With a goal of qualifying as many as they can, Laramie High School’s track and field teams are competing Friday and Saturday at the regional meet in Sheridan.

The 4A East Regional Track Championships are already underway. They began at 9 a.m. Friday and continue with the final event wrapping up about 6 p.m. The schedule resumes Saturday at 9 a.m. with the last event finishing around 5 p.m. Team awards and Coach of the Year awards will be handed out about 5:15 p.m. Saturday.

Laramie is competing against the host Sheridan, plus Gillette, Thunder Basin, Natrona County, Cheyenne Central, Cheyenne East, and Cheyenne South.

LHS track coach Gil Bradfield feels the Laramie squads are ready to compete to the best of their ability.

“We (the coaching staff and I) feel we’ve put the kids in a position to qualify as many as possible. It’s going to be a tough, tough regional. The 4A East, with eight teams, is very solid in a lot of events, and really competitive. We’re just hoping we can qualify a few, coming up.”

What makes this a difficult two days are the other teams, says Bradfield.

“Sheridan has a solid girls’ team, a solid boys’ team. Natrona’s boys’ team is solid. Thunder Basin’s girls’ team, Central’s girls’ team, I mean, you go down the line; there might be some teams that are down a little bit here and there, but we’re just going to have to fight and claw for everything.”

Laramie has several individuals and some relays already prequalified for state next week, but most will still compete this weekend. The top eight in individual events will qualify, as will the top four in relay events.

The Laramie girls are coming off a team title in Denver last week, and a second in Casper the week before. The Plainsmen have been fifth and sixth in those same two meets.

Bradfield does believe they’ll have chances to win individual regional titles, plus some shots with relays.

“We think strongly on some relays that could sneak in. This sprint medley relay is a tough one. You have 200 (meters), 200, 400, and then, if you have a decent 800 (meter) runner, you can do well. I think individually, some of the boys will do well, and I think the girls have a few more that are going to do well.”

Laramie heads to Casper for the state track championships May 16-18.

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