With the district championships two weeks away, Sweet Home’s swimmers got a tune-up in the South Albany Aquatic Center, site of districts, at the Albany Sprint Invitational meet Saturday, Jan. 23.
“This meet is an eye-opener for the newer swimmers on the team,” Coach Doug Peargin said of the event, which included all 10 district teams in a condensed schedule. Since the meet is non-scoring, he said, coaches can take risks with young swimmers that they might not in a meet that counts. That opportunity paid off for Peargin and his team.
“We had many personal bests and some of them were good enough to possibly change our line-up for the upcoming district meet,” he said. “We’ll most certainly have to take a good look at our possible changes on the relays.”
After viewing the field on Saturday, Peargin said he sees Salem Academy’s girls as the biggest challenge to Sweet Home and the boys are looking at North Marion and Salem Academy in the race for district titles.
Peargin said the boys team was “a little short on depth” but the younger swimmers made up for it.
“They’re starting to compete,” he said. “I’m feeling a little better about our depth in both girls and boys.”
The Huskies won 12 of the 20 events.
Individual winners for the girls were Lauren Yon in the 100 Individual Medley and 50 Breaststroke, Lucie Davis in the 200 and 50 Freestyles, Esther Gunselman in the 50 Butterfly, Sarah Hewitt in the 100 Freestyle, Makayla Nelson in the 50 Backstroke.
For the boys, individual winners were Nathan Hager in the 200 Freestyle and 50 Butterfly, Rowland Lupoli in the 100 Individual Medley and 50 Breaststroke, and Rawlins Lupoli in the 100 Freestyle.
Peargin said he plans to keep the double-day practices going through the middle of next week before he starts resting his swimmers up for district.
The Huskies host Sisters, Stayton and Newport Friday at 4:15 p.m.
Albany Invitational
Sweet Home Finishers
Girls Results
200 Medley Relay – (1) Sweet Home “A” (Esther Gunselman, Sarah Hewitt, Mia Davis, Makayla Nelson) 2:05.8; (6) Sweet Home “B” (Natasha Benson, Milah Weld, Ella Parker, Kendra Vorce) 2:23.4; (9) Sweet Home “C” (Hope Fears, Livvie Hindmarsh, Megan Oberg, Shelby Dinsfriend) 2:43.9.
200 Freestyle – (1) Lucie Davis 2:01.1; (3) Elea Hewitt 2:12.9; (5) Sara Helfrich 2:25.5; (10) Natasha Benson 2:23.4.
100 Individual Medley – (1) Lauren Yon 1:03.0; (6) Sarah Hewitt 1:10.7; (9) Ella Parker 1:18.0.
50 Freestyle – (1) Lucie Davis 26.6; (5) Kendra Vorce 29.9; (8) Kristin Adams 31.9; (9) Milah Weld 32.4.
50 Butterfly – (1) Esther Gunselman 29.4; (4) Mia Davis 31.5; (11) Livvie Hindmarsh 41.3.
100 Freestyle – (1) Sarah Hewitt 58.3; (2) Makayla Nelson 58.5; (4) Esther Gunselman 1:01.2.
500 Freestyle – (1) Mia Davis 5:37.2; (3) Ella Parker 6:28.0; (4) Sarah Helfrich 6:31.9.
50 Backstroke – (1) Makayla Nelson 30.3; (10) Kristin Adams 39.0.
50 Breaststroke – (1) Lauren Yon 31.9; (4) Elea Hewitt 36.7; (6) Milah Weld 40.3.
200 Freestyle Relay – (2) Sweet Home “A” (Lauren Yon, Sara Helfrich, Elea Hewitt, Lucie Davis) 1:49.6; (7) Sweet Home “B” (Megan Oberg, Ella Parker, Kristin Adams, Kendra Vorce) 2:04.9; (10) Sweet Home “C” (Milah Weld, Hope Fears, Tonya Cook, Shelby Dinsfriend) 2:12.9.
Boys Results
200 Medley Relay – (2) Sweet Home “A” (Sean Wolthuis, Grant Jones, Nathan Hager, Wes Parker) 1:57.7; (6) Sweet Home “B” (Adam Barber, Bradley Wolthuis, Cameron Taber, Seth Wright) 2:16.4; (10) Sweet Home “C” (Noah Dinsfriend, Luke Flierl, Nathan Tolman, TJ Baham) 2:23.6.
200 Freestyle – (1) Nathan Hager 1:53.1; (6) Wes Parker 2:21.7; (8) Bradley Wolthuis 2:28.4.
100 Individual Medley – (1) Rowland Lupoli 1:00.7; (9) Craig Hansen 1:12.8.
50 Freestyle – (4) Rawlins Lupoli 24.7; (5) Sean Wolthuis 25.6; (7) Adam Barber 27.4; (8) TJ Baham 27.7.
50 Butterfly – (1) Nathan Hager 25.5; (7) TJ Baham 33.6; (10) Riku Funabashi 38.1.
100 Freestyle – (1) Rawlins Lupoli 54.1; (3) Sean Wolthuis 55.7; (5) Craig Hansen 58.8; (9) Seth Wright 1:02.7.
500 Freestyle – (3) Grant Jones 6.05.0; (7) Dakota Seward 6:54.6; (9) Noah Dinsfriend 7:55.2.
50 Backstroke – (4) Luke Flierl 34.3; (5) Bradley Wolthuis 34.4; (9) Noah Dinsfriend 40.6.
50 Breaststroke – (1) Rowland Lupoli 31.8.
200 Freestyle Relay – (1) Sweet Home “A” (Rowland Lupoli, Rawlins Lupoli, Craig Hansen, Grant Jones) 1:40.9; (7) Sweet Home “B” (Adam Barber, Seth Wright, Cameron Taber, Wes Parker) 1:51.4.