Swimming records fall at state championships

Outlaw swimmers capped their season with 11 qualifications for state and impressive prelim and final swims at state championships at Mt. Hood Aquatic Center on February 17-18.

"Boys and girls broke many personal and two Sisters High School records. They should be very proud of their accomplishments," said Coach Isolde Hedemark.

All Outlaws girls relays, as well as freshman Emily Christen individually, made it to the medals podium in this very fast and deep combination of 272 swimmers from 31 high schools out of 39 members in the 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A high school classification.

Five new state records were set in the 22 combined events.

In finals, Emily Christen led the girls' 200-yard medley relay with a good backstroke split (30.98), followed by Katie Stewart in her best breaststroke leg (35.37), Michelle Young in the butterfly (28.38), and Samantha Williamson in the freestyle (27.67) to a fifth-place finish (2:02.40) and new Sisters High School record.

Henley won the event in a time of 1:57.27 followed by Scappoose (2:00.67), North Bend (2:00.89) and Madras (2:01.14).

Christen added an individual medal for her sixth place (26.83) in the 50-yard Freestyle event to her awards. Michelle Young finished eighth (27.07).

"Considering Michelle's soccer injury and training time of barely six weeks during the entire 2011-12 swim season, her accomplishments during state championships were remarkable," said Coach Hedemark.

In the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:48.11), the foursome of Christen (26.58), Stewart (27.23), Williamson (27.95) and Young (26.35) also finished fifth, just 0.27 seconds behind the fourth-place team from Madras. Girls' state champion Henley won the event (1:45.93), followed by Valley Catholic (1:46.47) and Phoenix (1:46.98).

Williamson (1:00.77), Lagao (1:03.28), Christen (58.58) and Young (58.75) finished sixth in the 400-yard freestyle relay (4:01.38) and on the medals podium as well.

The Outlaws were the fastest team from District 3. Only La Grande, Valley Catholic, Phoenix, Scappoose and Henley were faster than Sisters.

Katie Stewart added two eighth places in the 200-yard individual medley (2:27.8) and 100-yard breaststroke (1:17.89).

The best finish on the boys' side was the eighth place in the 400-yard freestyle relay with Tyler Baldessari (52.72), Brennan Miller (57.13), Tyler Berg (55.99) and anchor Jake Miller (52.28). The relay's combined time of 3:38.12 is a new Sisters High School record.