By Tiffany L. Rehbein
Ryan Bennett had one of the best showings at the Great Falls Duals Friday.
After slipping off the slick starting block, he began the race more than half a pool length back from the pack.
Bennett, a junior, won the race with a time of 1:02.61, nearly beating his own personal-best time.
It had been awhile since the Havre High swim team swept both Great Falls High and C.M. Russell, but the Blue Ponies did it at Great Falls.
"All of our kids swam really well," said head coach Chris O'Donnell. "The best thing that I saw was the boys' 200 medley relay took four seconds off their time. That puts them right with the big guns in the state."
The relay, comprised of Bennett, Tyler Croft, Nick Porter, and J.J. Albertson, won the race in 1:48.
The boys also fared well in the 200 IM. Croft won the race in 2:16.01, Nick Porter was second with a time of 2:19.82, and J. Howland was fifth with a time of 2:45.53.
Croft also won the 100 breast with a time of 1:06.17.
Albertson placed third in the men's 50 free, finishing with a time of 25:45.
"Our goal is to swim under 30 seconds in the 50 free, and under the one minute mark in the 100 free," O'Donnell said. "I saw kids do that this weekend."
Senior Donovan Ewing placed second in the 100 free, with a time of 58:55. Brian Ehlert placed second in the 500 free, with a time of 6:13.62.
The boys defeated CMR 175-62, but were edged by the Bison, 139-138.
On the girls' side, the Ponies handed the Bison a 136-135 loss, and beat the Rustlers, 141-129.
Elizabeth Stuker, of Chinook, placed second in the 200 IM, knocking three seconds from her personal-best time.
Stuker and Maureen Porter finished second and third, respectively, in the 100 fly with times of 1:10.77 and 1:16.52.
Erin Lynch placed third in the 100 free with a time of 1:04.42.
Cara Holmquist placed first in the 100 breast stroke with a time of 1:17.10. Kathy McShane placed fourth, and Jen Forsythe and Carly Toldness placed sixth and seventh, respectively, in the event.
At the Bozeman Invitational Saturday, the Blue Pony girls finished fourth with 61 points. Bozeman won the meet with 149 points, while Great Falls High and CMR finished second and third, with 79 and 74 points, respectively.
"The girls did really well. They doubled their points from last year," O'Donnell said.
The Havre boys finished third with 83 points. Bozeman won the meet with 181 points and Great Falls was second with 95 points.
Top finishers for the Ponies included Nick Porter, who won the 100 free with a time of 1:01.31.
Porter also placed second in the 200 IM, with a time of 2:42.38. Bennett placed second in the 100 fly with a time of 1:10.98.
Croft finished second in the 100 breast, clocking in at 1:18.49.
The girls' 400 free relay placed second with a time of 4:57.32.
Bethanie Keim, Maria Gilleece, and Christy Franson each swam well for the Ponies in the effort.
CMR/GFH/Havre Meet
Women 200 R-Medley -- 3. Havre A, 2:06.38; 6. Havre B, 2:33.26; 8. Havre C, 3:03.23
Men 200 R-Medley -- 1. Havre A, 1:48.93; 4. Havre B, 2:09.22
Women 200 Free -- 4. C. Franson, 2:35.51; 5. B. Keim, 2:36.07; 6. C. Toldness, 2:45.39; 10. B. O'Connell, 3:05.57
Men 200 Free -- 4. Brian Ehlert, 2:17.37; 8. M. Pizzini, 2:59.80
Women 200 IM -- 2. E. Stuker, 2:33.56
Men 200 IM -- 1. Tyler Croft, 2:16.01; 2. Nick Porter, 2:19.82; 5. J. Howland, 2:45.53
Women 50 Free -- 5. M. Gilleece, 29.50; 10. C. Franson, 31.44; 15. Jen Forsythe, 34.12; 18. Jen Dibblee, 37.07; 21. Jen Vaughn, 39.14; 25. A. Rundquist, 43.81
Men 50 Free -- 3. JJ Albertson, 25.45; 10. Billingsley, 31.24; 11. S. Sinclair, 32.44; M. Franson, Scratch
