CASPER – The Niobrara County High School (NCHS) Tigers had a remarkable showing at the 2024 Wyoming State Track and Field Championships in Casper from May 16-18. Seven individuals earned twelve all-state honors.

The Lady Tigers scored 62 points as a team to place third behind Kemmerer and Big Piney. The Tigers scored 77 points to place fourth behind Big Horn, Lingle-Fort Laramie and Burns. 

The 2024 state championships represent the first time since 2014 that both teams brought home trophies.

Senior Melody ZumBrunnen led the Tigers with four all-state honors and set three NCHS records in sprint races. ZumBrunnen won the 100-meter prelims with a school record-breaking time of 12.54 seconds and went on to win the finals in the event at 12.79 seconds.

In the 200-meters, Melody ZumBrunnen won the prelims with another school record-breaking time of 25.43 seconds and captured gold in the finals at 25.69 seconds.

Melody ZumBrunnen’s final state championship was in the long jump where she cleared 18 feet, 2 ½ inches. ZumBrunnen was the runner-up in the finals for the 400-meters, timing in at 59.56 seconds.

Senior Cory Bruegger earned two all-state awards. His leap of 45-07 ½ in the triple jump not only won that event by over three feet, but also broke the NCHS record held by Bret Zowada. Bruegger also ran a time of 50.22 seconds in the 400-meter finals to win.

In the long jump, Bruegger hit a mark of 20-05 to place fourth.

Senior David West garnered two all-state honors. He ran the 800-meters in 2 minutes, 3 seconds to earn silver. Less than an hour later, West tied for second place in the pole vault, clearing 11-06.

Sophomore Nathan Miller won his second all-state accolades when he placed second in the high jump with a leap of 6-02. He was also fourth in the triple jump, going over 40 feet and placed sixth in the long jump with a mark of just under 20 feet.

Freshman Raynce Brott popped a huge discus throw of almost 142 feet to place second and snag all-state recognition. He threw 41-07 ½ in the shot put to place fifth.

Fellow freshman Marleigh Smith high jumped 5-02 to secure silver for an all-state nod. She pole vaulted eight feet to tie for sixth place with teammate and junior Taci Bartschi, who also cleared eight feet.

Junior Gracie ZumBrunnen earned her first all-state award in the triple jump, hitting a personal best of 34-04 ¾ to garner silver. ZumBrunnen also competed in the 800-meters, running a time of 2:32, the high jump, with a mark of 4-06 and ran the 100-meters in 13.36 seconds.

Sophomore hurdler Isaac Assman placed fifth in the finals for the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 16.43 seconds. He barely missed the finals for the 300-hurdles, running 45.96 seconds in the prelims for that event.

Thrower and senior Phoebe Allbright placed sixth in the shot put with a nice throw of 33-04 ¾. She also threw the discus 89-03.

The 1600-sprint medley relay team of Bruegger, West, Assman and freshman Brady Swisher ran 3:49 to place fourth.

Sophomore Abby Glavan competed in the long jump, clearing 14-01.

The Tigers hosted their annual track banquet on Tuesday to celebrate the athletes and their fantastic accomplishments.

Complete results – boys

• 400-meter finals: Bruegger in first place at 50.22 seconds.

• 800-meters: West in second place at 2:03.19.

• 110-hurdles finals: Assman in fifth place at 45.96 seconds.

• 300-hurdles prelims: Assman in 12th place at 45.96 seconds.

• 1600-sprint medley relay: West, Bruegger, Assman and Swisher in fourth place at 3:49.31.

• Pole vault: West in second place at 11-06.

• High jump: Nathan Miller in second place at 6-02.

• Long jump: Bruegger in fourth place at 20-05 and Miller in sixth at 19-10.

• Triple jump: Bruegger in first place at 45-07 ½ and Miller in fourth at 40-08 ½.

• Shot put: Brott in fifth place at 41-07 ½.

• Discus: Brott in second place at 141-10.

Complete results – girls

• 100-meter prelims: Melody ZumBrunnen in first place at 12.54 seconds and Gracie ZumBrunnen in 10th place at 13.36 seconds.

• 100-meter finals: Melody ZumBrunnen in first place at 12.79 seconds.

• 200-meter prelims: Melody ZumBrunnen in first place at 25.43 seconds.

• 200-meter finals: Melody ZumBrunnen in first place at 25.69 seconds.

• 400-meter finals: Melody ZumBrunnen in second place at 59.57 seconds.

• 800-meters: Gracie ZumBrunnen in ninth place at 2:32.92.

• 100-hurdles prelims: Smith in 13th place at 18.48 seconds.

• High jump: Smith in second place at 5-02 and Gracie ZumBrunnen in 10th at 4-06.

• Pole vault: Smith and Bartschi tied for sixth place at 8-00.

• Long jump: Melody ZumBrunnen in first place at 18-02 ½ and Glavan in 13th at 14-01.

• Triple jump: Gracie ZumBrunnen in second place at 34-04 ¾.

• Shot put: Allbright in sixth place at 33-04 ¾.

• Discus: Allbright in 14th place at 89-03