GILLETTE – The Southeast Cyclone boys placed 14 times, while the Lady Cyclones snagged seven top-eight places at the 2A East Regional meet in Gillete on Friday and Saturday.
Chase Lovercheck had a stellar day on the track for Southeast. He earned first in both the 400-meter dash (51.13 seconds) and 800-meter dash (1:59.68). He also found his way into the finals of the 200-meter dash, giving him a spot in the state meet.
In the 100-meter dash, Jacob Cushman and Porter Ross both reached the finals. Cushman clocked a time of 11.60 seconds to take third in the finals, while Ross finished one slot behind with a time of 11.62 seconds.
Brady Fullmer, who just missed the cut in the 100, finishing ninth in the prelims (12.43 seconds), joined Lovercheck in the 400-meter finals, taking seventh with a time of 53.10 seconds.
Patrick Swank punched his ticket to Casper for the 3200-meter run, finishing eighth with a time of 12:10.87.
Rounding out the top track performances, all three Southeast boys’ relays finished in the top-eight. Fullmer, Lovercheck, Jacob Schmitt and Connor Humphrey snagged first in the 1600-meter relay with a time of 3:31.69. Fullmer and Humphrey joined Cushman and Ross to take second in the 400-meter dash (45.51 seconds). Swank, Wyatt Lackman, Zander Ramirez and Luke Haas completed the 3200-meter relay in 10:43.19, finishing eighth.
Quinton Steinbock paced the Cyclones in the field events, taking third in the high jump after clearing 5 feet, 9 inches. In the long jump, Ross took seventh (18 feet, 6.5 inches) and Chance Werner finished eighth (18 feet, 2.25 inches). Werner also made his mark in the triple jump, clearing 39 feet, 2.75 inches, earning him seventh.
As a team, the Cyclones racked up 65 points, finishing fourth. Southeast was one point behind Sundance, who took third (66 points) and one point ahead of both Upton and Pine Bluffs, who tied for fifth (64 points). Big Horn won the boys’ title with 135 points.
Jayden Hopkins had a solid day in the distance events for the Lady Cyclones. She snagged third in the 3200-meter run with a time of 14:11.05 and fifth in the 1600-meter run with a time of 6:02.96. Kelci Lovercheck was not far behind Hopkins in the mile, taking sixth (6:08.68). In the final distance event, Ellie Schmitt took fifth in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:32.80.
Southeast had a good showing in the distance relay. Lovercheck, Schmitt, Hopkins and Emily Buchanan joined together for the 3200-meter relay, clocking a time of 10:54.08, earning gold. Buchanan, Lovercheck and Schmitt joined with Hailey Anderson in the 1600-meter relay, taking third with a time of 4:23.33.
Candee Coxbill was the only Southeast thrower to reach the top-eight, finishing eighth in the discus with a throw of 99 feet, 1 inch.
The Cyclones who have qualified for the state meet are set to compete in Casper, starting Thursday and concluding Saturday.
Others to compete in the 2A East Regional meet but not reach the top-eight include:
Boys
100-meter dash prelims – 9, Brady Fullmer, Southeast, 12.43; 12, Connor Humphrey, Southeast, 12.62; 200-meter dash prelims – 10, Jacob Cushman, Southeast, 23.65; 11, Porter Ross, Southeast, 24.75; 14, Connor Humphrey, Southeast, 25.16; 400-meter dash prelims – 13, Jacob Schmitt, Southeast, 55.35; 19, Luke Haas, Southeast, 59.31; 800-meter run – 10, Jacob Schmitt, Southeast, 2:13.67; 20, Wyatt Lackman, Southeast, 2:32.52; 26, Andrew Cox, Southeast, 2:45.56; 1600-meter run – 13, Patrick Swank, Southeast, 5:30.10; Long Jump – 11, Quinton Steinbock, Southeast, 17-3.5; Shot Put – 26, Hunter Woodruff, Southeast, 34-11.5; 31, Patrick Swank, Southeast, 29-0.25; 33, Luke Haas, Southeast, 27-3; Discus – 29, Hunter Woodruff, Southeast, 88-3.
