(Lander, WY) – The Lander Valley High School boy’s swimming and diving team continued their dynasty at the 2025 Wyoming State competition in Gillette this week (which wrapped up yesterday, February 21), where they officially claimed their 29th straight 3A championship title.
As per tradition, when the team returned to Lander they were escorted through town by the fire department for the Champions Parade on Main Street, which was followed by celebratory dives in the pool and the ceremonial dunk into the hot tub at the Bruce Gresly Aquatic Center.
“You know, every year it gets harder, but every year is special, and to see what these boys did this weekend was just unreal. I mean, I couldn’t believe it,” Coach Shawna Morgan shared at the celebration. “This was the first year we had 100% time cuts. We didn’t have one mediocre swim. Every single quick kid swam their hearts out, dove their hearts out, and it was phenomenal, just unreal. I had goosebumps just thinking about it.”
County 10 asked what some of the big moments of the State competition were, and Morgan said the divers went above and beyond. “We placed all five of our divers in the top 12. We got second, fourth, fifth, eighth, and eleventh in diving.”
“Then we had five people make it in the 100 butterfly, which is insane. I think one of my other favorite highlights, obviously, (was) Finn (Richards) winning his two individual events, (and) Colby (Blackburn) winning his two individual events. Our 200 free relay, stepping up and beating Buffalo, who’s claimed that relay for the last four or five years. We beat them in that, and that was huge. Our 400 free relay stepped up big and won.”
Morgan was especially impressed with the performances of the breaststroke competitors.
“We had three in the top six in the breaststroke, and that was just crazy. Last year, we had a kid come in and start swimming for us. He didn’t even know what the breaststroke was. Micah Morgan, you’re amazing. He got third, and it was just crazy. I mean, he didn’t even know the breaststroke was, and he got third.”
Morgan also singled out the younger swimmers and divers for their showing.
“I think our underclassmen really stepped up and we talked about how important depth is and how we needed to get those kids into the top 12 and getting into those places. There was only one event where we only had two people in it. All the rest of the events we had three, four or five. So our younger kids really stepped up and they swam lights out.”
Morgan then gave shoutouts to the fire department for always helping with the parade, the parents who traveled to Gillette to cheer the team on, everyone who attended the Champions celebration, and the supportive school district.
When County 10 asked if they were already thinking about next year’s competition, Morgan said the team is indeed setting their sights on the big 30.
“Are you kidding me? Yeah, I made a state lineup for next year already. I’m ready to go. The boys are ready. They’re pumped. They’re making their goals already. So we just got to keep fighting, keep going for it.”
“I love Lander, and there’s definitely something in the water here.”
