Prep swimming preview capsules

CBBN

CONFERENCE FORECAST

CLASS 4A LOCALS

DAVIS: Of the eight athletes competing for coach Carl Scott, seven swam last year although no one qualified for state. The Pirates’ only senior, Jessica Gonzalez, figures to specialize in freestyle events, as will junior Marisol Garza who will swim freestyles as well as the butterfly. Juniors Monica Favilla and Hannah Fischer will swim freestyles and the breastroke, respectively, while Fischer figures to compete in some of the longer freestyles. Juniors Rebecca Leslie and Christina Derrick will specialize in the backstroke and freestyles, and sophomore Julia Shim has shown promise, Scott said, although he’s not yet sure of her specialties. “We started our workouts off campus,” Scott said, explaining that maintenance work was being done at Lions pool, “so our freshmen couldn’t stop by and check things out. But we’re hoping we might get a few more kids out.”

EISENHOWER: Multi-talented sophomore Emilie Pleger, who was ninth in the 100 breast at state and had the best time among Valley performers in that event last season, will help lead the Cadets. Pleger also led local swimmers in the individual medley. “She’s a little taller and a little stronger,” coach Rick Alderson said, “so breaking the school record (in the breaststroke) is definitely on her mind.” Also back is Chris Eglin, who led Ike’s state-qualifying 200 medley relay team that also featured Pleger, and who also hopes to reach state in an individual event. Senior Kirsta Bezenek, a transfer from Alaska, has shown promise and should bolster the Cadets’ relay teams and could also have an impact in invidual events. Alderson was hoping the recently-concluded Olympics would increase the team’s turnout, but said, “They showed it way late at night on TV, so that might have been a factor. But of the 13 kids we have so far, they’re all really nice girls who seem enthusiastic about learning.”

2007 4A district results (team scores): Wenatchee 575, Moses Lake 407, Richland 330, Walla Walla 306, Eisenhower 203, Davis 121.

CLASS 3A LOCALS

SUNNYSIDE: The key returner is senior Kaitlyn Broersma, who qualified for state in the 500 free and 100 breast and placed 13th in the latter event. Her sister, Marisa, is also competing for the Grizzlies, who are swimming under the tutelage of West Valley coach Holly Dunham-Wheeler. Sophomores Toni Kastillo and Christine Kim were district finalists last year.

WEST VALLEY: A strong 11-senior contingent led by Kira Lewis and Nikki Cleary will anchor the Rams, who had more than 30 swimmers turn out for Dunham-Wheeler. Lewis, who dominated local diving competition, finished 13th at state last year after breaking school and district records with a 392.35 total that earned her Class 3A diver of the year honors. A recent ankle injury, however, will keep Lewis sidelined for two to three weeks. Cleary, meanwhile, who was among the Valley leaders in the individual medley and 100 backstroke, also swam on the WV’s 400 free relay team. Senior Emily Harpel and juniors Chezla Cadwell and Sammy Poston are state veterans from the Rams’ 400 free relay team and along with senior Katelin Sillery should continue to excel in that event and others. Cadwell was among local leaders in the 200 free and Poston held similar status in the 50 free. Dunham-Wheeler said freshmen Kelly Hausken and Heather Seaman have shown considerable promise, though the coach wasn’t certain yet as to their specialties. “We have some strong new swimmers and the team has just really jelled.”

2006 3A district results (team scores): Eastmont 497, West Valley 424, Southridge 330, Hanford 254, Kamiakin 238, Sunnyside 133, Kennewick 90.

CWAC

CONFERENCE FORECAST

LOCALS

EAST VALLEY: Kaitlin Kelsch, who finished eighth at state in the 100 butterfly and was among the Valley leaders in the the 100 breaststroke, is the top returner among three athletes representing the Red Devils under the coaching of Selah’s Leslie Brown.

ELLENSBURG: Second-year coach Debbie Nethery welcomes senior Alyssa Sauriol, who qualified for state in the 200 free (she finished fourth) and 500 free (finished seventh), among five returners. Sauriol was the Valley leader in the 200 free. Also back are Emily Carbaugh, a state qualifier in the 200 IM, Nicole Johnson, Nicole Prigge and Natalie Walker. Carbaugh has also swam the 100 breast. In addition, Johnson, Prigge, Sauriol and Carbaugh have relay experience. “We lost two seniors who swam at state last year (MacLarin Grant and Ellora Wahle), but we’re still basically in the same position we were last year,” Nethery said. “We do have some new kids and some juniors that are new.”

NACHES VALLEY: The Rangers have graduated multitalented Jillian Garrigues, the Valley leader in the 500 free and 100 back, and she finished fifth and fourth at state in those respective events. But there is another family member, freshman Lisa Garrigues, among four swimmers competing for NV under the tutelage of Selah’s Leslie Brown.

PROSSER: For sophomore Mackenzie Gant, it’s not necessarily a matter of what she’ll swim this year for the Mustangs. “What doesn’t she swim?” coach Rhonda Baker asked rhetorically. “This is a girl who has choices.” Last year as a freshman, Gant made state in the 500 free and 100 back and also swam legs on Prosser’s state-caliber 200 medley relay and 400 free relay teams. Junior Hannah Rankin was on the 200 medley relay, 200 free relay and 400 free relay state squads. McKenna Elliott, another junior, swam on the 200 free and 400 free relay teams while junior Bre Beierle qualified in the 100 breast as well as the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay teams.

SELAH: The Vikings’ hopes of defending their regional championship took a hit when junior-to-be Shelby Bodine moved to Idaho, but coach Leslie Brown is hardly abandoning that goal. Despite the absence of Bodine, who keyed Selah’s regional win over Pullman last year in Ellensburg, and who qualified for state in two individual events and two relays, the Viks have six state returners from a team that finished sixth in the Class 2A meet at Federal Way. Among the 19 swimmers turning out are sophomore Nicole Bannister, made state in the 50 free and 200 free relay; senior Brooke Anderson qualified as a wild card in the 100 back; sophomore Emily Gonseth was a wild card in the 100 breast; senior Katie McHenry made state in the 200 medley relay, 500 free and was a wild card in the 100 breast; and sophomore Rainan Viernes qualified in the 200 medley relay, 500 free and 200 free relay; and senior Megan Jones made state in the 200 medley relay and figures also to excel in the 200 IM. “We want to keep that championship in Selah,” Brown said. “We’re going to practice hard and make it happen.”

TOPPENISH: Junior Sabrina Galavez, who qualified for state last year in the 100 free and was among the Valley leaders in that event, is the lone competitor for the Wildcats.

WAPATO: Among the four swimmers and one diver representing the Wolves are returners Kirsten Cleveringa, a senior freestyler, Ariel Valdez, a senior backstroker, and Tiffany Owens, a sophomore who specializes in the breaststroke.

2007 regional results (team scores): Selah 3061/2, Pullman 303, Cheney 275, Ellensburg 256, Prosser 219, Clarkston 2131/2, Naches Valley 126, Wapato 109, Toppenish 31, East Valley 29, Cascade 3.

— Roger Underwood