Swimming records fall in meet at Sweet Home

For their second meet of the season, the Outlaws swimmers returned to Sweet Home December 17 to measure their early training against arch-rivals Philomath, Blanchett, Stayton and the host team.

The Outlaws established several new Sisters High School records and swam a number of personal bests, in spite of the storm-interrupted meet and early departure from the competition.

Well prepared by daily training of close to 3,000 yards, the girls started the meet with an exciting medley relay swum by Brittany Baldessari, Jessie Swaner, Courtney Satko and Felicia Pledger. Personal bests were achieved by Jessie Swaner in the breaststroke (39.0), Courtney Satko in the butterfly (31.4) and Felicia Pledger in the freestyle (25.9). Their combined time of 2:06.6 was only 1.5 seconds slower than last year's winning time at District Championships and establishes a new Sisters High School record.

The old record of 2:07.05 was set in 1999 by the relay of Hilary Hedemark, Meghan Timms, Rachel Kemp and Shauna Timms.

The boys followed with an equally impressive medley relay. Brian Greaney set a fast pace in the backstroke (26.2), followed by Drew Herron's outstanding breaststroke leg (PR 38.0), Holden Sellentin's butterfly (PR 29.7) and Thad Anderson's debut as anchor in the freestyle (28.1). Their time of 2:02 put the Outlaws in third place behind Sweet Home and Blanchett.

Jamie Kemp, Felicia Pledger and Eric Brown competed in the 200-yard freestyle event. Top finisher, Felicia Pledger touched the wall in second place with a time of 2:12.2 behind Sweet Home's Nicole Martin.

Brittany Baldessari and Courtney Satko entered the 200-yard Individual Medley and finished with times of 2:32.5 and 2:42.0, good enough for second and fourth place.

On the boys' side, another Sisters High School record was shattered when Brian Greaney put all four strokes together in a very impressive way. Starting with a fast butterfly (28.3), he followed with strong segments in the backstroke (32.0), breaststroke (40.6) and freestyle (30.4) to topple the old record with a time of 2:11.9. Greaney's time is only one second short of last year's third place at 3A State Championships.

Holden Sellentin swam his first individual medley in 2:33.6, faster than last year's 7th fastest time at District prelims.

Eight girls and six boys battled their competition in the 50-yard freestyle. Top finishers were Felicia Pledger with a 25.9 second leg and a new Sisters High School record and first year swimmer, Eli Callan, with a time of 29.6. Pledger replaced Baldessari's record of 26.5.

In the next event, Courtney Satko established herself as one of the district's top 100-yard butterfliers. Her time of 1:18.6 was the fifth fastest time during last year's District Championship prelims.

"With consistent, focused training during the next six weeks, the Outlaws presence at Districts will be noticed," said Coach Isolde Hedemark.

On the boys' side, Justin Dean and Drew Herron competed successfully in the same event. Their times were 1:29.0 and 1:32.0 respectively.

More personal records were set in the 100-yard freestyle. Tori Carlson dropped three seconds off her time established during the Sweet Home Relay meet December 1 and touched the wall at 1:15.8. Flanders finished with 1:14.4, and Holden Sellentin swam another personal best in 1:01.5. By the end of the season, Sellentin is expected to swim this event in well under one minute.

Two more records were about to fall toward the end of the competition. Brian Greaney rolled through the 500-yard freestyle with a new Sisters High School record of 5:30.3. His time would have been the second best at Districts last year. And on the girls' side, the foursome of Pledger (26.1), Swaner (29.6), Satko (28.5) and Baldessari (27.1), with a combined time of 1:51.3, took down the record (1:55.45) set in 1999 by Chelsea Meudt, Jamie Cundiff, Chelsea Durdan-Shaw and Hilary Hedemark. The Outlaws face stiff competition from Sweet Home and Junction City, whose teams swim this event below 1:50.