Swimmers compete at White Buffalo Classic

Clayten Heuberger and Joseph Souza shined for the Outlaws at the nine-team White Buffalo Classic hosted by Madras High School on Saturday, January 28. The meet included teams from Redmond, Klamath Union, La Grande, Henley, Ridgeview, The Dalles, Cove, Sisters, and the host White Buffaloes.

The boys finished seventh as a team with 98 points. The La Grande Tigers won the meet in dominant fashion with a total of 338 points.

The girls team scored 44 points, and placed ninth. Redmond took the team title with 300 points.

Heuberger showed he was the class of the field in the 100-yard backstroke, winning by nearly 10 seconds in a time of 57.26. He placed second in a tight race in the 200-yard individual medley as he finished just 0.2 second behind Zane Ricker of La Grande. The pair were 12 seconds ahead of the next swimmer.

Joseph Souza also picked up a runner-up finish as he placed second in the 50-yard freestyle in 24.14, and teammate Ted Stolasz finished fourth in 25.04.

Souza later placed third in the 100-yard breaststroke, with a time of 1:10.69. Stolasz raced in the 100-yard freestyle, and finished in 58:47, which was a personal best.

The Outlaw girls had a busy day and continue to show improvement, according to second-year head coach Alex Bick.

In the 50-yard freestyle Rylie Bick clocked 31.60, followed by Makenzie French (36.00), and Tania Rebolledo (39.13). The same trio raced in the 100-yard freestyle along with Elizabeth Bates and Stella Parzybok. Bick led the way for the Outlaws once again in 1:14.34. Bates (1:19:04), Parzybok (1:22.52), French (1:25.99), and Rebolledo (1:31.12) followed.

Bates was timed in 1:35.91 in the 100-yard backstroke.

The team of Parzybok, French, Bick, and Rebolledo took seventh in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 2:22.49. Parzybok also competed in the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing in 1:42.05.

State qualifications will be on the line when the Outlaws return to the pool February 10-11 at the district meet hosted by Sweet Home.