LHS outdoor track and field eager for 1st meet

Mar. 22—The Laramie High outdoor track and field team returned to practice this week after resting over spring break.

The much-needed time off came after the Plainsmen finished as Class 4A state runners-up during the indoor season with 92.5 points. The Laramie boys finished seventh with 31.

Both the boys and girls teams have seen fluctuating rosters going into the outdoor season due to other spring sports.

"We have a bunch of kids that went soccer, softball, tennis and even golf," LHS coach Greg Schabron said. "We also gained a lot from Nordic skiing, alpine skiing and basketball.

"We have some kids that stay for indoor and outdoor, and that is helpful because they can show the newer kids what we do for warmups and what these events are."

Schabron's coaching staff includes Kyle Stucky (sprints), Chris Sherwood (pole vault and sprints), Cody Johnson (hurdles, sprints, team strength coordinator), Jake Chick (throws) and David Riedl (jumps). The Plainsmen's roster consists of 115 student-athletes.

For the girls, senior Addie Forry and freshman Claire Arens joined the team after basketball season. Both were top-20 finishers in the 4A cross-country state meet in the fall.

Forry and Arens are expected to help solidify the girls team, along with freshmen Lainey Berryhill and Keiran Giraldo, sophomores Libbie Roesler and MacKenna Schabron and senior Leah Schabron.

Although they don't run the same events, Forry and Arens will help supplement the loss of Chloe and Ava Wallhead, who play soccer during the spring. Chloe and Ava were both all-state runners during the indoor track season.

"I think Addie is due for a good season," Berryhill said. "I know she's motivated by not having her best cross (cross-country) season, but she's a great athlete and will do better in outdoor.

"Leah has been a great leader to everyone. She not just helpful in practice, but knows how to guide people through anything."

The Wallhead twins were joined by Berryhill, Giraldo, Roesler and the Schabron sisters on the all-state roster during the indoor season. Greg Schabron plans to float runners around different events through the first three meets before settling them in.

"If (the girls) can place top four in the state, it would be a solid finish to the season," Greg Schabron said. "Sometimes, we find a wildcard and are left saying, 'Wow.'"

Added Berryhill: "It'll be hard to make up for the people we're losing from our relays. Claire (Arens) and Addie (Forry) are versatile and talented athletes that will help across the board."

At the 4A indoor state meet, Berryhill, Leah Schabron, Ava Wallhead and Chloe Wallhead took first in the 4x400 relay at in 4 minutes, 7.68 seconds. The Plainsmen were second in the 4x200 at 1:49.78.

In the field events, Kate Lewis and Kamrie Bingham are expected to continue rolling from the indoor season. Lewis was third at the indoor state meet in shot put after tossing 37 feet, 9 inches. Bingham was sixth in triple jump at 33 feet.

The Plainsmen also have a slew of pole vaulters returning to action. Brynlee Enevoldsen, Kierra Gardner and Addison Fowler were all top-ten finishers in the event during the indoor season.

"The girls team has been so successful because we've been able to have someone in almost every event," Greg Schabron said.

The Plainsmen boys' strength will mostly come from the field events during the outdoor season.

Sophomore A.J. Sirdoreus feels ecstatic about the way his indoor season ended. He was the boys' highest placer at the indoor state meet, taking third in the triple jump at a personal best 13 feet.

"I PR'd by at least a foot," Sirdoreus said. "From last year's outdoor state meet to indoor this year, I improved by three feet in the triple jump. My goal this year is to qualify early.

"In the long jump, there are a handful of guys I'd like to catch."

Junior Fisher Frude took fourth in pole vault after he also set a personal-best at 13 feet. Juniors Will Arens and Jackson Reed will look to cross the 20-foot threshold in the long jump.

Sirdoreus mentioned junior Max Alexander returning to track from basketball being the most exciting addition to the team.

"Max is definitely going to help out," Sirdoreus said. "He's one of the best hurdlers around the state. He was sixth last year, and is even faster now."

Two of the boys' strongest sprinters — sophomore Diego Villasenor and junior Sammy Heaney — also opted to play soccer this spring. Villasenor and Heaney were seventh and eighth in the 55-yard dash at 6.82 and 6.85, respectively.

The team feels like it may be able to solve questions about sprints and relays with two additions from the basketball team. Junior Brayden McKinney and sophomore Evan Crum are joining outdoor track, allowing Greg Schabron to remain confident in the lineup he'll put together.

"Brayden is fast and can run some relays," the coach said. "Evan is a good athlete. It'll be good to get the ball rolling over the first couple meets. Hopefully, the weather is good so we can really start figuring some stuff out."

LHS should get relief in distance running with junior Gideon Moore — a cross-country and Nordic skiing standout — joining senior Dom Eberle in the events. Henry Kordon and Sam Harshberger are returning throwers, but neither qualified for the indoor state meet.

"Preparing is a little different for outdoor season," Schabron said. "But, I think our kids will have a pulse on it by midseason."

Laramie will kick off the season in the John Gasner Invite on Friday in Sidney, Nebraska.

Austin Edmonds covers Laramie High, University of Wyoming and community athletics for WyoSports. He can be reached at aedmonds@wyosports.net. Follow him on X at @_austinedmonds.