Despite missing some of their big guns, the Sweet Home girls finished first at the Stayton Invitational swim meet Friday, Jan. 3.
The girls did it with depth, as their lone individual event winner was Jessica Coats, first in the 100 Backstroke (1:13.6).
Although the boys posted three first-place finishes, they were third as a team, behind Gladstone and Cascade. Jaeger Howatt won two events, the 100 Butterfly (1:11.4) and the 100 Backstroke (1:14.2), while Ryan Yon was first in the 200 Freestyle (2:30.6).
Coach Doug Peargin said the meet gave the Huskies a chance to check out Gladstone and Ridgeview, two schools that they normally don’t get a chance to compete with before the final meets of the season.
“We were missing six swimmers from this meet, but we still competed well despite our numbers,” he said. “This meet shows how depth will help you – Coats was our only first-place winner but our depth in the girls kept showing up in almost all the races, which kept us in front of the other teams.”
The Sweet Home boys have nine swimmers, while the girls have 17 on their roster.
Peargin said the Huskies have five meets left before districts, on Feb. 14-15, so it’s time to focus on “fundamentals and race strategy.”
“I think our conditioning is second to none. When we get beat, it usually is because of lack of focus – that’s when you make fundamental mistakes.”
The Huskies will host Taft and Central Friday, Jan. 10, in the first of four home stands that will take them up to the district meet. They will also compete Jan. 25 in the Albany Pre-District meet.
Stayton Invitational
All Distances in Meters
Combined Team Scores – (1) Sweet Home 239; (2) Ridgeview 187; (3) Gladstone 180; (4) Stayton 151; (5) Cascade 135.
Sweet Home Boys Results
Team Scores – (1) Gladstone 114; (2) Cascade 98; (3) Sweet Home 94; (4) Ridgeview 82; (5) Stayton 18.
200 Medley Relay – (4) Sweet Home (Jaeger Howatt, Grant Jones, Sean Wolthuis, Ryan Yon) 2:29.3.
200 Freestyle – (1) Ryan Yon 2:30.6; (3) Adam Barber 3:14.4.
200 Individual Medley – (4) Sean Wolthuis 3:13.5; (5) Grant Jones 3:23.9.
50 Freestyle – No SH competititors.
100 Butterfly – (1) Jaeger Howatt 1:11.4.
100 Freestyle – (6) Tadyn Bentley 1:20.2.
400 Freestyle – (2) Ryan Yon 5:23.1; (4) Sean Wolthuis 6:41.9.
200 Freestyle Relay – (4) Sweet Home (Tanner Goble, Grant Jones, Tadyn Bentley, Adam Barber) 2:20.7.
100 Backstroke – (1) Jaeger Howatt 1:14.2.
100 Breaststroke – No Sweet Home competitors.
400 Freestyle Relay – (2) Sweet Home (Jaeger Howatt, Sean Wolthuis, Grant Jones, Ryan Yon) 4:42.6.
Sweet Home Girls Results
Team Scores – (1) Sweet Home 145; (2) Stayton 133; (3) Ridgeview 105; (4) Gladstone 66; (5) Cascade 37.
200 Medley Relay – (2) Sweet Home “A” (Natasha Benson, Jessica Coats, Esther Gunselman, Sara Helfrich) 2:27.2; (5) Sweet Home “B” (Kristen Adams, Brittany Romero, Sierrah Owen, Livvie Hindmarsh) 2:54.9.
200 Freestyle – (5) Natasha Benson 2:56.4; (6) Maddee Hawken 3:03.1.
200 Individual Medley – (2) Jessica Coats 2:39.9; (4) Kristen Adams 4:12.7.
50 Freestyle – (3) Esther Gunselman 31.7.
100 Butterfly – (2) Esther Gunselman 1:25.0; (5) Sierrah Owen 1:49.9.
100 Freestyle – (4) Sara Helfrich 1:14.5.
400 Freestyle – (4) Brittany Romero 6:47.1; (5) Maddee Hawken 6:48.2.
200 Freestyle Relay – (3) Sweet Home “A” (Livvie Hindmarsh, Natasha Benson, Brittany Romero, Maddee Hawken) 2:30.8; (6) Sweet Home “B” (Kristen Adams, Megan Oberg, Sierrah Owen, Kira Doding) 2:43.8.
100 Backstroke – (1) Jessica Coats 1:13.6; (3) Livvie Hindmarsh 1:35.7; (6) Kristen Adams 1:42.4.
100 Breaststroke – (4) Sarah Helfrich 1:41.1; (5) Brittany Romero 1:44.4.
400 Freestyle Relay – (2) Sweet Home “A” (Maddee Hawken, Esther Gunselman, Sara Helfrich, Jessica Coats) 5:03.6; (3) Sweet Home “B” (Natasha Benson, Megan Oberg, Livvie Hindmarsh, Kira Doding) 5:48.4.