Local finners gear up for state swimming and diving meet

Laramie is the site for the 2023-24 Boys State Swimming and Diving meet starting tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 16. 3A warm-up sessions begin tonight (Thursday) at 6:30. Diving prelims and semis begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday after 4A finals. Swimming prelims are 30 minutes after the finish of diving. 3A finals are Saturday at 10 a.m.
Four local swimmers will take their second trip to State in Laramie this weekend. LHS junior Conner Mayes has qualifying times in the 50 free, 100 fly and 200 IM. Junior Taggart Shumway will be diving, hoping to better last season’s 13th place finish. RMHS sophomore Will Fuller placed 15th in the backstroke in 2023, missing advancing to the finals by less than one second, and placed 28th in the 100 free. LHS sophomore Hugh Carpenter missed finals last year in the 100 and 200 free, placing 17th and 20th, missing the cut time by a little over a second in the 100 free.
At State teams may enter any qualified swimmer into the meet, with a maximum of four events, up to two of which may be individual events. Non-qualified swimmers may be entered in relays. Coaches decide which events each swimmer will place highest in for the most overall team points. Larger teams like perennial powerhouse Lander have an easier time with so many swimmers qualified for the events.
Possible swimmers for each event:
50 Free: Carpenter, Fuller, Mayes, G. Lennon (PHS frosh), G. Rose (PHS sr), A. Williams (PHS sr)
100 Free: Carpenter, Fuller, Rose, Wiliams
200 Free: Carpenter, Rose, Williams
500 Free: Carpenter, Rose, Williams
100 Back: Carpenter, Fuller, Rose, Williams
100 Breast: Carpenter, Fuller, Rose, Williams
100 Fly: Carpenter, Fuller, Mayes, T. Preator (PHS soph), Rose, Williams
200 IM: Carpenter, Fuller, Mayes, Preator, Rose, Williams
6 & 11 Dives: Shumway, J. Hawley, Lennon.