(Riverton, WY) – It was a great day for the Riverton boys’ swim team at their home meet on Saturday. The Wolverines won the 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relays and captured six individual events.
“Our numbers are up. We have 20 kids out. We returned all our swimmers from last year. We had no seniors last year. Everybody on the team has previous experience either in the middle school program or the club program. This team has potential,” Riverton head swim coach Jay Dayton said.
The 200-yard medley relay team of Alex Jordan, Brody Koch, Porter Olson and Teter Hovander posted a 1:46.66 to win the event. The same four swimmers switched the order but won the 400-yard freestyle in 3:48.74.
It was a fast pool on Saturday with 26 boys qualifying for the state finals in either Class 3-A or 4-A.
Dayton described the season thus far.
“The opening meet at Lander went really well. We gave Lander a bit of a scare. We won eight of 12 events, but they were able to hang on and beat us with a little more depth. They beat us by 24 points. We were without our top senior diver, Micah Wodrich. He was out for medical,” Dayton said. “We traveled to Cody on Saturday. It was a pentathlon where swimmers compete in five events. It’s a grueling meet that requires swimmers to stay focused and work through the pain. We ended up second to Buffalo. Five teams were in attendance.”
Riverton had swimmers qualify for the 4-A state championships in 11 events.
The Wolverines were the only Class 4-A team at the meet along with 3-A Lander, Powell, Worland, and Cody.
Individual winners for Riverton were Teter Hovander in the 100 and 200-yard freestyle, Alex Jordan in the 200-yard individual medley, Brady Koch in the 100-yard butterfly, Alex Jordan in the 100-yard backstroke, and Koch in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Lander brought a small team. A flu bug sidelined much of the Tiger squad.
Individual winners for the Tigers were Carter Plaisted in the 500-yard freestyle and the Lander 200 freestyle relay of Trevor Hill, Nathan Leafgreen, Grady Philips, and Brody Blunck.
“This last weekend we dueled Powell on Friday and came out on top 186 -87. Jasper Beutler picks up for a state qualifying time in 100 breaststroke. Senior Micah Wodrich qualifies in diving. Saturday the Riverton invite we end up winning the meet over Lander, who had a depleted squad due to Christmas travel and the flu. We also had swimmers out due to illness. As were all the teams. Again, we had a strong showing, winning eight of 12 events,” Dayton said.
“We won the 200-medley relay and the 4 x 100 relay, Lander’s prized relay. Jared DeClercq picks up a qualification for a state in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle. We’ve got about four other swimmers on the bubble very close to qualifying and should pick it up early January. Our mindset is to get the qualification early and then we’ve got to get that time whittled down and under to make the finals that state. So we have a total of seven qualified for the state meet. Alex Jordan, Brody Koch, and Teter Hovander have multiple qualifications and are seated in the top six in the four at state rankings. Often, the Riverton team is in the shadow of the Lander Dynasty, but I believe this team is emerging out, and it’s going to be a team to be reckoned with.”
200 Yard Medley Relay: 1. Riverton (Alex Jordan, Brody Koch, Porter Olson, Teter Hovander) 1:46.66, 2. Lander 1:49.65
200 Yard Freestyle: 1. Teter Hovander, RIV 1:59.19, 4. Brody Blunck, LAN 2:05.80, 5. Jared DeClercq, RIV 2:06.73, 6. Nicholas Hall, RIV 2:09.57
200 Individual Medley: 1. Alex Jordan, RIV 2:12.46, 2. Carter Plaisted, LAN 2:15.64, 4. Micha Morgan, LAN 2:25.45, 5. Grady Phillips, LAN 2:28.54, 6. Trevor Hill, LAN 2:29.50, 7. Tate Calum, RIV 2:29.65
50 Yard Freestyle: 1. Will Fuller, POW 23.85, 3. Eliot Tate, RIV 25.45, 4. Jordan Mills, RIV 25.60, 6. Jacob Rudd, LAN 26.00
One Meter Diving: 1. Bryson Laing, COD 273.95, 2. Micah Wodrich, RIV 184.85, 6. Dominick Weigel, LAN 102.45, 7. Braxton Holladay, RIV 99
100 Yard Butterfly: 1. Bordy Koch, RIV 59.48, 2. Grady Phillips, LAN 1:06.64, 3. Micah Morgan, LAN 1:07.64, 6. Jasper Beutler, RIV 1:15.31, 8. Caleb Buskohl, RIV 1:15.82
100 Yard Freestyle: 1. Teter Hovander, RIV 54.98, 3. Eliot Tate, RIV 58.26, 5. Ethan Titus, LAN 59.50, 6. Porter Olson, RIV 59.93, 7. Nathan Leafgreen, LAN 1:02.02
500 Yard Freestyle: 1. Carter Plaisted, LAN 5:28.39, 2. Jared DeClercq, RIV 5:42.27, 5. Nicholas Hall, RIV 6:10.20
200 Freestyle Relay: 1. Lander (Trevor Hill, Nathan Leafgreen, Grady Philips, Brody Blunck) 1:42.87, 3. Riverton 1:44.27
100 Yard Backstroke: 1. Alex Jordan, RIV 58.48, 3. Brody Blunck, LAN 1:05.66, 4. Jordan Mills, RIV 1:05.83, 6. Jacob Rudd, LAN 1:09.16, 8. Ethan Titus, LAN 1:10.31
100 Yard Breaststroke: 1. Brody Koch, RIV 1:06.24, 2. Trevor Hill, LAN 1:10.37, 4. Jasper Beutler, RIV 1:13.56, 6. Calum Tate, RIV 1:19.29
400 Yard Freestyle Relay: 1. Riverton (Teter Hovander, Porter Olson, Brody Koch, Alex Jordan) 3:48.74, 3. Lander 3:59.10