Scott Swanson
Coming off their fourth girls state championship since 2016, Sweet Home’s swimmers are starting a new season with the absence of some big poins producers, but a lot left in the proverbial cupboard.
“We look to be pretty young,” Coach A. Jay Bronson said.
Gone are multiple school record holder Chloe Tyler, now swimming at Illinois State after winning two individual titles last year and helping the girls to two state relay championships, and Malia “Josie” Hewitt, who’s competing for Colorado College after an individual title and a relay win at state.
Also graduated is Jamie Seward, who won a state championship for the Huskies last year in the 50 Freestyle and placed third in the 100 Freestyle, behind Tyler, as well as contributing to two relay wins.
Seward is playing volleyball at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn.
That’s a lot of points.
With those heavy hitters gone, though, Bronson has plenty to work with this time around, he said.
“We have no seniors on the team. Even with that, we have a lot of talent. A lot of kids who didn’t come out last year are coming out this year. We have quite a few club kids who decided to come out.”
Husky Girls
On the girls side, sophomores Kirsten Sautel and Peyton Markell return with state experience.
In addition to swimming on the relays, Sautel was second in the 200 Freestyle and Markell, who has competed in four sports so far in high school, was ninth in that event at state.
They are joined by three swimmers with club experience – sophomore Payton Brookfield, who swam for the Huskies last year, junior Alyssa “Aly” Voight and freshman Breeza Rodriguez.
Also joining the team is sophomore Daisy Lalonde, who won the 1A/2A/3A state cross-country title for East Linn Christian Academy earlier this year, running 18:43.
Although she hasn’t swum for the Huskies, Bronson said Lalonde’s state experience may prove helpful.
Rounding out the girls roster are junior Rylee Markell, sophomores Tierney Clarno, Emerson Martineau, Timber Nobles, Anna Perez, Samantha Pineda Villa and Beatrice Reeve, and freshman Kylie Melkvik.
As the swimmers get set to host Stayton, Blanchet and Kennedy at 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, Bronson said the goal for the girls is to win the district title once again – the Huskies have won nine in a row in the 1A/2A/3A/4A Special District 4.
Sweet Home’s swimming dominance on the girls side began in 2016, when the Huskies began a string of state trophies that included first-place finishes again in 2017, 2019 and last season, the latter sparked by the arrival of Hewitt, Seward and Tyler, who had developed through the Sweet Home Swim Club.
Bronson said that the new talent from the club should help this year.
“We don’t need 20 kids to win,” he said, noting that “a lot of people have graduated from other teams.
“We’ll see. I’d love to see us get both the boys and girls, win on both sides.”
For the girls, Caitlin Gable is always a challenge. Coaches note that the Portland private school often picks up swimmers from club teams and larger high schools, which give it some punch at state.
“When you’re a private school, anybody can join you,” Bronson said. “There’s nothing we can do about that. We can just swim our best races and see what happens.
“We’ll have to see how the rest of the team progresses over the next few months, hopefully make some noise.”
Husky Boys
The number of boys is up to nine, from seven last year, and the biggest producers from last year – Ronald “RJ” Abbott Jr., now a sophomore, and junior Blake Arthur are back to lead the group, which includes two freshmen.
Abbott was the Huskies’ dominant swimmer as a freshman, pacing the boys to an 11th-place tie with Sisters and Corbett, finishing with seven points.
He placed third in the 200 Individual Medley and fourth in the 500 Freestyle, and anchored the 200 Freestyle Relay team to seventh place.
Arthur placed 10th in the 200 Freestyle.
Also back is sophomore Shayne Schuster, who started last season as a rank beginner, but has spent the last year swimming with the club after making some very noticeable gains during his freshman season, Bronson said.
“Of the nine kids, five have swim club experience,” the coach said. “That’s most definitely helpful.”
Those include junior Garrett Peake and sophomore Arman Marble, both of whom did not swim last year with the high school.
Rounding out the boys team will be junior Ben Tolman, sophomore Boden Sayer and freshmen Lukas Thompson and Andrew Tolman.
Statewide, the boys are shooting for a top-10 finish at the very least, he said.
“With Blake and RJ, they’ll definitely lead the team and score some individual points, help us on relays. But two kids don’t make a championship team.”
Bronson is assisted by longtime Coach Doug Peargin and former Husky Jessica (Coats) Rice, who was one of the swimmers responsible for contributing to Sweet Home’s first state titles.
The Huskies open Nov. 2 in what will be the first of two home meets in a rwo on successive Fridays. They will host three more home meets in 2023.