Bravettes, West share state swim title

The Daily Inter Lake

Outcome hinges on final event for second-straight year

GREAT FALLS - What were the odds of this happening.

Especially for a second year in a row.

Last year's state swim meet for the girls came down to the final event - the 400 freestyle.

Billings West won the event and the state title.

Well …

West needed to do the same thing again Saturday at Great Falls High and the Golden Bears pulled it out once again. They edged Flathead for the finish line by less than an arm's length, but this time tied the Bravettes for the state title.

"I couldn't have asked any more of the kids," said Flathead coach Paul Stelter.

"They weren't even supposed to be in the game. They just swam remarkable."

West had the top time coming into the final event while Flathead was seeded fourth. The Golden Bears also trailed the Bravettes by six points at that point.

Both teams wound up breaking the state record in that relay by over two seconds.

"Girls all had personal best times," said Stelter of Megan Lavin, Jacey Stahlberg, Jenna Newgard and Scaccia in the relay.

Flathead and West both finished with 229 points. Bozeman was third, 179.

"I know this team loves challenges," said Stelter.

"It's great going in knowing no one expects you to win. Those are the sweetest ones (to win)."

It was the sixth state championship for FHS under Stelter and the team's eighth overall.

West came into the competition the favorite, but Flathead, tying for third a year ago, more than responded with two individual firsts by Scaccia and a first in the 200 medley, which included Scaccia.

Swimming with Scaccia on the 200 medley relay, which Stelter says FHS has won eight of the last 10 years, were Newgard, Lavin and Jenna Thiel.

The Bravettes also placed second by less than a second to West in the 200 freestyle relay. That foursome consisted of Jessa and Jenna Thiel, Elizabeth Myers and Jacey Stahlberg.

Scaccia broke former Flathead standout Amber Walter's state record (58.91) in the 100 butterfly (58.85) and won the 100 backstroke (1:00.17) with a personal best time, according to Stelter.

This was Scaccia's first state meet in Montana.

"She performed so well for this team," said Stelter of the senior transfer from Florida.

"You couldn't have asked for a better person to come on the team."

Stelter said the Bravettes benefitted from "a slew of seconds and thirds."

Brian Brady became the first FHS boy in a long, long time to win a state event. Brady topped the field in the 50 freestyle (22.67).

"He dominated, too," said Stelter.

Brady was also fourth in the 100 freestyle.

The Braves placed sixth in the medley relay with Dan Browne, Taylor Streit, Trevor Hunter and Brady.

Flathead was a surprising fourth in the 400 freestyle relay with Brady, Hunter, Bryce Fischer and Taylor Streit.

Bozeman, 227 points, won the boys title. Flathead was sixth, 86.

GIRLS

Team Totals

Class AA

Flathead 229, Billings West 229, Bozeman 174, Missoula Hellgate 134, Great Falls High 122, Billings Senior 105, Helena Capital 87, Butte High 56, Helena High 51, C.M. Russell High 37, Billings Skyview 34, Missoula Big Sky 14, Missoula Sentinel 13

Class A

Havre/Chinook 14, Hardin 2

200 Medley Relay

Finals - 1, Flathead (Justin Scaccia, Jenna Newgard, Megan Lavin, Jenna Thiel), 1:52.01; 2, Bozeman 1:55.71. 3, West 1:58.43. 4, Hellgate 1:58.67. 5, Senior 2:01.15. 6, Capital 2:03.80.

Consolation - 7, GFH 2:05.80. 8, Buttte 2:06.03. 9, Skyview 2:06.36. 10, Havre/Chinnook 2:07.47. 11, Sentinel 2:07.65; 12, Hardin 2:23.76.

200 Freestyle

Finals - 1, Colleen Miller, Hellgate, 1:55.45 (state record, old record Kathryn Kafentzis, Hellgate, 1998). 2, Kelsey Henan, Senior, 2:00.60. 3, Taylor Cook, West, 2:02.46. 4, Laurel Goins, Bozeman, 2:03.00. 5, Erica Hickey, GFH, 2:03.43. 6, Hilary Turner, Capital, 2:04.84.

Consolation - 7, Erin Bell, Bozeman, 2:04.83. 8, Inga Koellman, GFH, 2:05.61. 9, Leslie Taylor, CMR, 2:06.04. 10, Steph Hammer, West, 2:09.47. 11, Kaitlin McLane, Capital, 2:10.45. 12, Chelsea Burfeind, Flathead, 2:12.52.

200 Individual Medley

Finals - 1, Hannah Chura, Bozeman, 2:06.90 (state record, old record 1:07.54, Amber Walter, Flathead, 2002). 2, Emily Munday, Butte, 2:17.35. 3, Cara Duberstein, Senior, 2:18.94. 4, Daniell Blow, GFH, 2:19.07. 5, Mallory Ewer-Speck, Helena, 2:20.17. 6, Lindsay Robb, West, 2:23.62.

Consolation - 7, Jessica Knote, Senior, 2:25.29. 8, Kristen Lambers, Bozeman, 2:26.20. 9, Michael Eustance, Big Sky, 2:26.82. 10, Anna Golding, Hellgate, 2:26.96. 11, Maggie Pesanti, Hellgate, 2:32.39. 12, Alyssa Tallent, Helena High, 2:35.86.

50 Freestyle

Finals - 1, JayDee Huppert, West, 24.60. 2, Morgan Denny, West, 24.83. 3, Megan Lavin, Flathead, 24.98. 4, Jacey Stahlberg, Flathead, 25.28. 5, Jenna Thiel, Flathead, 25.60; 6, Hailee Barnes, Hellgate, 25.62.

