State Swimming: Havre girls finish strong

They may be younger and outnumbered by some of the Class AA swim teams, but the Havre High girls and boys performed very well at yet another state swim meet.

The Blue Ponies may not have grabbed a state champinship this weekend, but after being in the waters of the Butte YMCA at the Montana State Swimming Championships Friday and Saturday, things will hopefully just continue to get better for the Ponies moving forward.

Finishing in second place in the Class A ranks, and in tenth place overall, the Pony girls earned 36 team points. They finished behind now four-time state champion Billings Central, who made waves with 108 team points. The HHS boys finished in third in Class A and finished with four team points. Billings Central swept the team titles with 89 points on the boys side, while Hardin finished in second with five points.

It was a great outing for the team as a whole, but some HHS individuals really stood out, especially for that second-place girls team.

Sophomores Lita Cammon and Aubri McCann really carried the load for the Ponies individually. Both swam in five events each and both dropped critical seconds in every single race. Cammon swam in the 50-yard freestyle and placed 11th in the finals, with a time of 26.72. McCann swam the 100 breaststroke and also placed 11th in the finals with a time of 1:16.92. Both girls also swam in the 200 medley relay, the 200 free relay, and the 400 free relay for the Ponies. The 200 medley team finished 11th in the finals with a time of 2:07.77, the 200 free finished in seventh with a time of 1:51.18, and the 400 free finished in seventh with a time of 4:11.56, all scoring big points for HHS.

“Aubri and Lita were both injured and unable to swim last year as freshmen,” Havre High head coach Jill Cammon said. “So this was their comeback year. It was a bit of a struggle for both of them to stay healthy, to practice, and compete in meets, But they stepped up and performed well at state, so that was amazing.”

Megan Smith and Hannah Pepprock also competed in the 200 medley relay, while Leiza Reighard and Smith were part of the 200 free relay, and Reighard and Megan Malone joined Cammon and McCann in the 400 free relay.

And in a tough finish, Pepprock also finished the 100 breaststroke as the No. 13 swimmer, just missing out on a top finish. Pepprock and McCann have battled back and forth all season with their solid times, and while Pepprock shaved off time to swim a 1:19.52, she just missed out.

Seniors Morgan Jappe and Mckenna Barkus were anchors all season long, but did not earn points at the state meet, though coach Cammon still stressed just how important they were to the team this year.

In the 200 free Reighard finished 28 (2:27.95), Jackie Martin finished 33 (2:31.88), and Barus finished 39 (2:43.18). And in the 200 IM Smith finished 33 (3:03.08), while in the 50 free Malone was 23(29.16), Barkus was 35 (30.66), and Alara Vogel was 51 (32.96). In the 100 butterfly Malone finished 29 (1:17.85) and Martin finished 31 (120.24), while Reighard was 22 in the 100 free (1:04.43), followed by Jappe who placed 26 (1:06.68), and Carly Rennick who placed 52 (1:17.78). Peprock also finished the 500 free in 26th place (6:55.44), while Smith was 35th in the 100 backstroke (1:18.93), followed by Hailee Kilgore finishing 47th (1:36.32), and Rennick finishing 48th (1:38.94). In the 100 breaststroke Pepprock finished 13th (1:19.52) and Vogel finished 34th (1:31.62).

“The girls swam very well, and it was a good weekend for them,” Coach Cammon said.

It was more of a struggle for the boys team, but Cammon stayed positive and is already looking forward to the future. “Considering we have a really small and new freshman team, basically, I was pleased,” Cammon said. “We only have two upperclassmen, (Tomaso) Parrone is a senior exchange student and this is his first year swimming, but we also have Ben Seigel, a junior and more experienced swimmer.”

And Siegel was key in the 400 free relay team earning that 11th-place finish.

Seigel had been fighting all season long to get his 100 freestyle under one minute. He wasn’t able to get his time down enough in the prelims, but he gave the 400 relay team a huge boost with his time of 59.2 in the opening leg. The great start helped the relay team consisting of Seigel, Tomaso Parrone, Zach Barnes and Jimmy May shave 11 seconds of their previous best, turning in a 4:20.75.

