The Kemmerer High School track and field teams traveled to Evanston Tuesday for the Rick and Wendy Schuler Invitational, taking advantage of the sunny — albeit windy — conditions to turn in some solid performances.

As the lone 2A representative competing at Kay Fackrell Stadium, the Lady Rangers finished fifth overall in the 8-team field, while the Rangers finished seventh; the two teams combined for 14 individual placers, and swept the 1600 sprint medley relays.

“We felt pretty good about how we competed at Evanston,” said KHS head coach Phil Thatcher. “We got things started off really well with both of our medley relays — the girls’ relay ran a season best, and I believe the boys’ medley relay crushed their time, as well. This is an exciting time of the season — trying to see where we stack up heading into regionals and state, and having our relays do well is always fun when you’re going up against 3A and 4A teams. Just really good performances, all the war around.”

Lady Rangers

The Lady Rangers’ medley relay team of Jolee Swasey, Natasha Martinez, Tyler Thatcher and Aralynne Erickson finished in the top spot at Tuesday’s Schuler Invite, posting a time of 4:38.21. The 4x100 relay team of Swasey, Laynee Walker, Natasha Martinez and Claire Crosland placed second, with a time of 51.90.

Laynee Walker led the charge in the individual events with a pair of second-place finishes, finishing runner-up in both the pole vault — clearing a height of 9 feet, 6 inches — and the 300 hurdles, posting a time of 48.53. Walker also placed third in the 100 hurdles (16.90).

“Laynee Walker did really well in the hurdles — she finally broke into the 16s in the 100 hurdles,” Thatcher said. “This is about the time she started hitting those times last year, and she went on to win a state championship, so she’s right where she needs to be.”

In the distance events, Arianne Dearden placed third in the 1600 meters (6:10.48) and fourth in the 3200 meters (14:20.80). Aralynne Erickson placed third in the 800 meters (2:39.94) and eighth in the 1600 meters (6:18.52).

Other placers included Natasha Martinez in the 200 meters (4th, 28.22), and Tyler Thatcher in the 800 meters (5th, 2:43.68).

In the field events, Jolee Swasey placed fifth in the long jump, with a leap of 15 feet, 4 inches; she also finished 10th in the triple jump (30’8.5”).

“We were pretty excited about having Jolee Swasey in the triple jump,” Thatcher said. “She didn’t place, but for us being the only 2A team there, I thought the girls did well against some really good competition.”

Kylie Price placed fifth in the discus (100’4”) and 10th in the shot put (31’6”). Bridger Anderson was the top Ranger finisher in the 100 meters (12.08).

Rangers

On the boys’ side, the sprint medley relay team of Colter Krell, Kane Jimenez, Bridger Anderson and Jace Bullington won the event with a time of 4:03.26.

The other relays were just as solid, led by a second-place finish in the 4x400 by Jace Bullington, Kane Jimenez, Logan Emery and Bridger Anderson (3:48.20). The 4x100 team of Kane Jimenez, Bryson McGill, Brent Erick-