Track season kicks off at Yellowstone invite

This Saturday will see the Thermopolis High School Bobcats hit the track at the Yellowstone Sports Medicine Invite at Cody.

The boys track team will see three returning letter winners this year, with junior Cullen Becher, a two-year letterman, and sophomores Ethan Becher and Chandler Maddock, both one-year. The three will join senior Ryan Johnson, juniors Logan Meier, Liam Whitt and Jared Little, sophomore Kolby George and freshmen Jarron Mortimore and Tyler Kay.

Coach Ernie Mecca said the boys graduated a great crew last year who left with outstanding career records. He noted the three letterers qualified for state last year, and overall the team is a young one and a small one.

The girls team will see five returning letter winners, with seniors Makayla George (thrre-year), Elizabeth Rhodes (two-year), Jules Ward (two-year) and Chandra Maddock (one-year), as well as junior Haley McDermott (two-year). Also on the team are sophomore Sylvia Hernandez and freshmen McKenna Bomengen, Tahja Hunt, Aspen Jensen, Amy Robinson, Olivia Weyer, Ali Burton, Erica Meyer and Kaylee DeVries. Though eight girls are freshmen, Mecca said having the five returning letter-winners will give them a foundation to build on.

The teams started practice March 13, and Mecca noted it was a very atypical start, with warm and dry weather which allowed for them to put a lot of work in. He noted he can't remember when there were such good conditions, and keeps expecting Mother Nature to drop the other shoe.

The Bobcat Invite on Friday May 5, as well as the 3A East Regional Championships May 12 and 13, are the Bobcats only home events. Volunteers are needed and appreciated to help put them on.