The 50 free also got a 27.03 from Seigel (26), a 28.07 by May (38), a 31.52 by Shandon Oberguell (52) and a 34.04 by Clayton Twombly (55). Seigel also swam a 1:00.73 in the 100 free (24), while Parrone swam a 1:20.57 in the 100 backstroke (28). The 200 free relay with Barnes, Parrone, May and Seigel turned in a time of 1:57.82 (16), while Shandon Oberquell swam a 1:28.14 (38) and Barnes swam a 1:32.14 (39) in the 100 breaststroke.

Overall, the Ponies performed well, and if the young swimmers return next year and beyond, things should continue to get better, hopefully putting them on level playing field with the likes of Billings Central.

  “I thought our swimmers were amazing,” Cammon said. “This was probably the most exciting finals I have been to for a team before. They dropped time and competed hard, and I thought it was a very successful meet. If we see these freshmen stick together over the years, they will only get better. They swam really well so even next year we should see improvement and see more kids in more finals.

“Billings Central really does have a killer team,” Cammon added. “And they just have a great group of swimmers on their team. But we have a lot of swimmers that are up and coming so for years to come, I think we will be able to give them a run for their money.”

Montana State Swim Meet

at Butte YMCA

Class AA boys team scores - 1. Missoula Hellgate, 235; T2. Helena High, 182; T2. Bozeman, 182; 4. CM Russell, 121; 5. Glacier, 93; 6. Billings Senior, 81; 7. BUTTE HIGH, 66; 8. Missoula Big Sky/Loyola, 53; 9. Billings Skyview, 51; 10. Great Falls, 47; 11. Capital, 32; 12. Billings West, 26; 13. Missoula Sentinel, 23; 14. Flathead 10.

Class A boys team scores - 1. Billings Central, 89; 2. Hardin, 5; 3. Havre, 4; 4. Bigfork 0.

Class AA girls team scores - 1. Missoula Hellgate, 306; 2. Bozeman, 217; 3. CM Russell, 115; 4. Capital, 102; 5. Helena High, 84; 6. Billings Skyview 82, 7. Missoula Sentinel, 77, 8. Great Falls, 52; 9. Billings Senior, 36; 10. Missoula Big Sky/Loyola, 32; 11. BUTTE HIGH, 16; 12. Glacier, 10; 13. Flathead, 7; 14. Billings West, 4.

Class A girls team scores - 1. Billings Central, 108; 2. Havre, 36; T3. Hardin and Bigfork, 0.

Havre Individual Results

GIRLS

200 Medley relay - Final - 11th Place, 2:07.77 (Smith, Pepprock, Cammon, McCann).

200 Free – (Prelims) Lieza Reighard, 28th, 2:27.95; Jackie Martin, 33rd, 2:31.88; Mackenna Barkus, 39th, 2:43.18.

200 IM – (Prelims) Megan Smith, 33rd, 3:03.08; Morgan Jappe, DQ.

50 Free – Final - Lita Cammon, 11th Place, 26.72; Prelims – Megan Malone, 23rd, 29.16; Mckenna Barkus, 35th, 30.66; Alara Vogel, 51st, 32.96.

100 Butterfly – (Prelims) Megan Malone, 29th, 1:17.85; Jackie Martin, 31st, 1:20.24.

100 Free – (Prelims) – Lieza Reighard, 22nd, 1:04.43; Morgan Jappe, 26th, 1:06.68; Calry Rennick, 52nd, 1:17.78.

500 Free – (Prelims) Hannah Pepprock, 26th, 6:55.44

200 Free Relay – Final – 7th Place, 1:51.18 (Reighard, Smith, McCann, Cammon).

100 Backstroke – (Prelims) Megan Smith, 35th, 1:18.93; Hailee Kilgore, 47th, 1:36.32; Carly Rennick, 48th, 1:38.94.

100 Breaststroke – Final – Aubri McCann, 11th Place, 1:16.92; Prelims – Hannah Pepprock, 13th, 1:19.52; Alara Vogel, 34th, 1:31.62.

