Is Seven a Lucky Number for Laramie Boys’ Swimming? [VIDEO]

They’ve been the favorite all season long. Can the Laramie Plainsmen finish at the top of 4A swimming and diving? We’ll find out the answer on Friday afternoon. Laramie seeks their seventh consecutive state championship in Class 4A boys’ swimming and diving. They get the benefit of competing in their pool at the 2024 Wyoming High School Boys’ Swimming and Diving State Championships.

The 4A prelims begin with diving at 2 p.m. on Thursday. The swimming prelims will follow around 3-to-3:15 p.m. All the event finals will start at 10 a.m. on Friday.

Laramie will likely be favored in only one event. It’s the 400-freestyle relay. They have the top time entering the state swim meet at 3:21.51. Kody Mathill has the best time in the 500-freestyle (5:02.03), but the junior might not be favored, depending on who else swims that event.

Head coach Tamara Bretting has 15 state qualifiers at this year’s state championships. She’s excited to see how they perform.

“They’ve been looking really good. I’m a little stressed because there’s a lot of pressure on me to make sure they land on their taper the right way.”

KOWB’s David Settle visited with junior Kody Mathill and sophomore Kelan Stakes to preview the meet from the student-athletes' perspective. They discussed dealing with the pressure of the streak, how they’re feeling going into the state swim meet, events they hope to be in, and more. The video is at the top of this story.

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Bretting knows if her squad can post their best times this weekend, they will be in a good position to continue their streak of 4A titles.

What will be the key?

Bretting says, “We’ve got a lot of guys in the meet. The most splashes, probably; I haven’t counted everybody, but just holding and moving up in places that we are ranked, just getting some good times, and having fun.”

She went on to say there are some events they could win, but she’s uncertain about those. Bretting did say she feels they have super-strong freestyle relays and should compete well in those two events.

Who’s the competition? Bretting said Campbell County is a team she will have her eye on.

“They surprised me with how they performed at the conference meet (two weekends ago). I know they didn’t pull first place in that meet, but their team is so strong, as far as their qualifiers go, that they’re really a lot closer to us than I thought.”

Bretting also threw in Cheyenne Central and Kelly Walsh as possible teams to watch. Sheridan could be a little bit of a dark horse.

Around 1 p.m. on Friday, Laramie hopes to be holding that first-place trophy on the podium, yet again.