Scott Swanson
Of The New Era
Sweet Home?s swimmers came away from the state championships Saturday with third-place finishes in both the girls and boys 400 freestyle relay.
Coach Doug Peargin said the meet was the ?fastest overall state meet I?ve ever been to,? and Sweet Home kept pace.
?All of our swimmers that placed had lifetime-best swims,? Peargin said. ?We had nine kids swim in this meet and all nine came home with a medal ? which means they were one of the top six in that event and in the entire state.
The girls team finished seventh in the state, while the boys placed 12th. Sherwood dominated the girls competition, outscoring second place Gladstone 62-30. Sweet Home scored 20, ahead of all its local rivals. Junction City was 10th with 13 points, Philomath was 11th with 12, Marist 12th with 7 and North Marion 13th with 6.
In the boys meet, Sherwood scored 72 points for the win, with Cottage Grove second at 55. Sweet Home scored 9 points, behind ninth-place Junction City (11) and 11th-place Cascade (10).
The girls 400 relay team of junior Jessica Trautwein, sophomore Sarah Rosa, junior Nichole Martin and senior Dani Birky clocked 3:56.56 behind Sherwood (3:44.58) and Phoenix (3:51.88).
?I thought we did really good because we came into the 400 free relay at 4:05 and dropped down to 3:56,? said Birky, who swam the anchor leg on all three of the girls relays. ?Every girl on the relay dropped time on her splits. We all got faster.?
The boys 400 free team of sophomore Brinden Sanders, seniors Anthony Ertsgaard and Larry Coulter, and junior Cole Stumbaugh swam to a 3:31.37, behind Sherwood (3:17.98) and Cottage Grove (3:29.43).
The girls were place-winners in the other two relays as well.
The 200 intermediate medley relay team of sophomores Rosa amd Justine Calhoon, Martin and Birky placed fourth in 2:10.99, behind Sherwood (1:56.75), Creswell (1:58.04) and Henley (2:00.30).
The girls 200 freestyle relay team of Trautwein, Rosa, Martin and Birky also placed fourth, in 1:48.31, a hair slower than their best time of the season. Phoenix won in 1:45.25, followed by Creswell (1:46.85) and North Bend (1:48.09).
The boys 200 freestyle relay team of Sanders, senior Anthony Ertsgaard, Coulter and junior Cole Stumbaugh, finished ninth, in 1:36.91, their season-best time by an even second.
Birky placed eighth in the girls 200 freestyle, in 2:08.60, the sixth-fastest time in school history.
Senior Larry Coulter placed sixth in the boys 200 freestyle, in 1:54.83. Coulter also placed eighth in the 100 backstroke, in 1:01.30.
Trautwein placed eighth in the girls 50 freestyle, in 26.93. In the 100 freestyle, Trautwein placed eighth in 58.43. Both times were number eight on the Sweet Home record list.
Rosa placed eighth in the 100 butterfly, in 1:06.37, while Martin was 10th in 1:06.43, both off their season best times.
In the boys 100 butterfly, sophomore Brinden Sanders placed 12th in 1:03.39, well off his season-best time.
In the 500 freestyle, Calhoon just missed the finals, placing seventh overall in 5:42.79, the fifth-best time in school history. Calhoon also placed ninth in the 100 breaststroke, in 1:14.85.
Birky said she thought the Huskies? improvements in their times was a combination of hard work and the excitement of being at state.
?We?ve been training really hard, doing (daily) doubles,? she said. ?Our coach knew how to taper us just right for the meet. We were ready.?
Peargin said that the season has been ?fun,? with the Huskies? victories at districts and then all bringing home medals. He said credit goes to his assistants.
?Our volunteer coaches, Mr. West, Megan Blank and Tia Jeppsen all had a lot to do with our success,? he said. ?The more quality help you have, the more individual attention everyone gets.?
The Huskies will be looking at rebuilding next season as they lose nine seniors, three of whom ? Birky, Coulter and Ertsgaard ? competed at the state meet.
?We have some big shoes to fill for 2006-07,? he said. ?As coaches and returning swimmers, we?re already looking forward to next year.?
And enjoying the memories of this season.
?I was really happy,? he said. ?They did everything they could do.?