The Kemmerer High School swimming and diving team had perhaps their best outing of the season as a team over the weekend, placing first at the Rawlins Invitational.
The Lady Rangers won six of the 12 events — including a clean sweep of all three relays — and a bevy of Top 5 finishes, new qualifiers and personal bests.
“This has to have been the best meet so far for us,” said KHS head coach Amanda Aimone. “It really came together and the kids looked great.”
The Lady Rangers Dynamic Duo of Logan Rogers and Charlie Boylen continued their outstanding freshman campaigns, with Rogers winning both the 50 freestyle (25.83) and the 100 freestyle (57.87); Boylen finished in the top spot in the 200 individual medley (2:27.83) and runner-up in the 100 backstroke (1:09.90).
The Lady Rangers also dominated the relay events, winning all three. The team of Ally Bartschi, Payton Scherr, Gabby Bartschi and Kalyn Lockwood won the 200 medley relay in a time of 2:09.95, while the 200 freestyle relay team of Logan Rogers, Charlie Boylen, Kalyn Lockwood and Demi Thatcher won the event with a time of 1:50.46. Boylen, Rogers, Thatcher and Scherr won the 400 freestyle relay in a time of 4:09.06.
The Lady Rangers divers continue to improve every week, with all three posting Top 5 finishes. Hanna Walker led the charge, finishing runner-up with a score of 382.60, while Kalyn Lockwood finished fourth, posting a score of 306.30. Freshman Gabby Bartschi came in fifth, with a score of 259.55.
“Our divers are always strong, and bring it every meet,” Aimone said. “The two seniors really know how to come out and represent meet after meet, and I think that is a good sign for state. They are also rubbing off on our little freshman Gabby. She has really grown from her 8th-grade year. You wouldn’t even recognize her; she changed so much for the better.”
Other notable performances in the individual events included Payton Scherr, who posted a pair of second-place finishes in the 200 freestyle (2:19.56) and the 500 freestyle (6:14.75). Demi Thatcher placed third in the 100 breaststroke
(1:18.37) and fourth in the 200 freestyle (2:23.85,), while Saige Erickson was fourth in the 100 butterfly (1:33.83).
“Payton Scherr and Demi Thatcher also did great things in the water,” Aimone said. “Payton is really showing her ability in the longer races with PRs in the 200 free and 500 free over the weekend. She has really found her groove. Demi Thatcher also had a great swim in the 100 breaststroke. She has never gone under 1:20 in that event, so that’s a lifetime PR for her. Saige Erickson has also been putting in the work. She has been consistently cutting time and getting better. That’s all you can ask for.”
Arya Newell also took fourth in the 500 freestyle (6:37.67).
Ally Bartschi placed fifth in the 200 individual medley (2:41.38), as did Emileen Dearden in the 50 freestyle (29.41) and the 100 freestyle (1:04.13).
“Ally Bartschi had a great meet, qualifying in the 200 IM,” Aimone said. “She has really been looking good in practice, so it wasn’t a surprise that she got the 200 IM. We also got a new qualifier in the 100 freestyle with Emileen Dearden. That was so exciting for our entire team, and of course Emileen. She qualified last year, so it’s nice to see her qualify again.”
As the regular season begins to wind down, the Lady Rangers will host Sublette County in a dual Friday, then travel to Evanston Saturday.
Rawlins Invitational
Team Scores
1. Kemmerer 340, 2. Sublette County 273, 3. Evanston 238, 4. Lyman 188, 5. Rawlins 113
200 Medley Relay
1. Ally Bartschi, Payton Scherr, Gabby Bartschi, Kalyn Lockwood 2:09.95, 7. Emileen Dearden, Eva Hunter, Saige Erickson, Arya Newell 2:30.71
200 Freestyle
2. Payton Scherr 2:19.56, 4. Demi Thatcher 2:23.85, 6. Arya Newell 2:27.00
200 IM
1. Charlie Boylen 2:27.83, 5. Ally Bartschi 2:41.38
50 Freestyle
1. Logan Rogers 25.83, 5. Emileen Dearden 29.41, 8. Eva Hunter 31.84, 17. Haleigh Stiles 46.52
Girls 1 Mtr Diving
2. Hanna Walker 382.60, 4. Kalyn Lockwood 306.30, 5. Gabby Bartschi 259.55
100 Butterfly
4. Saige Erickson 1:33.83
100 Freestyle
1. Logan Rogers 57.87, 5. Emileen Dearden 1:04.13, 7. Kalyn Lockwood 1:05.23
500 Freestyle
2. Payton Scherr 6:14.75, 4. Arya Newell 6:37.67, 6. Gabby Bartschi 6:43.29
200 Freestyle Relay
1. Logan Rogers, Charlie Boylen, Kalyn Lockwood, Demi Thatcher 1:50.46, 7. Ally Bartschi, Arya Newell, Saige Erickson, Haleigh Stiles 2:17.69
100 Backstroke
2. Charlie Boylen 1:09.90, 7. Eva Hunter 1:20.68, 11. Hanna Walker 1:25.73, 17. Haleigh Stiles 2:10.73
100 Breaststroke
3. Demi Thatcher 1:18.37, 6. Ally Bartschi 1:24.88
400 Freestyle Relay
1. Charlie Boylen, Logan Rogers, Demi Thatcher, Payton Scherr 4:09.06, 5. Emileen Dearden, Gabby Bartschi, Eva Hunter, Hanna Walker 4:48.81
