KALISPELL Due to the Havre High School senior ball, the Havre swim team was a little short on numbers, but that didn't seem to matter much as each swimmer received a personal best in at least one event.
Competing at a meet comprised of all AA schools except for Havre, the girls placed fourth out of seven teams with 162 points. The boys team, who only had three swimmers making the treck, placed sixth with 89 points.
Kasie Teske placed fifth in the 50 meter freestyle with a time of 29:47. Teske also placed ninth in the 100 meter freestyle with a 1:09.03. Elizabeth Stuker also placed in the top 10 twice with an eigth-place finish in the 100 meter breaststroke and a ninth-place finish in the 100 meter backstroke with times of 1:20.49 and 1:12.83, respectively.
Brittne Zimmer and Bethanie Keim both competed in the 200 meter individual medley and 100 meter freestyle. Zimmer placed ninth in the IM, edging out Keim with a time of 2:56.11, while Keim finished in 2:57.25. Keim beat out Zimmer in the 100 free with a time of 1:10.06 to 1:12.01.
Emily Kostelecky and Danielle Barton also placed in the top 20 for the Ponies. Kostelecky placed 12th in the 50 meter freestyle in 32.61 and 19th in the 100 meter backstroke in 1:32.96. Barton placed 14th in the 100 free in 1:14.76 and 15th in the 100 backstroke in 1:22.59.
Other placers for Havre were Stephanie Mariani and Katie Toldness. Mariani placed 20th in the 100 free in 1:22.23 and 24th in the 50 free in 36.01. Toldness placed 23rd in the 100 free in 1:25.71 and 28th in the 50 free with a time of 36.75.
The relay teams were another strong point for Havre, taking two seventh place finishes, a ninth-place finish and a 10th-place finish. The 400 meter relay team, behind Kostelecky, Mariani, Keim and Toldness placed seventh with a time of 5:14.85 The 200 meter relay first team also placed seventh, members Stuker, Zimmer, Teske and Keim raced to a 2:04.67. Placing ninth was the 200 meter medley relay team with a time of 2:16.75. Swimmers included Barton, Stuker, Zimmer and Teske. The 200 meter freestyle relay second team added a 10th place finish with a time of 2:19.75. Swimmers included Barton, Stuker, Zimmer and Teske.
Freshman Scott Robinson sparked the boys' team with second and third place finishes. Robinson placed second in the 50 meter freestyle with a time of 24.34 and third in the 100 free in 55:03.
Brian Childree also made the trip and placed eighth in the 100 meter freestyle and 12th in the 50 meter freestyle. Childree's 100 meter time was 1:08.14 and his 50 meter time was 30.54.
Philip Schatzka placed eighth in the 100 meter backstroke and 14th in the 50 meter freestyle. His backstroke time was 1:23.67 and his freestyle time was 32.34.
"We had an outstanding meet with everyone receiving personal bests in at least one event," head coach Chris O'Donnell said. "The kids are swimming faster at the first meet this season than they did at the end of the year last year. This is exciting to see and makes us excited for the upcoming season."
Girls team results: 1. Flathead High 812.5; 2. Hellgate High 456.5; 3. Great Falls High 365.5; 4. Havre High 162; 5. CM Russell High 117; 6. Sentinel High 98.5; 7. Big Sky 8.
Boys team results: 1. Hellgate High 453.5; 2. Flathead High 378; 3. Sentinel High 319.5; 4. Great Falls High 179; 5. Big Sky 170; 6. Havre High 89; 7. CM Russell High 27.
