Eli McLennan placed fourth in the 100-yard backstroke Saturday at state. The boys tied for 10th in the team standings. (File photo by Logan Hannigan-Downs/Philomath News)
The Philomath High School boys swim team had a top-10 team finish and four top-eight performances at Saturday’s 4A meet at Cottage Grove.
Senior Eli McLennan ended his Warrior career in the pool with a fourth-place showing in his primary event, the 100-yard backstroke. McLennan swam the distance in 1:02.74, nearly seven-tenths of a second faster than his time at districts.
Sophomore Carrson Hirte placed seventh in the 100 freestyle in 55.45 seconds, nearly a full second faster than his district time. Senior Caleb Matthews took eighth in the 100 breaststroke in 1:15.13, an improvement of 1.67 seconds over his time at the district meet.
The other top-eight performance was turned in by the PHS 200 medley relay. McLennan, sophomore Kellen Houchin, Hirte and Matthews swam to a 1:55.71, which was good for sixth place.
Among the other results for the boys, Houchin was ninth in the 100 breaststroke (1:16.47) and 15th in the 100 butterfly (1:13.33); Hirte was 12th in the 50 freestyle (25.49), McLennan was 15th in the 50 freestyle (26.28), sophomore Micah Matthews was 12th in the 100 breaststroke (1:18.42) and the 200 freestyle relay of McLennan, Houchin, Caleb Matthews and Hirte was ninth (1:44.43).
In the final team standings, Marshfield edged Marist Catholic for first place by 10 points. Philomath tied for 10th with Newport.
Senior Melia Morton placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke and eighth in the 200 IM. (File photo by Logan Hannigan-Downs/Philomath News)
Senior Melia Morton had two top-eight finishes in her final high school meet. In the 100 breaststroke, Morton touched the wall in fourth place with a time of 1:16.21. She was eighth in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:32.82. Both times were faster than districts, primarily in the 200 IM with an improvement of over 5 seconds.
Senior Audrey Davis placed eighth in the 500 freestyle with a career-best 6:06.37, a time that was more than 4 seconds faster than her swim at districts.
In other individual girls results, Davis was 10th in the 200 freestyle (2:22.55) and sophomore Emma Holden finished 14th in the 500 freestyle (7:19.11).
All three of the girls’ relays qualified. The 200 freestyle with Davis, sophomore Grace Bennett, senior Ruth Cropp and Morton finished 10th (2:07.03). The 200 medley with junior Ophelia Katsikis, Davis, Morton and Cropp was 11th (2:19.12). And the 400 freestyle with Holden, freshman Madison Juhl, junior Kaeleigh Houchin and Katsikis was 11th (5:01.06).
Philomath’s girls were 13th in the team standings.
Class 4A State Meet Saturday, June 26, at Cottage Grove HS BOYS
Team Scoring
1, Marshfield 227; 2, Marist Catholic 217; 3, Seaside 172; 4, Klamath Union 169; 5, North Valley 137; 6, Stayton 127; 7, Hidden Valley 106; 8, Henley 96; 9, Madras 76; 10, Newport 69; 10, Philomath 69; 12, Phoenix 67; 13, La Grande 50; 14, Molalla 41; 15, Cottage Grove 34; 16, Sweet Home 28; 17, Astoria 26; 18, North Marion 13; 18, Cascade 13; 18, Gladstone 13.
Winners & PHS Results
200 Medley Relay
1. Marist Catholic (Kyler Lajoie, Hudson Jarvis, Jackson Anderson, Ryan Watts), 1:47.56
