Indoor track sends 8 to Simplot Games

WORLAND – The Simplot Games are widely known as North America's premier indoor high school track and field event. More than 2,000 athletes from 20 different states as well as Canada, Mexico and Australia attend the event held at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho.

For eight members of the Worland indoor track team, the biggest meet of the season will begin this evening as they compete in the 38th annual Simplot Games.

"The kids are pretty excited about going. It's a national-caliber meet ... and I think we'll be able to go there and do pretty well," Worland indoor track coach Ed Wise said on Wednesday. "I'm looking for some good things to happen.

"It's just a neat environment for the kids to get to go and compete in."

Of the eight going, three will be doing field events while five will be doing running events.

Chance Martello and Allyson Klingler will be the first to compete as they have their preliminary heats for the 1,600-meter run this evening. The rest of the prelims will take place on Friday and once the field is set, the finals will take place on Saturday.

Andrew Cady and Mariah Alcaraz will both be competing in the shot put while Brad Lyman will be competing in the high jump. Jacob Hart and Cody Bjorhus – both competing with Worland from Thermopolis – will be competing in the sprints as Hart runs the 400-meter dash and Bjorhus runs the 60-meter dash. Emerald Dykman will also run in the 200-meter dash.

Wise said they were able to put together a 1,600-meter sprint medley relay team together with Cady, Hart, Bjorhus and Lyman.

"I think we're going to get several kids through to the finals on Saturday," an optimistic Wise said. "The competition level is way up there and it's good for our kids to compete against that. But the Wyoming contingent usually does fairly well.

"We usually get lots of kids through to the second day and I think Worland's going to get several kids through, too."