited that she got all-conference.

"Madilyn has been to state before and had already AQ'd for state, but she doesn't settle. She wants to be in the mix and I'm excited for her to go and compete at state. Jacy, the same thing, she wanted to get to state and had been hitting PRs in the last three meets. She worked hard, finished seventh and got to state," said Wiley.

To earn all-conference, an athlete must finish in the top two of their event or be a member of the winning relay team.

The Lady Warriors 4x400-meter team (Shea Whitlock, Erika Manahan, Sabrina Gentzler, Nyssa Leyva) finished second (4:14.42), the 4x800-meter team (Sabrina Gentzler, Maci Newell, Ava Tapia, Zena Tapia) finished second (10:32.35) and the sprint medley team (Maddy Lloyd, Timber Decker, Nyssa Leyva, Sabrina Gentzler) was third (4:39.15).

For the Warriors, the team finished fourth with 107 points. Mountain View won the boys team race with 137.50 points, second was Lovell with 137 points and Powell was third with 118.5 points.

Trajn Swalstad won two individual championships, winning the 3200-meter (10:03.32) and the 1600-meter runs (4:34.60) and was second in the 800 meters (2:03.48).

"Trajn got second in the 800 and got a PR in that. He won the mile and two mile. He competes year-round and works extremely hard in the offseason. I love to see him up on the podium for those two distance races," said Wiley.

Noah Mitchell won the 110-meter hurdles (15.00), was second in the high jump (6-2) and was in the all-conference mix in the 300-meter hurdles finals before clipping the final hurdle.

"Noah won the 110 hurdles and had a good PR. Dawson Utterback had a good PR in the 110 hurdles, too. Noah was going against Lovell and Mountain View in the 300 hurdles. Noah was ahead by inches, going into the final hurdle. He clipped the hurdle and went end-over-end and got DQ. 

"Having the AQ time saved him so he'll get to run that at state. It's something that happens when you're racing that hard, but I'm excited to see what he'll do this week in the 300," said Wiley.

Other standouts for the Warriors were Angel Ruelas, seventh in the 100-meter dash (11.64) and fifth in the 200-meter dash (23.36); Wyatt Dickinson was eighth in the 110-meter hurdles (17.96); Dawson Utterback was fifth in the 110-meter hurdles (16.15), third in the 300-meter hurdles (40.94) and fourth in the pole vault (12-0).

"Angel had a good regional meet. He's been fighting to get that 100 all year. He came to compete and was pushing through shin splints. He placed seventh in the 100 and fifth in the 200. 

"Wyatt Dickinson worked so hard on his three-stepping. He was ranked ninth, and I told him he could get in. I saw the determination on his face, and he got in there at eighth place," said Wiley. "Dawson was trying to get 12-6, but he got 12-0, which is what he's been hitting all year. That should be good for him at state and getting into that top eight."  

Along with Swalstad, many of Worland's distance runners did well in Mountain View, Will Bishop finished fourth in the 3200 meters (10:32.73), seventh in the 800 meters (2:05.95) and eighth in the 800 meters (4:46.80). Scottie Thomas was sixth in the 3200 meters (10:45.13) and Krew Neighbors was fourth in the 1600-meter run (4:45.11).

"Krew Neighbors was amazing in the mile. Another freshman, he wasn't up there in the rankings, but he was determined to get to state."

The Warriors sprint medley team (Wyatt Dickinson, Will Slagle, Angel Ruelas, Ethan Miller) had a final shot to qualify for state at the regional meet. Heading into the final lap and sitting sixth, Ethan Miller, running the 800-leg, willed his way to the finish line, passing two teams along the way to finish fourth. That fourth-place finish qualified the sprint medley team for state.

To qualify for state, a relay team has to finish in the top four at the regional meet if they haven't hit the qualifying time that season.

"Our boys sprint medley hadn't AQ'd. Ethan ran the 800, and on the final 400, he was sixth. He fought and fought and got us into fourth place and got them to state. Everyone was cheering him on and we were so excited for him and those group of boys," said Wiley.

The regional meet was a great start to the postseason for both Worland teams. Now, the Worland athletes turn their attention to the final meet of the season, the 3A State meet in Casper, running Thursday through Saturday.

"Having that mindset they had at regionals was big for them. I've said it to them enough about not settling and I'm sure they get tired of me saying that. We've got to continue that. We've got to make the most of our final practices and bring the same focus for three days at state. With the determination of this group, they're going to rise to the challenge," said

Wiley.