Women 100 Fly -- 2. E. Stuker, 1:10.77; 3. M. Porter, 1:16.52; J. Berkstead, DQ
Men 100 Fly -- 1. Ryan Bennett, 1:-2.61; 3. Nick Porter, 1:04.52; 3. D. Ewing, 1:04.52
Women 100 Free -- . Erin Lynch, 1:04.42; 5. M. Gilleece, 1:06.34; 6. K. McShane, 1:08.25; 8. J. Habeger, 1:09.20
Men 100 Free -- 2. D. Ewing, 58.55; 4. JJ Albertson, 59.67; 6. Joey Howland, 1:07.30; 8. M. Franson, 1:23.48; T. Abdallah, Scratch
Women 500 Free -- 2. M. Porter, 6:27.37; 5. B. Keim, 7:15.15; 7. B. O'Connell, 8:09.99; 8. J. Berkstead, 9:10.22
Men 500 Free -- 2. Brian Ehlert, 6:13.62; 4. C. Cunningham, 7:28.29
Women 200 Free -- 3. Havre A, 1:58.39; 5. Havre B, 2:17.83; 8. Havre C, 2:44.11
Men 200 R-Free -- 2. Havre A, 1:51.38; 5. Havre B, 2:05.34
Women 100 Back -- 4. Erin Lynch, 1:16.28; 8. J. Habeger, 1:24.84; 11. Jen Dibblee, 1:43.26; 13. Jen Vaughn, 1:47.70
Men 100 Back -- 3. Ryan Bennett, 1:01.86; 5. J. Howland, 1:19.81; 7. Billingsley, 1:40.61; T. Abdallah, Scratch
Women 100 Breast -- 1. C. Holmquist, 1:17.10; 4. K. McShane, 1:24.97; 6. Jen Forsythe, 1:26.96; 7. C. Toldness, 1:30.78; 14. A. Rundquist, 1:47.28
Men 100 Breast -- 1. Tyler Croft, 1:06.17; 4. C. Cunningham, 1:16.51; 9. M. Pizzini, 1:26.14; 10. Joey Howland, 1:32.23; 11. S. Sinclair, 1:42.59
Women R-Free -- 1. Havre A, 4:19.63
Men 400 R-Free -- 1. Havre A, 3:47.03
Girls
Bison 135
Havre 136
CMR 129
Havre 141
Overall: Havre 277; Bison 268; CMR 251
Boys
CMR 62
Havre 175
Bison 139
Havre 138
Overall: Havre 313; Bison 303; CMR 119
Bozeman High School Swimming Invitational
Female -- 4. Havre High, 61
Male -- 3. Havre High, 83
Female Senior 200 R-Medley -- 4. Havre High, 2:28.43; 15. Havre High B, 3:19.81
Male 200 R-Medley -- 2. Havre High A, 2:10.11; 6. Havre High B, 2:29.49
Female Senior 200 Free -- 4. Maureen Porter, 2:34.35; 7. Erin Lynch, 2:50.31; 12. Bethanie Keim, 3:02.42
Male Senior 200 Free -- 6. Tyler Croft, 2:23.81; 14. Joey Howland, 3:13.82; 16. Tom Billingsley, 3:25.74
Female Senior 200 IM -- 6. Elizabeth Stuker, 3:00.07; 10. Maria Gilleece, 3:15.41; 15. Jamie Habeger, 3:36.57
Male Senior 200 -- 2. Nick Porter, 2:42.38; 7. Donovan Ewing, 3:02.46; 13. James Howland, 3:16.51
Female Senior 50 Free -- 11. Christy Franson, 32.53; 15. Carly Toldness, 34.20; 19. Kathy McShane, 34.85
Male Senior 50 Free -- 6. JJ Albertson, 29.41; 19. Tom Billingsley, 35.18; 23. Skye Sinclair, 37.91
Female Senior 100 Fly -- 5. Elizabeth Stuker, 1:20.99
Male Senior 100 Fly -- 2. Ryan Bennett, 1:10.98; 5. Donovan Ewing, 1:21.02; 6. Brian Ehlert, 1:23.50
Female Senior 100 Free -- 3. Maureen Porter, 1:07.75; 14. Carly Toldness, 1:20.07; 15. Christy Franson, 1:20.80
Male Senior 100 Free -- 1. Nick Porter, 1:01.31; 8. JJ Albertson, 1:08.87; 14. Marvin Franson, 1:15.80
Female Senior 400 Free -- 10. Bethanie Keim, 6:38.72; 16. B. O'Connell, 7:72.93; 18. Jen Beckstead, 8>23.76
Male Senior 400 Free -- 5. Ryan Bennett, 5:17.17; 7. James Howland, 6:21.35
Female Senior 200 R-Free -- 8. Havre High A, 2:18.68; 15. Havre High B, 2:33.75; 20. Havre High C, 3:18.83
Male Senior 200 R-Free -- 11. Havre High B, 2:23.80; Havre High A, DQ
Female Senior 100 Back -- 6. Erin Lynch, 1:29.14; Jen Dibblee, 2:00.01; 20. Jen Vaughn, 2:07.41
Male Senior 100 Back -- 7. Brian Ehlert, 1:23.57
Female Senior 100 Breast -- 5. Cara Holmquist, 1:33.62; 7. Jen Forsythe, 1:37.13; 23. Alicia Rundquist, 2:01.36
Male Senior 100 Breast -- 2. Tyler Croft, 1:18.49; 8. Clif Cunningham, 1:29.90; 15. Marrio Pizzini, 1:40.73
Female Senior 400 R-Free -- 2. Havre High A, 4:57.32; 6. Havre High B, 5:27.67; 13. Havre High C, 6:46.28
Male Senior 400 R-Free -- Havre High A, 4:59.79; 10. Havre High B, 6:03.34
