GHS set to open track season at Natrona County

Members of the track and field team jogged around the track at Glenrock Jr./Sr. High School Tuesday afternoon as the wind picked up and temperatures quickly began to drop. A late winter storm was on its way into the area, but the Herders continued to put in the work in preparation for their first meet of the season.
Glenrock will compete in its first track meet of the season on Saturday at Natrona County High School in the Early Bird meet, pending weather. It will be an early opportunity for the Herders to catch a glimpse of their team and what they have to offer this season on the track.
The girls will be led by seniors Annelise Clark and Yesi Hermsoillo, as well as newcomer Emily Taper. Clark represented Glenrock at last year’s state meet in the 100 and 300-meter hurdles along with the 400-meter race. She also competed in the 4-by-100 and 4-by-400 relays, and will look to be a key name for the Lady Herders this spring during her senior season.
Hermosillo, one of Glenrock’s strongest long-distance runners, will return for the Lady Herders in the 3200-meter race. As a freshman, Taper made herself known during cross country season and will be an integral mid-distance runner for the girls team.
For the boys, names like Tucker Bopp, Payton Steinmetz, Zane Moore and James and John Halvorsen will become familiar as the season gets going.
Bopp took gold in the 200 and 400-meter races last year at state and finished just short of first in the 100-meter by only 0.01 seconds. Steinmetz will also be featured in the sprint events, as well as the long jump. Moore will lead the Herders in the 1600-meter race, an event that he placed fourth in last year at the state meet.
This year’s team will be without brother-sister duo Brock and Mikalah Jones in the field events, which will allow for a wide open field for the Herders. Andrik and Urian Moreno will be names to keep an eye out for in the shot put and discus throw, as well as Adrian Maas in the pole vault.
Ian Arnold and Kade Guenther will once again be relied on in the hurdles events for the boys, especially after the departure of Gannon Guenther to graduation. A herd of other names, including Cole Thornock, Casey Sebesta, Jaren Fritz, Skyler and Paxton Piasecki, Brysen Collier, Kale Kuhlman, Adelaide Williams, Kayleen Harris and many more will make up a deep team full of talented athletes for Glenrock.
The Herders are led by head coach Ryan Collier and assistant coaches Cody Tillard, Tara Chandler and Ray Kumpula.
Last year’s fourth-place finish for the boys team was their best placing at state since taking seventh in 2009 as a 3A school. They’ll look to build on that this season.
The girls have finished in the bottom half at state in recent years and are chasing their best result since taking third in 2011.
When it comes to track and field, numbers aren’t a worry or concern for Glenrock. Those who participate in other sports often find their way outdoors to the track during the spring and the enthusiasm is never missing.
The opening gun will be fired at 10 a.m. Saturday at Natrona County High School for the first track and field meet of the season. It will be a new start for the Herders, especially for the new faces who will look to help put Glenrock back on top of the podium come May.