Berryhill takes 2nd in 800, LHS relay teams finish strong at state meet
May 22—CASPER — It wasn't the finish she necessarily wanted on her second day of the Wyoming Class 4A Track and Field State Championships.
But all things considered, Laramie High senior Libby Berryhill will take her victories where she can at Harry Geldien Stadium in Casper.
Berryhill, who won her first-career state title, the 4A 3,200-meter run, on Thursday, took second in Friday's 800 run in 2 minutes, 17.39 seconds. Jackson's Kate Brigham won in 2:14.18.
Not a bad result given the huge philosophical differences in the two races, of which Berryhill said cannot be understated.
"A 32 is extremely strategic. It's long, you have to run it just right. The 800 is completely different," she said. "You just have to do everything you can the whole time. There's no strategy to it, I just have to run."
Berryhill wasn't quite as ecstatic Friday morning as she was following her championship race the day prior, but she was able to muster more than a few smiles after her all-state finish in the 800. Fellow Lady Plainsmen Addie Forry, a freshman, took fourth in the race in 2:21.32.
"It feels good," Berryhill said. "I wish I would have been able to get out more of that last 150 (meters), but it was a good race."
LHS sophomore Meyer Smith took sixth place in the 4A boys 800 run (2:01.59). Travis Judd finished just off the podium in the 4A long jump, taking ninth with a mark of 20 feet, 8 1/4 inches.
Laramie took seventh (44.52) and eighth (51.72) in the boys and girls 4x100 races, respectively.
Forry finished first in the prelims of the 400 run (59.65) and advanced to Saturday's final. Will McCrea qualified in eighth place for the final in the boys 400 (52.89), as well.
In the 4x800 relays, the LHS girls took fifth (10:10.02) while the boys finished in eighth (time unavailable), finishing just inside the podium.
The Plainsmen didn't got off to a particularly good start in the last race of the day, having to make their way out of a fairly big hole early. But they made their moves when it mattered most, and were able to earn medals of their own.
LHS' quartet returns completely in-tact next season as well, which is an exciting proposition for all involved.
"We might not have had the best race, but we still did the best we could," Smith, who ran the opening leg of the race, said. "We just went out there and had fun.
"It's really exciting. None of us are seniors. We know that we'll put up some good times next year, and probably put up potential state (championship times)."
Heading into the final day of competition, Laramie sits in fifth place in the 4A girls team standings while the boys are tied for eighth.
Editor's note: Complete results from Friday's finals will be included with Saturday's finals in Sunday's Laramie Boomerang.
Michael Katz covers the University of Wyoming for WyoSports. He can be reached at mkatz@wyosports.net or 307-755-3325. Follow him on Twitter at @michaellkatz.
