Sweet Home’s swimmers are starting the year with a veteran line-up that gives the Huskies hope for a repeat of the district team championships they won last year and a very real shot at state hardware as well.
But, says fourth-year Coach Ajay Bronson, that won’t come easily,
“District-wise, we’d love to repeat on both the girls and boys sides,” he said, noting that the girls have won 11 straight district titles. “It’s going to be tough, though.”
Although the Huskies have five seniors on the girls side and three on the boys, with younger talent also either returning or just arrived, the numbers are lower on the girls side than they have been in recent years, including last year, when the girls placed third at state and the boys fifth – one place out of the trophies.
“A couple of swimmers didn’t come out like we expected, and we’re down to 10 girls and nine guys,” Bronson said. “Everybody is going to have to step up if we are going to accomplish our goals.”
Those would be a state championship for the girls and a trophy for the boys – anywhere from first to fourth. Bronson said he believes the girls have a “70 percent” chance at a state title, but the competition at the top is fierce and one place in a race can make a big difference in the standings.
Among those gone to graduation are Rylee Markell, who was a leader for the girls, and Blake Arthur, who delivered third- and fourth-place finishes at state last year in the freestyle sprints.
But Bronson has a core of solid veterans returning in seniors Daisy Lalonde, Peyton Markell and Kirsten Sautel, all of whom earned medals at state last season, and seniors RJ Abbott, Shayne Schuster, and Arman Marble, who were medal-winners for the boys.
Henry Jones.
“On the boys side, RJ Abbott will be a big point-getter,” Bronson predicted, adding that he expects Marble and Schuster to be individual qualifiers. Schuster finished sixth at state last year in the 100 Breaststroke. He expects junior Andrew Tolman and sophomore Austin Hogan to also contribute in the relays and possibly as individual state qualifiers.
Also, for the girls, freshman Khloe Sautel comes in with significant experience and success in club swimming and should be able to contribute right away, along with her older sister Kirsten, Bronson said.
“Kirsten has been a big contributor and Khloe can immediately step in and contribute,” he said. “It’s a five-way tie for everybody else, fighting for relay spots.”
Kirsten Sautel won her second-straight 100 Breaststroke state title last season, which, Bronson noted at the time, was the fourth straight year Sweet Home has had an individual champion in that event. She was also third in the 100 Freestyle.
Peyton Markell was third in the 100 Backstroke for the Huskies and also qualified for state in the 200 Freestyle.
Rounding out the boys team are sophomores Henry Jones and Seth Cox, and freshmen Ethan Bonneville and Grayson Savri, who come in with some club experience, Bronson said
On the girls side, the roster also includes junior Kylie Melkvik, sophomores Ella Haggas and Lexi Rundell, and freshman Emma Whitton.
Sweet Home’s big strength has been in the relays, in which both boys and girls finaled in two events at state, the boys team of Marble, Schuster, Abbott and the now-departed Arthur taking third in the 200 Medley Relay and LaLonde, Kirsten Sautel, Payton Brookfield and Lexi Rundell taking third for the girls in the 200 Freestyle Relay.
“We’re really focusing on the relays more than anything else because it doubles your points,” Bronson said. “And, especially for the club kids, it’s not something they do every day.”
The coach said he expects competition from the other members of the 13-team 1A/2A/3A/4A Special District 3 to be challenging, particularly at districts.
“Everyone else also graduated a good number of people,” he said. “But, as happens in most years, we’re really good against a single team, but at districts it’s always hard. Philomath, Cascade, Marist and Salem Academy could normally have the numbers (to be a threat at districts) – 30-plus swimmers.”