Swimmers begin season in Harlem
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Harlem swimmers Alaynee Hawley, left and Andrew Rasmussen, right were High Point winners in their home pool this weekend. Hawley won the girls 13-14 50 yard freestyle, 100 yard freestyle and 200 yard freestyle while also swimming on both winning relays. Rasmussen won the 13-14 boys 200 yard individual medley, the 100 yard freestyle and the 200 yard freestyle.
The summer swim season officially kicked off this past weekend in Harlem as they hosted the first meet of the Montana Federation of Swimmers summer schedule.
A good number of teams were on hand and the Chinook Lions and Harlem swim teams both turned in a fine performance to begin the season.
Chinook won the overall team championship racking up nearly 700 points and also had three individual High Point winners. Harlem swam very well as well and claimed two individual High Point winners.
Federation rules don't allow for team practice prior to June 1 so that meant one day of practice was available to swimmers prior to their first meet. Summer is short and to complete a full season every weekend is needed.
Chinook's Rachel Stephens got the new season off to a fantastic start as she won her first ever High Point trophy in Harlem. Stephens won the eight and under Bantam girls 25 yard freestyle, 50 yard freestyle and 25 yard backstroke.
Chinook's Daniel Tilleman also won three events to claim the 9-10 boys High Point. Tilleman won the 50 yard freestyle as well as the 100 yard freestyle and the 50 yard breaststroke over the weekend.
Denton DePriest was the Chinook Lions third High Point winner, claiming top honors in the 11-12 boys division with wins in the 100 yard freestyle, the 50 yard freestyle and the 50 yard breaststroke.
Harlem's Alaynee Hawley captured top honors in the girls 13-14 division with wins in the 100 yard freestyle with a time of 1:06.25. Hawley also won the 200 yard freestyle, swimming the eight lengths of the pool in 2:30.36. Her third win came in the 50 yard freestyle with a time of :20.18.
Chinook Lions Bantam Rachel Stephens won her very first High Point Trophy in Harlem this weekend winning the 25 yard freestyle, the 50 yard freestyle and the 25 yard backstroke.
Hawley also swam a leg on the 13-14 girls 200 free relay along with Amilia Blackcrow, Lacey Bell and Alaura Hawley. The quartet won the event with a time of 2:04.13. The four swimmers then turned the trick again on Sunday winning the 200 yard medley relay in 2:33.48.
Harlem's Andrew Rasmussen picked up right where he left off last season winning another High Point trophy to start the new year. Rasmussen began the meet with a win in the 200 yard individual medley, completing the four disciplines in 2:2:31.28. Rasmussen also won the 100 yard freestyle with a time of :56.71 and the 200 yard freestyle with a time of 2:08.56.
Both the Chinook and Harlem swim teams will be back in action this weekend as they head to the Malta Invitational.
After such a strong start to the season with just one practice under their belt it will be interesting to see what they can do with a full week of practice to prepare. Good luck to all our swimmers this season.
