The Philomath High School swim teams swept North Marion in a home dual on Wednesday at Clemens Community Pool in a rescheduled meet that served as an opportunity to recognize Warrior seniors.
The girls had strength in numbers and won nine of 11 events for a 99-39 final score. The boys outswam the visitors as well by a 70-41 margin while winning seven of the 11 events.
PHS junior Allison Neelands was a two-event winner by touching first in the 200-yard freestyle and the 50-yard freestyle. Neelands won the 200 free by 12.5 seconds with a time of 2:28.50 and the 50 free by a 1.57-second margin with a time of 29.06. Neelands also swam on two winning relays.
Other victories in contested races were turned in by freshman Kyah Weeber in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:44.56, which was more than 8 seconds faster than the runner-up. Senior Ophelia Katsikis took the 100 backstroke in 1:29.75, a margin of more than 7 seconds over the runner-up.
Junior Katherine Holden and junior Emma Holden were lone entrants in the 100 butterfly and 500 freestyle, respectively. Katherine Holden had a time of 1:32.28 and Emma Holden’s marathon swim came in at 7:15.34.
Weeber finished a close second in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:25.53, which was 0.62 of a second behind the winner.
All three girls’ relays were winners with two of the three being contested. In the 200 medley, Katsikis, Weeber, Katherine Holden and Neelands swam a 2:25.25 to take first by a margin of 12.66 seconds over the North Marion entrants.
Emma Holden, senior Kaeleigh Houchin, sophomore Madison Juhl and Neelands teamed up to win the 200 freestyle relay in 2:07.41, a margin of 9.09 seconds over the North Marion foursome.
The 400 freestyle relay of Emma Holden, Juhl, freshman Kateri Pindell and Weeber swam alone and had a time of 5:03.59.
For the boys, junior Carrson Hirte notched two more victories for his season with first place in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. Hirte easily won the 50 free in 25.21 seconds, which was a margin of 3.39 seconds over the second-place finisher. Hirte’s time in the 100 breaststroke was 1:15.84, which edged junior teammate Kellen Houchin by 0.66 of a second.
Three of Philomath’s wins came in uncontested races — junior Micah Matthews in the 100 butterfly (1:30.53), senior Braedon Littrell in the 100 freestyle (1:04.53) and freshman Emmitt Gaskey in the 100 backstroke (1:29.18).
Houchin finished second in the 200 individual medley but pushed North Marion senior Jude Toth to the limit with a time of 2:36.91 — 0.87 of a second behind the winner.
Philomath’s 200 medley relay won with legs by Matthews, Houchin, Hirte and Littrell. They covered the distance in 2:01.50 and touched the wall 3.10 seconds ahead of the North Marion squad.
The 200 freestyle relay went to North Marion but the race was competitive. The Warriors’ foursome of Littrell, Houchin, sophomore Henry Katsikis and Hirte finished in 1:49.19, which was 0.85 of a second behind the Huskies.
Philomath’s 400 freestyle relay swam uncontested. The foursome of sophomore Marshall Morrison, Gaskey, Matthews and Katsikis came in with a time of 4:45.43.
Four PHS seniors were recognized at the dual — Littrell for the boys and Emery Boutilier, Houchin and Katsikis for the girls.
Philomath gets in the pool again on Friday with a trip over to Sweet Home. Kennedy and Cascade are also scheduled to participate.
Philomath Dual vs. North Marion
Wednesday, Jan. 19, at Clemens Community Pool, Philomath HS
BOYS
Philomath 70, North Marion 41
Winners & PHS Results
200 Medley Relay 1. Philomath (Matthews, Houchin, Hirte, Littrell), 2:01.50 200 Freestyle 1. Mitchell Doubrava, North Marion, 2:36.00 200 Individual Medley 1. Jude Toth, North Marion, 2:36.04 2. Kellen Houchin, Philomath, 2:36.91 3. Micah Matthews, Philomath, 2:46.60 50 Freestyle 1. Carrson Hirte, Philomath, 25.21 3. Braedon Littrell, Philomath, 28.60 5. Henry Katsikis, Philomath, 29.16 6. Marshall Morrison, Philomath, 30.50 7. Emmitt Gaskey, Philomath, 31.44 100 Butterfly 1. Micah Matthews, Philomath, 1:30.53 100 Freestyle 1. Braedon Littrell, Philomath, 1:04.53 500 Freestyle 1. Jude Toth, North Marion, 6:35.13 2. Marshall Morrison, Philomath, 7:36.50 200 Freestyle Relay 1. North Marion (Toth, Alvord, Doubrava, Huges), 1:48.34 2. Philomath (Littrell, Houchin, Katsikis, Hirte), 1:49.19 100 Backstroke 1. Emmitt Gaskey, Philomath, 1:29.18 100 Breaststroke 1. Carrson Hirte, Philomath, 1:15.84 2. Kellen Houchin, Philomath, 1:16.50 5. Henry Katsikis, Philomath, 1:26.48 400 Freestyle Relay 1. Philomath (Morrison, Gaskey, Matthews, Katsikis), 4:45.43
GIRLS
Philomath 99, North Marion 39
Winners & PHS Results
200 Medley Relay 1. Philomath (Katsikis, Weeber, K. Holden, Neelands), 2:25.25 3. Philomath B (Pindell, Houchin, Mahoney, Boutilier), 2:40.22 200 Freestyle 1. Allison Neelands, Philomath, 2:28.50 2. Emma Holden, Philomath, 2:41.00 200 Individual Medley 1. Kyah Weeber, Philomath, 2:44.56 3. Abilyn Mahoney, Philomath, 3:31.12 50 Freestyle 1. Allison Neelands, Philomath, 29.06 3. Madison Juhl, Philomath, 31.47 4. Emery Boutilier, Philomath, 33.81 5. Ophelia Katsikis, Philomath, 34.03 6. Kateri Pindell, Philomath, 34.13 11. Natalee Barton, Philomath, 42.66 13. Marliese Navarrete, Philomath, 1:05.94 100 Butterfly 1. Katherine Holden, Philomath, 1:32.28 100 Freestyle 1. Saylor Swanson, North Marion, 1:10.82 2. Kaeleigh Houchin, Philomath, 1:12.47 3. Madison Juhl, Philomath, 1:13.00 5. Abilyn Mahoney, Philomath, 1:20.03 7. Marliese Navarrete, Philomath, 2:34.09 500 Freestyle 1. Emma Holden, Philomath, 7:15.34 200 Freestyle Relay 1. Philomath (E. Holden, Houchin, Juhl, Neelands), 2:07.41 3. Philomath B (Mahoney, K. Holden, Boutilier, Katsikis), 2:17.47 100 Backstroke 1. Ophelia Katsikis, Philomath, 1:29.75 2. Katherine Holden, Philomath, 1:37.16 100 Breaststroke 1. Sofia Vachter, North Marion, 1:24.91 2. Kyah Weeber, Philomath, 1:25.53 3. Kaeleigh Houchin, Philomath, 1:29.50 4. Emery Boutilier, Philomath, 1:33.69 8. Natalee Barton, Philomath, 1:43.10 400 Freestyle Relay 1. Philomath (E. Holden, Juhl, Pindell, Weeber), 5:03.59