LADY FISH SWIMMERS HANG FIFTH DISTRICT BANNER
A gutted Lady Fishermen swim team still had enough to edge Taft and Seaside for the District 1 Championship Saturday.
The mounting losses for the Fishermen boys were simply too much to overcome, as they slipped to third place behind Tillamook and Rainier.
Both teams were decimated by the flu bug heading into the weekend and times were slow as a result. The Astoria boys also lost three swimmers for various disciplinary reasons leaving them without five bodies, including junior Dustin Manley, a number two seed in two different events.
To put a capper on a challenging day for the Fishermen boys, junior Manassah Israel failed to get off the platform for several seconds at the start of the 100-yard breaststroke and finished last in an event which he was seeded third.
All of those frustrations were forgotten, momentarily, as the final girls scores were announced. With key swimmers hacking and coughing and speaking in scratchy voices, the ravages of illness were still present. But despite predictions to the contrary, the Lady Fishermen still had enough energy and womanpower to come out on top in a competitive field, beating Taft by six points and finishing 23 points ahead of third place Seaside.
"We've had such a rough, rough week," said an emotional head coach Carla Oja. "The season has gone so good and to come up against the obstacles we've had...it's been kind of disheartening for the whole team to lose teammates for different reasons, illness being one of the easiest ones to take. Nevertheless, its very, very hard to be sick as a team.
"To come out with some good swims and maintain positions is pretty nice. To have this win for our girls, to carry on a tradition that has lasted five years, is bittersweet in a lot of ways. I'm proud of them."
The win is the fifth straight district championship for Astoria's girls team.
Junior Bridget Nurding recorded Astoria's only individual win, finishing the 50 yard freestyle in 27.65, just .29 seconds ahead of a strong swim by Seaside freshman Stephanie Hanthorn. Nurding also assisted Astoria's 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams to victory.
"We definitely didn't think we were gonna win," said Nurding. "I actually didn't believe that we'd won so I actually didn't celebrate because I assumed that a few seconds later they were going to say, 'Just kidding, we messed up the scores.'"
Senior Wendi Agalzoff took a pair of second places in the 100 and 200 freestyle and Rachel Gascoigne placed third in the 50 free and 100 breaststroke.
A healthy junior Eddie Duret was forced to carry the load for the depleted Astoria boys squad and came up with a pair of first place finishes in the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle, but could not carry a relay team to state by his lonesome, as Astoria's second-seeded 200 medley and 400 freestyle teams dropped to fifth in each event.
"I felt pretty good, " said Duret. "My 200 was the fastest I had gone, but my 500 has been pretty slow lately. At least I get to go to state now and prove myself."
Hanthorn had an impressive meet for the third place Seaside girls, winning the 100 freestyle in 59.90, breaking the minute barrier for the first time this year to defeat the favored Agalzoff. Junior Laura Coddington had strong swims in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke for a pair of second place finishes, her backstroke time earning her a spot at the state meet.
Seaside's boys best finish came from sophomore Cole Schwarz, who placed third in the 500 freestyle. The Seagulls' 200 and 400 free relay teams also placed fourth, but due to a strong district the 400 free team reached the state meet.
TEAM SCORES
GIRLS: Astoria 253, Taft 247, Seaside 230, Newport 151, Rainier 136, Scappoose 128, Tillamook 45, Toledo 32
BOYS: Tillamook 276, Rainier 190, Astoria 176, Newport 160, Seaside 157, Taft 135, Scappoose 64, Toledo 31
The mounting losses for the Fishermen boys were simply too much to overcome, as they slipped to third place behind Tillamook and Rainier.
Both teams were decimated by the flu bug heading into the weekend and times were slow as a result. The Astoria boys also lost three swimmers for various disciplinary reasons leaving them without five bodies, including junior Dustin Manley, a number two seed in two different events.
To put a capper on a challenging day for the Fishermen boys, junior Manassah Israel failed to get off the platform for several seconds at the start of the 100-yard breaststroke and finished last in an event which he was seeded third.
All of those frustrations were forgotten, momentarily, as the final girls scores were announced. With key swimmers hacking and coughing and speaking in scratchy voices, the ravages of illness were still present. But despite predictions to the contrary, the Lady Fishermen still had enough energy and womanpower to come out on top in a competitive field, beating Taft by six points and finishing 23 points ahead of third place Seaside.
"We've had such a rough, rough week," said an emotional head coach Carla Oja. "The season has gone so good and to come up against the obstacles we've had...it's been kind of disheartening for the whole team to lose teammates for different reasons, illness being one of the easiest ones to take. Nevertheless, its very, very hard to be sick as a team.
"To come out with some good swims and maintain positions is pretty nice. To have this win for our girls, to carry on a tradition that has lasted five years, is bittersweet in a lot of ways. I'm proud of them."
The win is the fifth straight district championship for Astoria's girls team.
Junior Bridget Nurding recorded Astoria's only individual win, finishing the 50 yard freestyle in 27.65, just .29 seconds ahead of a strong swim by Seaside freshman Stephanie Hanthorn. Nurding also assisted Astoria's 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams to victory.
"We definitely didn't think we were gonna win," said Nurding. "I actually didn't believe that we'd won so I actually didn't celebrate because I assumed that a few seconds later they were going to say, 'Just kidding, we messed up the scores.'"
Senior Wendi Agalzoff took a pair of second places in the 100 and 200 freestyle and Rachel Gascoigne placed third in the 50 free and 100 breaststroke.
A healthy junior Eddie Duret was forced to carry the load for the depleted Astoria boys squad and came up with a pair of first place finishes in the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle, but could not carry a relay team to state by his lonesome, as Astoria's second-seeded 200 medley and 400 freestyle teams dropped to fifth in each event.
"I felt pretty good, " said Duret. "My 200 was the fastest I had gone, but my 500 has been pretty slow lately. At least I get to go to state now and prove myself."
Hanthorn had an impressive meet for the third place Seaside girls, winning the 100 freestyle in 59.90, breaking the minute barrier for the first time this year to defeat the favored Agalzoff. Junior Laura Coddington had strong swims in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke for a pair of second place finishes, her backstroke time earning her a spot at the state meet.
Seaside's boys best finish came from sophomore Cole Schwarz, who placed third in the 500 freestyle. The Seagulls' 200 and 400 free relay teams also placed fourth, but due to a strong district the 400 free team reached the state meet.
TEAM SCORES
GIRLS: Astoria 253, Taft 247, Seaside 230, Newport 151, Rainier 136, Scappoose 128, Tillamook 45, Toledo 32
BOYS: Tillamook 276, Rainier 190, Astoria 176, Newport 160, Seaside 157, Taft 135, Scappoose 64, Toledo 31
posted by Matt Richert at 6:09 AM
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