Braedon Littrell
Junior Braedon Littrell competes in the 200-yard freestyle on Tuesdsay against Stayton. (Photo by Logan Hannigan-Downs/Philomath News)

The Philomath High School boys and girls swim teams opened the season Tuesday with a home dual against Stayton. The boys won four events, including two of the three relays, and edged the Eagles, 59-52. The girls, meanwhile, put a shorthanded squad into the pool and lost to the visitors, 105-50.

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“One thing I told them after the meet is that we are not interested in discussing any kind of an asterisk season …. we will continue to work hard to get faster and improve ourselves striving to be the best version of ourselves and our team,” PHS coach Daniel Mikula said. “Some really great swims from both the veteran swimmers as well as some of the new swimmers which leaves me looking forward to the season and those to follow.”

Two individuals had victories for the boys with sophomore Kellen Houchin in the 100-yard breaststroke and junior Braedon Littrell in the 100 butterfly. Houchin touched the wall with a time of 1:21.12 just ahead of senior teammate Caleb Matthews, who was second in 1:21.71. Littrell’s time in the fly was 1:39.72.

The 200-yard freestyle relay beat Stayton by more than 5 seconds with senior Eli McLennan, Houchin, Matthews and sophomore Carrson HIrte. The 200-yard medley relay swam unopposed and came in with a time of 2:00.56 with legs turned in by McLennan, Houchin, Hirte and Matthews.

Audrey Davis
PHS senior Audrey Davis swims the 200-yard individual medley, an event that she won in 2:41.84. (Photo by Logan Hannigan-Downs/Philomath News)

The girls’ lone victory in the dual came in the 200 IM with senior Audrey Davis. Going up against two Stayton swimmers, Davis came in with a time of 2:41.84, which was 1.69 seconds better than the runner-up.

“Stayton had some depth on the girls’ side that we just could not counter with numerous girls out this week” in preparation for state track, Mikula said.

The team captains choose PHS swimmers of the meet based on “effort, spirit and all-around embodiment of what it means to be a Warrior,” Mikula said. Littrell for the boys and Madison Juhl for the girls earned that recognition out of this first meet.

Philomath-Stayton Dual
Tuesday, May 18 at Clemens Community Pool, Philomath
BOYS
Team Scoring
Philomath 59, Stayton 52
Winners & PHS Results
200 Medley Relay
1. Philomath (Eli McLennan, Kellen Houchin, Carrson Hirte, Caleb Matthews), 2:00.56
200 Freestyle
1. Caleb Brown, Stayton, 2:34.44
2. Braedon Littrell, Philomath, 2:52.15
200 Individual Medley
1. Tanner Fixsen, Stayton, 2:08.78
2. Carrson Hirte, Philomath, 2:32.72
3. Kellen Houchin, Philomath, 2:47.87
50 Freestyle
1. Parker Dirkx, Stayton, 25.53
2. Eli McLennan, Philomath, 26.66
4. Marshall Morrison, Philomath, 34.50
100 Butterfly
1. Braedon Littrell, Philomath, 1:39.72
100 Freestyle
1. Parker Dirkx, Stayton, 59.65
2. Caleb Matthews, Philomath, 1:03.50
4. Marshall Morrison, Philomath, 1:24.78
500 Freestyle
No entries
200 Freestyle Relay
1. Philomath (Eli McLennan, Kellen Houchin, Caleb Matthews, Carrson Hirte), 1:48.72
100 Backstroke
1. Tanner Fixsen, Stayton, 59.91
2. Eli McLennan, Philomath, 1:04.57
100 Breaststroke
1. Kellen Houchin, Philomath, 1:21.12
2. Caleb Matthews, Philomath, 1:21.71
400 Freestyle Relay
1. Stayton (Parker Dirkx, Tanner Fixsen, Mason Luna, Grant Vogel), 4:16.37
GIRLS
Team Scoring
Stayton 105, Philomath 50
Winners & PHS Results
200 Medley Relay
1. Stayton (Caitlyn Martinak, Avery Mannix, Liberty Wiseman, Ashley Rea), 2:17.71
3. Philomath (Ophelia Katsikus, Audrey Davis, Grace Bennett, Allison Neelands), 2:53.00
200 Freestyle
1. Kylie Mannix, Stayton, 2:12.53
3. Ruth Cropp, Philomath, 2:53.40
4. Emma Holden, Philomath, 2:55.00
200 Individual Medley
1. Audrey Davis, Philomath, 2:41.84
50 Freestyle
1. Ashley Rea, Stayton, 29.41
2. Allison Neelands, Philomath, 30.53
5. Madison Juhl, Philomath, 41.62
6. Phoebe Coen, Philomath, 44.07
100 Butterfly
1. Liberty Wiseman, Stayton, 1:32.21
2. Katherine Holden, Philomath, 1:54.06
100 Freestyle
1. Caitlyn Martinak, Stayton, 1:06.41
2. Allison Neelands, Philomath, 1:13.38
3. Kaeleigh Houchin, Philomath, 1:18.09
500 Freestyle
1. Kylie Mannix, Stayton, 5:51.47
2. Audrey Davis, Philomath, 6:27.09
4. Emma Holden, Philomath, 8:17.41
200 Freestyle Relay
1. Stayton (Ashley Rea, Avery Mannix, Bethany Wagar, Kylie Mannix), 1:58.53
2. Philomath (Kaeleigh Houchin, Emma Holden, Allison Neelands, Audrey Davis), 2:12.53
3. Philomath B (Katherine Holden, Madison Juhl, Ruth Cropp, Grace Bennett), 2:25.56
100 Backstroke
1. Caitlyn Martinak, Stayton, 1:14.25
3. Ophelia Katsikis, Philomath, 1:27.56
4. Grace Bennett, Philomath, 1:44.40
100 Breaststroke
1. Avery Mannix, Stayton, 1:27.37
400 Freestyle Relay
1. Stayton (Kylie Mannix, Bethany Wagar, Liberty Wiseman, Caitlyn Martinak), 4:25.38
2. Philomath (Kaeleigh Houchin, Ruth Cropp, Ophelia Katsikis, Emma Holden), 5:20.75
4. Philomath B (Phoebe Coen, Madison Juhl, Grace Bennett, Katherine Holden), 6:18.22

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