Young Talent Drives Laramie Swimming Into New Season [VIDEO]

The 2016-17 Laramie High School Boy’s swimming and diving season opens this Friday and Saturday with a pair of home competitions.

Laramie returns eight state qualifiers, six state placers and four All-State swimmers from a season ago. The Plainsmen finished second at state and at conference in the 4A East behind defending state champion Gillette. LHS was 14-2 in dual meets last season with both defeats at the hands of the Camels.

Leading the way will be sophomore Noah Richardson. He placed second in the 100 backstroke and seventh in the 200 individual medley. Along with senior Matthew Mittelstaedt and juniors Jesse Franc and Logan Pickard, those four will anchor Laramie during the season.

Tom Hudson is in his 27th year as head coach and begins his 53rd season at the helm. He provides an outlook for the upcoming season.

The roster of 26 on the squad includes five seniors.

Hudson says they’ve got 24 competitions from this weekend through the state meet Feb. 23 and 24, 2017 in Gillette. His goal is 15 state qualifiers for this season.

The Plainsmen begin by hosting the Laramie Relays and Laramie Pentathlon at the LHS Natatorium Dec. 9 and 10. Those meets have been held in Casper and Gillette in the past. Their first dual meet is at home on Tuesday, Dec. 13 versus Cheyenne Central. Laramie will also host the 4A East Conference Championships Feb. 10 and 11, 2017. There’s a total of 12 home dates on the schedule.