Friday, October 26, 2007

WRHS swimmers are regional champs for fourth year


"We've had another great high school season," said Wood River High School swimming coach Brian Gallagher.

Wood River girls, aiming for the big state meet in Boise Nov. 2-3, continued to excel last Saturday by winning their fourth consecutive Regional Championship title by a 149-point margin in Twin Falls.

Gallagher's girls, unbeaten in all dual and tri-meets over four years and in all the 2007 invitational meets, outdistanced second-place Hillcrest of Idaho Falls by a 420-271 margin during the 14-school meet.

Natalie Hague (50 free), Jon Atkinson (50 free) and Racheal McGinnis (100 free) won individual golds at Twin Falls. And the Wood River girls' "A" relay team won the 200 medley, 200 free and 400 free.

Hague, Lacey Werley and Taylor Straley are girls' team captains. Captain of the boys is Jon Atkinson. The Wood River boys placed sixth of 12 teams Saturday with 139 points.

"Every swimmer on the girls' team (13 swimmers) and three members of the boys' team have qualified for at least one individual event at state," Gallagher said.

The Idaho State High School Championships are Friday, Nov. 2, at 3:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 3, at 9:45 a.m. at West Boise YMCA.

Explaining the difficulty of a small school competing at state, Gallagher said: "In Idaho high school swimming, the state championships are truly a state championship. There are no divisions based on size of schools. It means that all qualified state swimmers compete together.

"Twelve returning members of last year's Girls' State Championship team will give the Wood River Wolverines a strong position in multiple individual events and in the relays at state in Boise," he said.

"Each member of the 2007 team is particularly dedicated to the team and to their sport. They are proud to represent Wood River High School and our community. Each has swum tens of thousands of yards this past year in preparation for the state championships."

In other relay finishes at regionals, Wood River's girls' "B" team finished fifth in the 200 medley and 40 free, while the WRHS boys were second in 200 free and third in 400 free.

Here are regional meet placings from Twin Falls.

1sts—Natalie Hague (50 free); Jon Atkinson (50 free); Racheal McGinnis (100 free).

2nds—Megan Hayes (200 IM); Natalie Hague (100 free); Jon Atkinson (100 free); Racheal McGinnis (100 back).

3rds—Taylor Coiner (500 free); Megan Hayes (100 back).

4ths—Taylor Coiner (200 free); Taylor Straley (200 IM).

5ths—Gene Fairbrother (100 fly); Michael Coiner (100 back); Sarah Brown (100 breast).

6ths—Michael Coiner (200 IM); Ashleigh Share (50 free); Jessica Pennington (100 fly); Taylor Straley (500 free).

8ths—Max Jones (100 free); Sophie Nosworthy (100 breast).

9ths—Sarah Brown (200 free); Esther Williams (500 free).

10ths—Esther Williams (200 free); Ashleigh Share (100 free); Melissa Becker (500 free); Matt Lichtenberg (100 breast).

11ths—Melissa Becker (200 free); Sophie Nosworthy (50 free).

12ths—Jessica Pennington (100 breast).

13ths—Matt Lichtenberg (50 free).




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