The Sweet Home swimmers, who have been dominant in dual meets this year, finished first in the boys and combined team standings at the District 3 championship meet Saturday at South Albany High School.
They also qualified 11 swimmers for the state meet this weekend, six boys and five girls.
The girls finished with state qualifiers in six individual events and two relays, with one individual and one relay district champion, while the boys finished with four individual district champs and the district title in two relays. They had individual qualifiers for state in four events and qualified in all three relays.
Qualifiers for the state championships are district champions and the next eight fastest swimmers or teams in the state. The state competition will be held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 16-17, at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham.
Sweet Home had finalists in 19 of 21 events and consolation finalists in 11 of 21 events, Coach Doug Peargin said.
To see it all come together at the district meet is a special thing all the yards, al the hours, all the mental preparation that these athletes put into the sport,Peargin said.To have it come together is an electric feeling.
The Huskies scored 524 points in the combined team competition, ahead of Philomath (460) and Marist (349) in the 10-team field.
The boys finished far ahead of the field in the team scores, putting up 311 points, ahead of Philomath (240) and Junction City (190).
The Sweet Home girls were edged in the team competition by Philomath, 220-213, with Marist third at 187.
Freshman Jayce Calhoon and Kieran Schaefer both won district titles, Schaefer a double winner in the 200 freestyle (1.50.0) and the 100 freestyle (50.2), and Calhoon in the 500 freestyle (5:02.2). Senior Cole Stumbough was the Huskies’ other individual winner, taking the 50 freestyle title in 23.8.
Schaefer’s 200 freestyle time and Calhoon’s 500 freestyle clocking leave them seeded at the top of the fields in those races going into Friday’s preliminaries. Schaefer is second in the 100 freestyle, behind Zachary Taylor of Cottage Grove (50.13) and just ahead of Stumbough, ho’s seeded third.
If they perform as expected at state, the Huskies look to be in the top three in the girls and boys 400 freestyle relay, as the boys are seeded second and the girls third – by a whisker ahead of Henley.
Other qualifiers for the boys were Brinden Sanders, third (1:56.3) and Jon Lemar, fourth in the 200 freestyle (2:02.0); Stumbough, who was second in the 100 freestyle (51.2); and freshman Michael Simmonds, second in the 500 freestyle (5:24.0).
District titles were also won by the 200 medley relay team (Calhoon, Michael Simmonds, Brinden Sanders and Lemar) in 1:49.8, and the 400 freestyle relay team (Lemar, Calhoon, Stumbough and Schaefer) in 3:29.4.
For the girls, Nichole Martin was the lone individual district champ, winning the 100 butterfly in 1:07.2.
The 400 freestyle relay team (Martin, Alyshia Benzo, Sarah Rosa and Jessica Trautwein) won the district title in 4:01.0.
Other individual qualifiers for the girls were Benzo, fourth in the 200 freestyle (2:11.5); Martin, third in the 200 intermediate medley (2:29.8); Trautwein, fifth in the 50 freestyle (27.5); Rosa, second in the 100 butterfly (1:07.6); Calhoon, third in the 500 freestyle (5:59.1); and Rosa (1:09.2) and Benzo (1:09.7), third and fourth in the 100 backstroke.
The 200 medley relay team (Rosa, Justine Calhoon, Martin and Jessica Trautwein), who finished fourth in 2:04.0, also qualified for state.
“Every swimmer on our team swam to the best of his or her ability,” Peargin said. “As a coach I couldn’t have been any prouder of all of them.
“I’m kind of excited about (the Huskies’ chances) – we’re taking 11. those freshmen have swium age group. swum some big meets. I still think we can compete with them. Kids are in their best event, see what happens.
“We’ve got the people in the right events to shine a little bit if we just show up on Friday.”
Team Scores
Combined
(1) Sweet Home 524; (2) Philomath 460; (3) Marist 349; (4) Junction City 339.5; (5) Sisters 231; (6) Blanchet Catholic 206; (7) Cascade 194; (8) Stayton 120; (9) Central 86; (10) Jefferson 41.5.
Boys
(1) Sweet Home 311; (2) Philomath 240; (3) Junction City 190; (4) Marist 162; (5 -tie) Sisters 91, Blanchet Catholic 91; (7) Stayton 77; (8) Central 76; (9) Jefferson 27; (10) Cascade 25.
Girls
(1) Philomath 220; (2) Sweet Home 213; (3) Marist 187; (4) Cascade 169; (5) Junction City 149.5; (6) Sisters 140; (7) Blanchet Catholic 115; (8) Stayton 43; (9) Jefferson 14.5; (10) Central 10.
District 3 Championships Sweet Home Finishers
Boys
200 Medley Relay – (1) Sweet Home “A” (Jayce Calhoon, Michael Simmonds, Brinden Sanders, Jon Lemar) 1:49.8; (6) Sweet Home “B” (David Worthen, Seabass Mauer, Shawn Adams, Za Ramsey) 2:08.98. 200 Freestyle – (1) Kieran Schaefer 1:50.0 (fifth-fastest time in school history); (3) Brinden Sanders 1:56.3; (4) Jon Lemar 2:02.0; (9) Shawn Adams 2:18.8. 200 IM – (9) David Worthen 2:39.9; (10) Peter VanDerlip 2:42.8. 50 Freestyle – (1) Cole Stumbough 23.8; (12) Trever Byers 27.5. 100 Butterfly – (4) Brinden Sanders 1:02.1. 100 Freestyle – (1) Kieran Schaefer 50.2; (2) Cole Stumbough 51.2; (10) Za Ramsey 59.8. 500 Freestyle