400 Free Relay – Final – 7th Place, 4:11.56 (Cammon, Malone, Reighard, McCann).

BOYS

200 Medley Relay – (Prelims) DQ (Parrone, Oberquell, Barnes, May).

50 Free – (Prelims) Ben Seigel, 26th, 27.03; Jimmy May, 38th, 28.07; Shandon Oberquell, 52nd, 31.52; Clayton Twombly, 55th, 34.04.

100 Free – (Prelims) Ben Seigel, 24th, 1:00.73.

200 Free Relay – (Prelims) 16th, 1:57.82 (Barnes, Parrone, May, Seigel).

100 Backstroke – (Prelims) – Tomaso Parrone, 28th, 1:20.57.

100 Breaststroke – (Prelims) Shandon Oberquell, 38th, 1:28.14; Zach Barnes, 39th, 1:32.14; Clayton Twombly, DQ.

400 Free Relay – Final – 11th Place, 4:20.75 (Seigel, Parrone, Barnes, May).

Finals

Girls 200-yard medley relay - 1. Missoula Hellgate (Hanni Leach, Hailey Jacobson, Mary Rhoades, Avery Vernon), *1:47.75; 2. Bozeman (Molly Hamilton, Svea Malmstrom, McKinley Hall, Hailey Hamlin). 1:52.11; 3. Billings Central (Sophie Malin, Jenna Marsh, Sami Duval, Kya Sorli), 1:56,64; 4. Billings Skyview (Megan Begger, Linnaya Luoma, Shailee Luoma, Erin Carroll), 1:56.9 5. CM Russell (MacQuaid Brennan, Kate Heryla, Morgan Shaw, Kilee Rohlf), 1:58.88; 6. Capital (Avree Klungland, Addy Shull, Melissa Patterson, Ana Larranaga), 2:00.03.

Boys 200-yard medley relay - 1. Missoula Hellgate (Cale Berkoff, Patrick Martyak, John Szekely, reed Bachman), 1:39.72; 2. Bozeman (Jason Smith, Habib Mostefa, Connor Ballenger, Sami Mostefa), 1:44.89; 3. CM Russell (Brandon Miller, Elijah Parker, Patrick Brennan, Joe Micheloitti), 1:44.89; 4. Billings Senior (Connor Maas, Chance Walton, Nathan Frieders, Austin Jackson), 1:46.94; 5. Billings Central (Pierce Oja, Mark Bruschwein, Chandler Zins, John Healey), 1:48.85; 6. Glacier (Joshua Loyda, Tommy Briner, Jake Cirincione, Alex Augusta, 1:49.8).

Girls 200-yard freestyle - 1. Andrea Schmidt (SEN), 1:56.72; 2. Melissa Paterson (CAP), 2:05.32; 3. Erika Ackerlund (Helena), 2:06.52; 4. Julian Lee (HGATE), 2:07.82; 5. Rory Anderson (HGATE), 6. Grace Walkuski (BOZE), 2:08.55.

Boys 200-yard freestyle - 1. Pierce Oja (BC), 1:48.18; 2. Stephen Murphy (HHS) 1:52.27; 3. Nick Angeli (HHS), 1:53.04; 4. Wesley Mack (CAP), 1:54.53; 5. Nathan Frieders (BSR), 1:55.61; 6. Jake Bentley (BUTTE), 1:58.02.

Girls 200-yard individual medley - 1. Hailey Jacobson (HGATE), 2:08.09; 2. Mary Rhoades (HGATE), 2:17.05; 3. Avree Klungland (CAP), 2:20.22; 4. Kate Heryla (CMR), 2:20.61; 5. Molly Hamilton (BOZE), 2:20.8; 6. Sami Duval (BC), 2:22.47.

