Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Records fall, WRHS girls regain state title

At state swimming competition in Boise


Wood River senior Colby Werley competes in the 200 Individual Medley event at last weekend’s state meet. Courtesy photo by Kevin Syms

Stellar swimming efforts that resulted in six new school records helped the Wood River High School girls’ swimming team to another Idaho State High School Swimming Championship Saturday in Boise.

Wood River continued to dominate Idaho’s high school swimming as coach Brian Gallagher’s talented squad of 10 girls and five boys performed exceptionally well against 510 swimmers from 65 high schools Friday and Saturday.

Coming into the prestigious two-day meet after winning their ninth straight district title, the Wood River’s girls captured their sixth overall state team championship in the last eight years. They also won in the crown in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

In a very close and exciting meet, Wood River held off strong efforts from Eagle High School and Boise High to win the 4A competition.

Senior Lena Friesen, one of Gallagher’s veteran racers, starred for Wood River as the high-point winner. She won two individual events—the girls’ 200 I.M. in 2:10.90 and 100 breaststroke in 1:05.84 setting a new Wood River High record.

She also anchored the winning girls’ 400 freestyle relay, setting a new Wood River record at 3:42.40 with teammates freshman Maddie Johnson, sophomore Kaedi Fry and freshman Olivia Wentzell.

The Wolverine boys finished fourth in 4A, their best team result ever in the state contest.

Four other Wolverine records were broken. They were:

Maddie Johnson in 100 butterfly with a time of 58.45 (2nd place); senior Gus Kimball in the boys’ 100 breaststroke in 1:06.28 (9th place); and senior Markus Lemma set two new WRHS records, one in the boys’ 50 Freestyle in 22.68 (6th place) and in the Men’s 100 freestyle in 50.51 (5th place).

Other outstanding results for Wood River included:

Boys’ 200 medley team of Gus Kimball, junior Luke Verst, Markus Lemma and junior Brandon Yegla (13th);

Senior Tayler Bates placed 12th and freshman Loni Unser 13th in 200 free; sophomore Kaedi Fry 4th and senior Colby Werley 9th in 200 I.M.;

Sophomore Kelsey Syms 6th in 100 fly followed by Tayler Bates 8th and freshman Ashley Dreyfus who placed 9th winning the consolation heat; Olivia Wentzell 6th in 100 free; Loni Unser, 9th in 500 free winning the consolation heat;

Wood River’s 200 free relay of Tayler Bates, Ashley Dreyfus, Colby Werley and Kelsey Syms placed 6th; Kaedi Fry picked up a 5th in 100 back followed by teammates Maddie Johnson 6th and Kelsey Syms 11th;

Olivia Wentzell 4th and Colby Werley 9th in 100 breast; and the boys’ team of Gus Kimball, junior Logan Johnston, Luke Verst and Markus Lemma 10th in 400 free relay.

Wood River’s performance was a “terrific end to a hard-fought and successful swim season,” Gallagher said.

Most of the high school swimmers will continue training with him on the Sun Valley 5B year-round team, competing in USA-sanctioned meets throughout the region.




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