Despite missing one of their top points producers, Sweet Home’s girls won their final home swimming match of the season Friday, Feb. 7, over Junction City, Salem Academy and North Marion.
It wasn’t by much, though. Junction City, which beat a depleted Huskies girls team earlier this season, brought its depth and came within four points as Sweet Home finished with 109 to 105 for the Tigers. Salem Academy was third (74) and North Marion finished with a single point. Freshman Chloe Sautel, who could be expected to deliver at least two individual wins in that meet, was absent.
“We won by four points, even without Chloe, which was scary, but we were able to get it,” Coach A Jay Bronson said. He said the Huskies are hoping that the presence of other teams at the district meet will dilute the impact of Junction City’s roster, which is nearly double Sweet Home’s girls’.
For the boys, Sweet Home was more dominant, scoring 142 points to Junction City’s 57, with Salem Academy third (39).
The wins gave both sides a 6-1 finish for the regular season.
“It was the best meet we’ve had all year,” Bronson said of the Huskies’ performances, as they turned in a total of 31 personal-best times.
“It was supposed to be happening next week, so OK, we must be doing something right,” he added.
Going into the final week of the season, Sweet Home’s girls and boys have the top times in all three relays, but not by much, particularly on the boys side. In the 200 Medley Relay, the Huskies’ fastest time is .45 of a second ahead of Philomath.
Sweet Home’s coaches will have to strategize with their big hitters as they enter the district meet.
On the girls side, senior Kirsten Sautel has the fastest time in the district in the 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 100 Breaststroke (by 11 seconds), and the 200 Individual Medley. Khloe Sautel leads the district in the 200 Freestyle and 500 Freestyle, and is second behind her sister in the 200 IM, the 100 Breaststroke and the 100 Freestyle. Kirsten Sautel is second, district-wide, in the 200 Freestyle. Also in the mix is senior Peyton Markell, who medaled at state in the 100 Backstroke last year and is third in the district – by two-tenths of a second, going into this year’s meet.
Also comforting to Husky coaches is the fact that four of their girls, including Khloe Sautel, are ranked in the top seven of the 500 Freestyle, and senior Daisy Lalonde is ranked in the top 10 in two other events besides the 500, in which she is sixth
For the boys, senior RJ Abbott Jr., who has proved throughout the season that he can deliver in just about any event, backs that up with the numbers: He’s ranked first in the 100 Free, 200 Free, and is second behind various opponents in the 50 Free, 200 IM, 100 Butterfly (by a second) and 100 Breaststroke, third in the 100 Backstroke, with teammate Andrew Tolman less than a second behind. Shayne Schuster will also be a factor, ranked second in the 500 Freestyle and third in the 100 Breaststroke and 200 IM (a second behind Abbott).
The 1A/2A/3A/4A Special District 4 championship meet will be this Friday and Saturday at South Albany. Due to competition for pool time from the 5A Mid-Willamette Conference, which is having to use the South Albany pool because the Corvallis pool is not available, the District 4 meet will start at 3 p.m.
Sweet Home vs. Junction City, North Marion, Salem Academy
Girls Results
Team Scores – (1) Sweet Home 109; (2) Junction City 105; (3) Salem Academy 74; (4) North Marion 1.
Top 3 and Sweet Home Finishers
200 Medley Relay – (1) Sweet Home (Lexi Rundell, Kirsten Sautel, Peyton Markell, Emma Whitton) 2:07.90; (2) Junction City 2:13.72; (3) Salem Academy 2:17.75; (4) Salem Academy “B” 2:35.34; (5) Sweet Home “B” (Kylie Melkvik, Ella Haggas, Timber Nobles, Emerson Martineau) 2:44.51; (6) Junction City “B” 2:50.68.
200 Freestyle – (1) Ellie Gladow (SA) 2:16.77; (2) Lily Jackson (JC) 2:17.12; (3) Ella Haggas (SH) 2:27.25; (4) Emma Whitton (SH) 2:51.25.
200 Individual Medley – (1) Kirsten Sautel (SH) 2:17.49; (2) Lexi Rundell (SH) 2:46.53; (3) Claire Hicks 2:59.33.
50 Freestyle – (1) Libby Fox (JC) 28.21; (2) Eliana Kuenz (SA) 28.51; (3-tie) Gretel Henderson (JC), Milla Carr (JC) 30.03; (6) Kylie Melkvik (SH) 32.33; (15) Emerson Martineau (SH) 37.29.