Boys 200-yard individual medley - 1. Jason Smith (BOZE), 1:56.85; 2. Adam Zimmer (BSKY), 1:57.44; 3. Patrick Brennan (CMR), 2:03.26; 4. Jake Cirincione (GLA), 2:09.06; 5. Pat Hooks (Helena), 2:10.36; 6. Uriah Kreilick (HGATE), 2:12.26.

Girls 50-yard freestyle - 1. Kate Zimmer(BSKY), 23.87; 2. Jenna Marsh (BC), 24.51; 3. Hailey Hamlin (BOZE), 25.35; 4. Linnaya Luoma (SKY), 25.59; 5. Baylee Everett (HGATE), 6. Kate Michell (HGATE), 26.02.

Boys 50-yard freestyle - 1. Pete Kotson (HHS), 21.79; 2. Patrick Martyak (HELG), 22.02; 3. Joshua Loyda (GLA), 22.27; 4. Reed Bachman (HGATE), 22.94; 5. Ethan Choi (HGATE), 23.25; 6. Connor Ballenger (BOZE), 23.63.

Girls 100-yard butterfly - 1. Kate Zimmer (BSKY), *56.07; 2. Jenna Marsh (BC), 58.78; 3. Kate Michell (HGATE), 1:01.05; 4. Mary Rhoades (HGATE), 5. McKinley Hall (BOZE), 1:01.52; 6. Maddi Smith (CNR), 1:06.28.

Boys 100-yard butterfly - 1. Patrick Brennan (CMR), 54.56, 2. Jake Cirincione (GLA), 54.65; 3. Ryan Mason (SEN), 54.71; 4. Chandler Zins (BC), 55.18; 5. Nathan Frieders (BSR), 56.54; 6. John Szekely (HGATE), 56.81.

Girls 100-yard freestyle - 1. Andrea Schmidt (SEN), 52.89; 2. Hailey Hamlin (BOZE), 53.7; 3. Kate Muprhy (HHS), 56.1; 4. Avree Klungland (CAP), 56.40; 5. Morgan Shaw (CMR), 57.12; 6. Ellen Sears (HGATE), 57.99.

Boys 100-yard freestyle - 1. Pete Kotson (HHS), 47.58; 2. Pierce Oja (BC), 48.25; 3. Keegan Whelan (BUTTE), 50.41; 4. Reed Bachman (HGATE), 50.43; 5. Connor Maas (BSR), 51.59; 6. John Szekely (HGATE), 52.18.

Girls 500-yard freestyle - 1. Hanni Leach (HGATE), *5:03.23; 2. Kelsi Nabity (BOZE), 5:33.77; 3. Erika Ackerlund (HHS), 5:42.93; 4. Melissa Patterson (CAP), 5:43.84; 5. Grace Walkuski (BOZE), 5:45.81; 6. Rory Anderson (HGATE), 5:52.28.

Boys 500-yard freestyle - 1. Pat Hooks (HHS), 4:59.22; 2. Habib Mustefa (BOZE), 5:03.08; 3. Cale Berkoff (HGATE), 5:04.91; 4. Stephen Murphy (HHS), 5:05.59; 5. Elijah Parker (CMR), 5:-0.97; 6. Nick Angeli (HHS), 5:11.99.

Girls 200-yard freestyle relay - 1. Missoula Hellgate (Baylee Everett, Avery Vernon, Ellen Sears, Katie Michell), 1:43.91; 2. Billings Central (Kya Sorli, Sophie Martin, Sami Duval, Jenna Marsh), 1:44.18; 3. Billings Skyview (Linnaya Luoma, Shailee Luoma, Erin Carroll, Abbey Bryan), 1:44.69; 4. Bozeman (Kelsi Nabity, Alissa Thomas, Amber Nabity, Darby Seth), 1:46.44; 5. Helena High (Kate Murphy, Rachel Bauer, Julianne Jones, Erika Ackerlund), 1:47.2; 6. Missoula Sentinel (Ellen Brooks, Kyla Dennis, Hailey Gray, Andrea Schmidt), 1:47.42.

