Lady Panthers place 3rd at state after finishing second at conference

Lauren Lejeune, Prowl reporter|November 4, 2017

Courtesy of Nan O'Neill

The PHS girls’ swimming and diving team poses on the podium after placing third at the state meet in Gillette on Friday.

Before the Powell High School girls swimming and diving team placed third at the 3A state meet Friday, they placed second at the 3A West conference championship meet in Powell on Oct. 21. (Watch The Prowl for complete a full story of the 3A state meet; click here for results)

Many records were broken at conference, and the Lady Panthers’ overall score was 300.5. Lander, which went on the win the state title, took first place with a total of 357.5 points.  Meet highlights include:

Lauren Lejeune
Powell swimmers prepare to enter the enter the start area during the 3A Conference meet.

200 Medley Relay: Senior Julia Kay O’Neill, senior Rylie Kannard, junior Caitlyn Miner and senior Aspen Aguirre finished in 1:57.29, which broke the previous record of 1:57.92. Finals on Oct.  21brought a time of 1:55.85 which broke the 3A Conference record.

200-Yard Freestyle: Freshman Addison Moretti was clocked in 2:16.02 and then a 2:16.30, which placed her fourth overall after the finals. Senior Sydney Horton earned 2:20.20 and then 2:21.99. Sophomore Ashlyn Aguirre finished in 2:25.76 which placed her 12th overall. Sydney O’Brien received a 2:22.98

200-Yard IM: Freshman Elizabeth Liggett qualified for finals in 2:35.37 and then swam a 2:33.18 to place 5th overall. Sophomore Anna Fuller swam a 2:38.43 and then a 2:28.77which placed her 6th overall. Sophomore Rachel Kuntz received a time of 2:41.20 and then a 2:41.44 which placed her 9th overall.  

50-Yard Freestyle: Junior Katrina Twitchell swam a 26.95 and then 26.97 which placed her 3rd overall. Senior Aspen Aguirre went 27.48 followed by a 27.07 in the finals which placed her 4th overall along with Senior Abby Hamilton from Lander. Freshman Madison Lowery went 28.0 and then 28.09 which placed her 11th overall. Freshman Raelyn Ramsey swam a 31.77.

1-Meter Diving: Junior Caitlyn Miner placed 1st overall with a score of 223.80. Freshman Emma Karhu received a score of 199.45. Senior Julia Kay O’Neill received 184.30. Freshman Maddi Hackenberg received 159.50 points.

100 Butterfly: Junior Caitlyn Miner placed 1st overall with a time of 1:03.04 during the preliminary round and set a new record for the Powell High School Girls’ Swimming Hall of Fame. She then received a 1:03.32 during the finals. Sophomore Ashlyn Aguirre went 1:09.87 and then 1:10.58 which placed her 5th overall. Senior Rylie Kannard finished in 1:09.78 and then 1:11.33 which placed her 6th overall. Senior Kendyl Bohlman swam a 1:12.41 and then a 1:12.78 which placed her 9th overall. Sophomore Lauren Lejeune finished in  1:17.32 and qualified for state making her the 16th state qualifier.

100-Yard Freestyle: Junior Katrina Twitchell swam a 1:01.48 followed a by a 1:00.39 which placed her 4th overall. Senior Aspen Aguirre finished in 1:01.24 and then a 1:01.68 which placed her 6th overall. Junior Gracie Mclain swam a 1:09.51, earning a new personal best from 1:12.50.

500-Yard Freestyle: Freshman Elizabeth Liggett swam a 6:11.23 followed by a 6:03.38 which placed her 2nd overall. Senior Kendyl Bohlman placed 5th overall with a time of 6:16.86. Senior Sydney Horton finished in 6:31.65 followed by a 6:23.44 which placed her 8th overall. Sophomore Lauren Lejeune was clocked in 7:23.47. Freshman Raelyn Ramsey received a 7:52.74

200-Yard Freestyle Relay: Junior Caitlyn Miner, Junior Katrina Twitchell, Senior Aspen Aguirre  and Senior Kendyl Bohlman received a 1:48.07 during the prelims followed by a 1:46.76 which placed them second in the finals.

Seniors Julia Kay O’Neill (center) and Rylie Kannard (far left) pose with their medals from the backstroke event at the 3A Conference meet.

100-Yard Backstroke: Senior Julia Kay O’Neill won the event with a time of 1:03.19 during the preliminary swim followed by a 1:04.16. Senior Rylie Kannard placed 5th overall with a time of 1:05.18 followed by a 1:06.30. Sophomore Sidney O’Brien went 1:10.02 followed by a 1:09.32. Freshman Addison Moretti received a 1:11.78 followed by a 1:10.83. Freshman Madison Lowery finished in 1:14.93. Junior Gracie McLain received a 1:19.71.

100-Yard Breaststroke: Sophomore Anna Fuller 1:21.77 and then a 1:21.24. Sophomore Rachel Kuntz received a time of 1:24.59.

400 Freestyle Relay: Junior Katrina Twitchell, Senior Julia Kay O’Neill, Sophomore Sidney O’Brien, and Senior Kendyl Bohlman finished in 4:09.25 which placed them in 4th.