EVANSTON — Red Devil indoor track took 17 athletes to the Simplot Games on the campus of Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho, on Saturday, Feb. 16, and the EHS athletes fared very well. Head coach Roy Barker reported that just about every Red Devil athlete performed personal bests at the huge meet, one of the largest indoor track meets in the country. More than 2,200 track athletes from 19 states, along with competitors from Australia, New Zealand and Canada, participated in the 2019 Simplot Games, which has been in existence since 1979.

The 4 x 400-meter relay team of Cris Periman, Gabe Morris, Dallin Cardin and Kody Smith placed fourth with a time of 3:33.22.

“We qualified for Saturday’s elite finals with Tyrell Halladay in the lineup, but he stepped in a hole and tweaked his ankle” Barker told the Herald.

“We had Dallin Cardin step in for Tyrell and he ran a very good leg for his first time ever in running a 400,” the coach added.

Barker relayed that senior Breila Fuller barely missed sixth place and a place at the medals podium in the 800-meter run.

“She really stood out and excelled. She missed sixth place by .03 seconds. We haven’t had a girl break the 2:20 barrier in the 800 meter run since 1998-99 when the Bennion girls were here.”

One of the girls comprising Fuller’s competition for the 800-meter race posted the second fastest time in the country so far this season, and Fuller’s time of 2:19.25 is the fastest time posted in Wyoming this season with two weeks remaining before the state indoor championship meet in Gillette on March 1-2.

Cardon also qualified for Saturday’s finals in the mile-run, posting a 4:35 time and ended up in 27th place.

Barker stated that athletes have to be quite elite just to participate in the games and that very few qualify for the finals on Saturday. That claim is evidenced by Evanston having 17 track and field athletes taking part from a team roster which numbers more than 100 involved in indoor track at EHS.

Wyoming teams that were scheduled to take part included Cheyenne East, Cheyenne Central, Cheyenne South, Laramie, Sheridan, Campbell County, Thunder Basin, Kelly Walsh, Natrona, Rock Springs, Green River, Evanston, Star Valley, Worland, Cody, Douglas, Riverton, Pinedale, Lovell, Big Horn and Tongue River, though not all teams were able to attend the meet due to weather and road conditions. Barker said Rock Springs performed admirably and Sheridan really stood out. 

Sydney Thorvaldson of Rawlins (running for Laramie) set a meet record in the girls 3200-meter run with a time of 10 minutes 19.05 seconds. That is currently the number-one time in the USA. Many past Olympians, such as Dan O’Brien, Dick Fosbury, Willie Banks and Andre Phillips are on hand for the Simplot Games and award the medals to the winning competitors.

Barker said his team has stayed healthy, which is somewhat surprising, because the Evanston indoor track athletes must train indoors for the most part, running on hard surfaces. The coach stated that his team is excited for the state meet and that Evanston will take 38-40 kids to Gillette.