Boys 200-yard freestyle relay - 1. Helena High (Nick Angeli, Stephen Murphy, Colton Bauer, Pete Kotson), 1:33.61; 2. Glacier (Jake Cirincione, Joshua Loyda, Nate Burham, Alex Augusts), 1:34.93; 3. Bozeman (Cameron Gentry, Connor Ballenger, Wade Spoerl, Sami Mostefa), 1:36.02; 4. Missoula Hellgate (Jacob Butler, Nick Giammona, Taz Scariano, Ethan Choi), 1:36.98; 5. BUTTE HIGH (Jake Bentley, Levin Mullaney, Chad Hicks, Keegan Whalen), 1:40.02; 6. Great Falls (Justice Beckner, Kyle Griffin, Austin. Johnson, Taylor Riphensburg), 1:40.23.

Girls 100-yard backstroke - 1. Hanni Leach (HGATE), *54.24; 2. McKinley Hall (BOZE), 1:00.88; 3. Molly Hamilton (BOZE), 1:01.57; 4. Kate Heryla (CMR), 1:02.72; 5. Sami Duval (BC), 1:04.63; 6. Alexis Lyle (BSR), 1:05.95.

Boys 100-yard backstroke - 1. Jason Smith (BOZE), 51.92; 2. Joshua Loyda (GLA), 53.74; 3. Cale Berkoff (HGATE), 54.67; 4. Ryan Mason (SEN), 54.98; 5. Connor Maas (BSR), 56.16; 6. Chandler Zins (BC), 56.72 Girls 100-yard breaststroke 1. Hailey Jacobson (HGATE), 1:06.77; 2. Linnaya Luoma (SKY), 1:10.13; 3. Kilee Rohlf (CMR), 1:10.15; 4. Avery Vernon (HGATE), 1:10.88; 5. Kelsi Nabity (BOZE), 1:11.06; 6. Svea Malmstrom (BOZE), 1:12.81.

Boys 100-yard breaststroke - 1. Adam Zimmer (BSKY), *58.42; 2. Patrick Martyak (HGATE), 1:02.17; 3. Habib Mostefa (BOZE), 1:04.38; 4. Keegan Whelan (BUTTE), 1:04.39; 5. Elijah Parker (CMR), 1:05.65; 6. Ethan Choi (HGATE), 1:05.83.

Girls 400-yard freestyle relay - 1. Missoula Hellgate (Katie Michell, Mary Rhoades, Hailey Jacobson, Hanni Leach), 3:37.74; 2. Bozeman (Hailey Hamlin, Molly Hamilton, McKinley Hall, Grace Walkuski), 3:43.61; 3. Capital (Addy Shull, Melissa Patterson, Livi Haider, Avree Klungland), 3:57.24; 4. Helena High (Katie Murphy, Julianne Jones, Rachel Bauer, Erika Ackerlund), 3:57.27; 5. CM Russell (Morgan Shaw, Kate Heryla, Maddi Smith, Kilee Rohlf), 3:57.29; DQ. Billings Senior.

Boys 400-yard freestyle relay - 1. Missoula Hellgate (Cale Berkoff, John Szekely, Reed Bachman, Patrick Martyak), 3:20.10; 2. Helena High (Nick Angeli, Stephen Murphy, Pat Hooks, Pete Kotson, 3:25.09), 3:23.55; 3. Bozeman (Cameron Gentry, Jason Smith, Wade Spoerl, Habib Mostefa, 3:25.09; 4. CM Russell (Patrick Brennan, Jesse Whiteman, Elijah Parker, Brandon Miller), 3:31.75; 5. Billings Central (Pierce Oja, John Healey, Mark Bruschwein, Chandler Zins), 3:33.76; 6. Great Falls High (Austin Johnson, Nick Pearson, Justice Beckner, Taylor Riphensburg),3:43.95.