The programs comprising the Star Valley High School athletics program had a very successful weekend with teams both home and away as the month of January melts into February.

First off, the SVHS dance team, the Brave Cadettes, brought him another title from the State Spirit competition in Casper as they claimed the 4A Jazz Dance category. It was a great weekend for the spirit squads as the Cadettes also placed second in the Hip Hop category with the cheerleaders placing second in the 4A Co-ed Stunt division and third in the Gameday category.

4A Jazz Dance (1st)
Star Valley – 82.880
Rock Springs – 81.300
Kelly Walsh – 77.630
Jackson – 69.650
Cheyenne Central – 62.540

4A Gameday (3rd)
Green River – 92.300
Kelly Walsh – 90.450
Star Valley – 89.850
Cheyenne South – 87.450
Cheyenne East – 87.200
(11 Teams)

4A Hip Hop Dance (2nd)
Rock Springs – 89.780
Star Valley – 84.210
Kelly Walsh – 76.030
Jackson – 72.140
Natrona County – 64.150
(7 Teams)

4A Co-ed Cheer Stunt (2nd)
Green River – 90.300
Star Valley – 76.300
Powell – 72.400
Rock Springs – 72.000

CLICK HERE FOR FULL STATE SPIRIT RESULTS –

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

The Indoor Track and Field team had competitors at the Stacy Dragila Open on the campus of Idaho State University. Valerie Jirak ran away from the pack to win the 400-meter event and also set a new school mark in the High Jump with a measurement of 5′ 7″.

Habtamu Wetzel, fresh off being named the Wyoming Gatorade Cross-Country Runner of the Year, took first place in the 800-meter event.

Stacy Dragila Open (@ Idaho State) Placers
GIRLS
60 M: 8.09 Kammi Merritt – 6th
400 M: 57.77 Valerie Jirak – 1st
400 M: 1:04 Jordyn Roberts – 8th
800 M: 2:37 Gracey Visser – 7th
4 x 200 M: 1:53.64 Kammi Merritt, Grace Collins, Jordyn Roberts, Kaelyn Green – 1st
4 x 200 M: 2:02.65 Catherine Nichols, Tylita Bond, Wylie Kaiser, Lauren Green – 2nd
Shot Put: Emma Moffatt 27’ 7” – 8th
High Jump: Valerie Jirak 5’ 7” – 1st
High Jump: Madison White 5’ 2” – 4th
Triple Jump: Kaelyn Green 29’ 2.75” – 6th
Weight Throw: Abigail Carillo-Zarate 26’ 6.5” – 3rd
Weight Throw: Emma Moffatt 25’ 5” – 4th

BOYS
800 M: Habtamu Wetzel – 1st
800 M Peter Lorch – 6th
800 M  Jase Burton – 8th
4 x 200 M Cash Bazil, Teagan Barclay, Gunner Brog, Preston Ross (1st)
4 x 200 M Seth Larson, David Howe, Dylan Hirschi, Daxton Button (2nd)
H Jump: Khale Clinger 6’ 1” – 4th
T Jump: Wilson Clevenger 18’ 2.75: – 7th
Weight Throw: Kelby Stephens – 24’ 3” – 8th

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS FROM THE STACY DRAGILA OPEN –

WRESTLING

Riverton was the hub of Wyoming wrestling over the weekend with the Ron Thon Memorial for both boys and girls. Nearly every Wyoming team was in attendance. The Star Valley depth with the girls program resulted in a very clear team title who rolled up 223.0 points. Pinedale was a distant second with 143.0 and Sheridan was third with 125.0.

The Lady Braves got a trio of second-place finishes to lead the way with Kenna Merritt (105), Paisley Smith (115) and Remington Aullman (135) finishing as runner-up.

Ron Thon Girls (Team)
Star Valley 223.0
Pinedale 143.0
Sheridan 125.0
Cheyenne East 122.0
Wind River 100.0
(39 Teams)

Ron Thon Girls (Placers)
100: Sage Smith – 6th
105: Kenna Merritt – 2nd
115: Paisley Smith – 2nd
120: Keston Johnson – 3rd
120: Alexis Angell – 4th
130: Lynsey Lawson – 4th
135: Remington Pullman – 2nd
145: Cara Andrews – 4th
170: Shaely Kunz – 3rd
190: Stella Lind – 6th

The Braves wrestling team continues to impress as they finished second at the Ron Thon with 168.0 team points despite two open weight classes. Thunder Basin took the top spot with 173.5. Green River was third with 153.5.

Levi Byrd, a returning state champion, can now add Ron Thon champ to his list of accomplishments as he claimed the 113-pound basket. Kimball (106) and Tel (132) Parry both placed second. Porter Merritt (150) was third and Caleb Morrison (126) placed fifth.

In addition, both Maxwell Jirak (120) and Kolbe Merritt (138) won their brackets in the JV tournament.

Ron Thon Boys (Team)
Thunder Basin 173.5
Star Valley 168.0
Green River 153.5
Natrona County 126.0
Rock Springs 124.5

Ron Thon Boys (Placers)
106: Kimball Parry – 2nd
113: Levi Byrd – 1st
126: Caleb Morrison – 5th
132: Tel Parry – 2nd
150: Porter Merritt – 3rd

Ron Thon Boys JV (Placers)
120: Maxwell Jirak – 1st
138: Kolbe Merritt – 1st
138: Darrell Hunting – 4th
150: Hazen Hess – 3rd

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RON THON RESULTS –

BASKETBALL

On the basketball court, the Lady Braves, who started the season 0-5, are now (7-7) after picking up six wins in their last seven games and three wins this week alone. The latest came on Saturday afternoon as they methodically pulled away from Green River 58-43, to snap a nine-game losing streak to the Wolves in the series. 

Kenlee Engelhardt scored all 18 of her points in the second half and collected nine steals to lead the way. Sheridan Coles staked the team’s lead early with 11 of her 14 points in the first half. Bailey Erickson finished with ten. The Lady Braves are now (3-0) in the 4A Southwest as they will head north to face Cody and Riverton next weekend. 

The last game of the weekend was a doozy as the Braves fended off the Wolves in double-overtime, 85-82. The Braves and Wolves traded the lead several times as both squads shot well from the field but neither team led by more than five. The game appeared to be in the bag for Green River with eight seconds left in the game when a deflection off an in-bound pass wound up in the hands of Star Valley and Bryson Nield scored his lone basket of the night tying things up and sending it to overtime. 

Theran Archibald led Green River with 28 points while Chris Wilson also had a big night with 24. Star Valley had five players in double-figures led by Dylan Shumway who had 18. Max Jensen finished with 17, Cooper Lancaster scored 15, Dayton Schwab poured in 12 off the bench and Simon Gaskell had ten before fouling out in the fourth quarter. 

The win improves the Braves to (11-3)(3-0) as they’ve now won 10 of their last 11 games.