Swimmers shine at district meet

Three swimmers qualified for a total of six events for this week’s OSAA State Championships, based on their performances at the 4A/3A/2A/1A Special District 4 meet, hosted by Sweet Home High School February 10 and 11 at South Albany High School.

The top two finishers in each event automatically qualify, along with some “wild cards” who achieve next-best times.

Clayten Heuberger highlighted the Outlaws’ efforts with a meet record in the 100-yard backstroke, which he won in 54.75 seconds. He enters the state meet as the second-ranked competitor behind Catlin Gabel’s Akira Van de Groenendaal, who posted a qualifying time of 53.92.

Heuberger also won the 50-yard freestyle, edging his teammate Joseph Souza 23.40 to 23.62.

Souza placed third in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:07:0, and had to wait until Sunday with the news he qualified as a wild-card selection.

Ted Stolasz also made the podium with a fourth-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle (56.51).

Coach Alex Bick felt pleased with the boys team’s performance, including that of freshman Weston Dean in his first year in swimming competition.

“Weston dropped six full seconds from his previous best in the 50 free,” he said. “I’m proud of him and his teammates for their performances.”

Sisters boys placed seventh as a team, with 68 points among nine teams scoring. Marist Catholic won the meet with 229 points to edge Sweet Home by 10 points.

For the girls, Ella Bartlett returned to the state meet with a victory in the 500-yard freestyle (6:00.13), and a second-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:15.88).

The girls team of Haven Heuberger, Rylie Bick, Stella Parzybok, and Ella Bartlett picked up seventh place in the 200-yard freestyle relay in a tie of 2:05.03. Bick placed seventh in the 50-yard freestyle in 30.01 seconds.

Sisters ended up in eighth place as a team with 48 points. Sweet Home won by a landslide, with 283 points among 12 scoring teams.

Bick said, “This team has a genuine care and interest in each other. Nothing is forced and they just love spending time together.”

The state meet will be held at Tualatin Hills Aquatic Center February 17-18.