Freshman Aiden Runnion dives into the pool for the 100 freestyle in Big Piney last week. The Rangers will compete at Riverton this weekend, then at Rock Springs on Thursday, Dec. 20. 

The Kemmerer boys’ swim team just started its season last weekend, but already the Rangers have qualified five swimmers to compete at the state meet in individual events.

The Rangers competed at Big Piney and Rawlins last weekend. Freshman Raydin Scigliano qualified for state in diving, sophomore Brayden Dearden qualified in the 100 breaststroke, freshman Aiden Runnion qualified for state in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke, junior Ben Wergin qualified in the 200 IM and junior Grady Killian earned a state qualification in the 100 breaststroke.

On Friday, Dec. 7, the Rangers traveled to Big Piney for their opening meet. Kemmerer was up against swimmers from Lander (the defending state champions) and Sublette County.

Dearden finished first in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:23.96. Killian came in fourth place and Noah Hankin finished in fifth place.

In the 100 breaststroke, Runnion won the race with a time of 1:22.55. Killian swam to a second-place finish with a time of 1:27.03 and Dearden earned third place with a time of 1:28.41.

Scigliano earned second place in the diving event at Big Piney.

Runnion swam to a fourth-place finish in the 200 IM with a time of 2:48.45, and Easton Rydstrom finished fourth in the 500 freestyle with a time of 30.03.

In the 200 freestyle relay, the team of Wergin, Runnion, Dearden and junior Collin Smith finished third with a time of 2:00.20. Kemmerer fielded a second team for the 200 freestyle race; Scigliano, Rydstrom, sophomore Matt Garver and freshman Tanner Brown earned fifth place with a time of 2:24.72.

Garver’s 100 freestyle race time of 1:19.78 earned him fifth place. In the 100 backstroke, Rydstrom finished 7th with Michael Clarke right behind him in 8th place.

The 200 medley relay team of Clarke, Killian, Hankin and Rydstrom came in 6th place with a time of 2:25.73.

On Saturday, Dec. 8, the Ranger swimmers competed at the Rawlins Pentathlon. The Kemmerer team swam against Lander, Rawlins, Evanston, Lyman, Sublette County, Riverton and Douglas.

Benjamin Wergin led the Rangers at the Rawlins Pentathlon with a total five-race time of 4:55.90. Wergin swam the 100 butterfly in 1:08.97, the 100 backstroke in 1:08.82, the 50 free in 25.27, the 100 breaststroke in 1:16.58 and the 100 freestyle race in 56.16.

Aiden Runnion swam the 100 butterfly in 1:09.62, the 100 backstroke in 1:07.71, the 500 freestyle in 26.00, the 100 breaststroke in 1:13.62 and the 100 freestyle in 1:00.11 for a total five-race time of 4:57.06

Brayden Dearden swam a 1:13.36 in the 100 butterfly race at the Rawlins Pentathlon, 1:20.72 in the 100 backstroke, 26.70 in the 50 freestyle, 1:16.27 in the 100 breaststroke and 1:04.07 in the 100 freestyle.

Grady Killian swam the 100 butterfly in 1:19.09, 100 backstroke in 1:20.72, 50 freestyle in 27.82, 100 breaststroke in 1:17.56 and 100 freestyle in 1:07.10.

Collin Smith swam the 100 butterfly in 1:21.24, the 100 backstroke in 1:19.60, 50 freestyle in 28.93, 100 breaststroke in 1:33.27 and 100 freestyle 1:07.64.

Michael Clarke and Matt Garver also competed at the Rawlins Pentathlon, earning total five-race times of 6:52.19 and 6:58.18.

The boys’ swim team will compete at Riverton this weekend, then travel to Rock Springs on Thursday, Dec. 20 before the holiday break.