Rebels thrive at State Track in Casper

The Riverside High School track team wrapped up an outstanding season at the state meet in Casper, with several Rebels finishing among the top eight in the Wyoming 1A class. 

The senior athletes especially delivered impressive final performances representing Riverside.

Senior Varissa Olsen saved her best throws for the biggest stage of the season. Olsen recorded a personal-best discus throw of 121-10 to earn a 2nd place finish, becoming just the second girl in Riverside history to break the 120-foot mark. She broke her own personal record three times on Saturday. Olsen also added another personal best in the shot-put with a throw of 32-5, putting her in 5th place.

Senior Cade Bell delivered in a big moment, winning the state championship in the shot put with his final and best throw of the competition (46-3.5). After battling an ankle sprain throughout the season, Bell worked to improve week after week and was very excited to end his high school career on the top of the podium. He also competed in Discus, placing 15th with a throw of 117-0.

Senior Paul Stone capped off a strong season by qualifying in three events at state. Stone earned a 5th place finish in the triple jump (41-1.75). He narrowly missed the podium in the long jump, placing 9th with a mark of 19-3.25. He also competed on the boys 4x800 relay team, which finished 9th overall.

Freshman Mari Pratt also had a stellar performance with her contributions to the team.

Pratt ran a personal best 1:03.59 in the prelims of the 400 meters before following it up with another strong race in the finals, where she placed 8th with a time of 1:04.35 against some of the top upperclassmen in the state.

The girls 4x100 meters relay team also earned a spot on the podium with a 7th place finish with a time of 56:11. The team included Melanie Perez-Cabrera, Brinley Longshore, Annabelle Brown, and Mari Pratt. The group worked hard throughout the season and continued to improve each week, making their state medals a great way to finish the year.

Riverside had multiple strong finishes and marks, highlighting the growth and success of the program throughout the year. Our seniors were exemplary and showed up especially when it mattered most, competing with confidence, determination, and pride in their final meet representing Riverside. The Rebels placed 11th overall as a team at state, with 15 points. 

The coaching staff and community are extremely proud of the way the kids stepped up and competed at the state meet while leaving a strong example for the future of Riverside track and field.