100 Butterfly – (1) Peyton Markell (SH) 1:12.93; (2) Lily Jackson (JC) 1:16.40; (3) Kylie Henderson (JC) 1:21.52; (4) Lexi Rundell (SH) 1:21.70.
100 Freestyle – (1) Ellie Gladow (SA) 1:02.55; (2) Carson Birky (SA) 1:03.23; (3) Laura Henderson (JC) 1:04.27; (4) Daisy Lalonde (SH) 1:04.70; (9) Emma Whitton (SH) 1:17.78.
500 Freestyle – (1) Libby Fox (JC) 6:14.03; (2) Daisy Lalonde (SH) 6:36.34; (3) Kylie Melkvik (SH) 6:47.23; (4) Timber Nobles (SH) 6:54.53.
200 Freestyle Relay – (1) Sweet Home (Daisy Lalonde, Peyton Markell, Lexi Rundell, Kirsten Sautel) 1:51.08; (2) Salem Academy 1:54.51; (3) Junction City 2:04.85; (4) Salem Academy “B” 2:17.34; (5) Sweet Home “B” (Timber Nobles, Emma Whitton, Ella Haggas, Emerson Martineau) 2:21.18; (6) Junction City “B” 2:24.35.
100 Backstroke – (1) Peyton Markell (SH) 1:08.99; (2) Carson Birky (SA) 1:12.42; (3) Ella Haggas (SH) 1:19.86.
100 Breaststroke – (1) Kirsten Sautel (SH) 1:09.18; (2) Bebe Dussell (JC) 1:23.28; (3) Milla Carr (JC) 1:27.28.
400 Freestyle Relay – (1) Junction City 4:16.71; (2) Sweet Home (Daisy Lalonde, Kylie Melkvik, Timber Nobles, Emerson Martineau) 5:01.02; (3) Junction City “B” 5:31.24.
Boys Results
Team Scores – (1) Sweet Home 142; (2) Junction city 57; (3) Salem Academy 39.
Top 3 and Sweet Home Finishers
200 Medley Relay – (1) Sweet Home (Andrew Tolman, Shayne Schuster, RJ Abbott Jr., Austyn Hogan) 1:50.16; (3) Sweet Home “B” (Arman Marble, Seth Cox, Henry Jones, Grayson Savri) 2:01.13; (3) Salem Academy 2:18.36; (4) Junction City 2:47.81.
200 Freestyle – (1) RJ Abbott Jr. (SH) 2:00.00; (2) Henry Jones (SH) 2:16.89; (3) David Riggs (SA) 2:17.47.
200 Individual Medley – (1) Grayson Savri (SH) 2:20.94; (2) Andrew Tolman (SH) 2:23.01.
50 Freestyle – (1) Shayne Schuster (SH) 24.85; (2) Austyn Hogan (SH) 24.98; (3) Logan Hicks (JC) 27.26.
100 Butterfly – (1) Andrew Tolman (SH) 1:06.48; (2) Henry Jones (SH) 1:08.06; (3) Noah Williams (SA) 1:16.45.
100 Freestyle – (1) RJ Abbott Jr. (SH) 51.73; (2) Austyn Hogan (SH) 56.17; (3) Seth Cox (SH) 1:05.74.
500 Freestyle – (1) Arman Marble (SH) 5:31.95; (2) Grayson Savri (SH) 5:32.10; (3) Braeden Thelander (JC) 7:22.14.
200 Freestyle Relay – (1) Sweet Home (Shayne Schuster, Austyn Hogan, Grayson Savri, RJ Abbott Jr.) 1:39.93; (2) Junction City 1:54.31; (3) Salem Academy 2:09.62.
100 Backstroke – (1) Shayne Schuster (SH) 1:04.44; (2) David Riggs (SA) 1:10.84; (3) Braeden Thelander (JC) 1:23.92.
100 Breaststroke – (1) Seth Cox (SH) 1:20.65; (2) Logan Hicks (JC) 1:21.07; (3) Pang Singkarin (SA) 1:35.64.
400 Freestyle Relay – (1) Sweet Home (Arman Marbles, Seth Cox, Henry Jones, Andrew Tolman) 4:03.19; (2) Junction City 4:20.29.