Middle school tracksters break records

Thermopolis Middle School track teams have had a remarkable season this year, breaking several school records and setting a few new ones with events added this year.

Chandler Maddock broke two school records for the eighth grade boys team.

The first record is for the 200M set by John Wallace in 1984. Wallace had a record of 24.57, which was broken by Maddock with a 24.38.

Maddock’s second record is in the 400M set by Joel Scogin in 1983.

According to coach Kent Hessenthaler, Maddock didn’t just break the record, “he shattered it”, passing Scogin’s 55.98 with a new record of 54.03.

“That time actually put him in the top 25 in the U.S.,” Hessenthaler said.

Ethan Becher broke Kris Mathern’s time in the 200M hurdles set in 1993. Mathern ran a 29.36. Becher wiped out his record with a 28.47.

Seventh grader, Tahja Hunt, broke the 1600M record held by Ivy Paris from 2009. Paris had a time of 5:50.20. Hunt now holds the record with a 5:50.06.

Sixth grader, Logan Cole, broke three school records, one in the long jump, set by Tyler Cornwell in 2010. Cornwell set the bar at 15’3”. Cole wiped out that record by more than a foot, jumping 16’5”.

He broke another of Cornwell’s record, also set in 2010, for the shot put. Cornwell’s record stood at 34’7”. That record was also “shattered” with a throw of 36’3”.

The biggest record broken by Cole, however, is Jaxn Kobza’s discus record of 88’1” set in 2010. Cole threw an amazing 112’1.75” for the new record.

A 100M hurdle event was added to the middle school track events this year. Four young Bobcats set those records including Ethan Becher with a 16.95 for eighth grade boys, Riley Shaffer with a 20.26 for seventh grade boys, McKenna Bomengen with a 19.03 for the seventh grade girls and Jaxon Jensen with a 22.08 for the sixth grade boys.

Select members of the teams traveled to Lander on Monday, May 11 to compete in the “Best of the Best” meet.

7th grade girls

Aspen Jensen – 400M, 16th, 1:09.69; 800M, 15th, 2:50.18.

Sesi Jensen – 200M, 14th, 30.21; high jump, 19th, 3’9”; triple jump, 4th, 30’0”.

Tahja Hunt – 800M, 11th, 2:46.75; 1600M, 4th, 5:50.06.

McKenna Bomengen – 1600M, 6th, 5:57.78; 100M hurdles, 21st, 19.79; 200M hurdles, 14th, 35.65.

Kaylee DeVries – 100M hurdles, 22nd, 19.96; 200M hurdles, 12th, 35.32.

Audrey Axtell – shot put, 20th, 19’11.5”; discus, 20th, 50’2”.

Ashley Brawley – discus, 28th, 45’1”.

4x200 relay – “A” team, 8th, 2:09.68.

7th grade boys

Riley Shaffer – 100M, 17th, 13.80; 200M, 17th, 29.19.

Cade McLean – 100M, 31st, 14.73; 400M, 21st, 1:08.34.

Hunter Mounts – 200M, 16th, 29.17; 400M, 14th, 1:06.13.

Teagan Anderson – 800M, 19th, 2:43.93; 1600M, 15th, 5:56.93.

4x400 relay – “A” team, 5th, 4:41.84.

8th grade boys

Chandler Maddock – 100M, 1st, 12.15; 200M, 1st, 24.60; 400M, 1st, 54.03.

Ethan Becher – 1600M, 5th, 5:22.18; 100M hurdles, 7th, 17.50; 200M hurdles, 2nd, 28.47; long jump, 14th, 15’7”.

Ryan Slagle – shot put, 25th, 29’11.5”.