Consolation - 7, Jessa Thiel, Flathead, 26.09. 8, Kelsey Lane, Capital, 26.45. 9, Skye McMaster, GFH, 26.61. 10, Ashley Loyning, West, 26.67. 11, Jenilee Crellin, West, 26.94. 12, Amanda Kyllo, GFH, 27.18.

100 Butterfly

Finals - 1, Justin Scaccia, Flathead, 58.85 (state record, old record 58.91, Amber Walter, Flathead, 200). 2, Emily Munday, Butte, 1:01.88. 3, Jenna Newgard, Flathead, 1:02.75. 4, Erica Hickey, GFH, 1:02.77. 5, Hannah Halstrom, Bozeman, 1:02.87. 6, Christy O'Connor, Hellgate, 1:03.94.

Consolation - 7, Hailee Barnes, Hellgate, 1:03.83. 8, Lauren Formaz, Helena, 1:05.49. 9, Lindsay Robb, West, 1:05.56. 10, Jessica Knote, Senior, 1:05.86. 11, Ashley Loyning, West, 1:07.82. 12, Kailyn Rowe, Skyview, 1:08.22.

100 Freestyle

Finals - 1, JayDee Huppert, West, 52.88. 2, Megan Lavin, Flathead, 54.94. 3, Jacey Stahlberg, Flathead, 55.00. 4, Denby Gardiner, West, 56.08. 5, Jessa Thiel, Flathead, 57.75. 6, Jordann Lankford, CMR, 59:15

Consolation - 7, Jenilee Crellin, West, 58.90. 8, Amy Gaudielle, West, West, 58.91. 9, Skye McMaster, GFH, 59.07. 10, Amanda Kyllo, GFH, 59.72. 11, Shelly Abbott, GFH, 59.92. 12, Oliva Swartz, GFH, 1:00.73.

500 Freestyle

Finals - 1, Colleen Miller, Hellgate, 5:11.80. 2, Kelsey Henan, Senior, 5:23.74. 3, Hannah Halstrom, Bozeman, 5:27.81. 4, Hilary Turner, Capital, 5:30.55. 5, Mallory Ewer-Speck, Helena, 5:35.57. 6, Leslie Taylor, CMR, 5:37.09.

Consolation - 7, Meagan Stavnitski, Bozeman, 5:27.56. 8, Molly Ezell, Senior, 5:29.96. 9, Steph Hammer, West, 5:37.50. 10, Lauren Formaz, Helena, 5:38.60. 11, Kailyn Rowe, Skyview, 5:43.82. 12, Kaitlin McLane, Capital, 5:49.88.

200 Freestyle Relay

Finals - 1, West (Morgan Denny, Jenilee Crellin, Taylor Cook, JayDee Huppert), 1:40.12. 2, Flathead 1:41.59. 3, GFH 1:44.92. 4, Bozeman 1:45.81. 5, Hellgate 1:46.21. 6, Skyview 1:51.18.

Consolation - 7. Senior 1:50.94. 8, Capital 1:51.96. 9, Helena 1:53.16. 10, CMR 1:53.81. 11, Havre/Chinnook 1:54.41. 12, Sentinel 1:54.95.

100 Backstroke

Finals - 1, Justine Scaccia, Flathead, 1:00.17. 2, Morgan Denny, West, 1:01.92. 3, Erin Bell, Bozeman, 1:03.39. 4, Anna Golding, Hellgate, 1:03.51. 5, Michael Eustance, Big Sky, 1:04.09. 6, Christy O'Connor, Hellgate, 1:05.36.

Consolation - 7, Taylor Cook, West, 1:04.26. 8, Emily Ingham, Skyview, 1:04.69. 9, Katie King, West, 1:06.08. 10, Chelsea Burfeind, Flathead, 1:07.92. 11, Megan Podolinsky, Capital, 1:07.96. 12, Jordann Lankford, CMR, 1:08.30.

100 Breaststroke

Finals - 1, Hannah Chura, Bozeman, 1:07.47. 2, Jenna Newgard, Flathead, 1:08.40. 3, Cara Duberstein, Senior, 1:13.62. 4, Danielle Sandrock, Capital, 1:14.68. 5, Danielle Blow, GFH, 1:15.28. 6, Jenna Thiel, Flathead, 1:15.53.

Consolation - 7, Denby Gardiner, West, 1:14.23. 8, Ellen Judd, Sentinel, 1:14.84. 9, Kristen Lambers, Bozeman, 1:16.56. 10, Katie King, West, 1:17.33. 11, Jeni Floener, Bozeman, 1:19.30; 12. Heather Wallis, Heather, DQ.

400 Freestyle Relay

Finals - 1, West (Morgan Denny, Taylor Cook, Denby Gardiner, JayDee Huppert) 3:37.68 (state record, old record 3:40.82, Bozeman, 2001). 2, Flathead 3:38.34. 3, Bozeman 3:45.98. 4, GFH 3:52.90. 5, Buttte 4:01.07. 6, Capital 4:04.54.

Consolation - 7, Helena 4:07.58. 8, Hellgate 4:09.14. 9, CMR 4:14.49. 10, Senior 4:26.16. 11, Havre/Chinnook 4:30.72. 12, Sentinel 4:35.48.

BOYS

Team Totals

Class AA

Bozeman 227, Missoula Hellgate 183, Helena 168, Billings West 131, Helena Capital 117, Flathead 86, Great Falls High 77, Missoula Sentinel 71, Billings Skyview 53, C.M. Russell High 30, Billings Senior 28, Missoula Big Sky 11

Class A

Billings Central 58, Havre/Chinook 26.5, Hardin 8.5

200 Medley Relay

Finals - 1, Bozeman (Michael Hulme, Matt Strauss, Scott Larson, Matt Skuntz) 1:43.48. 2, Helena 1:47.30. 3, GFH 1:47.60. 4, Hellgate 1:48.30; 5, West 1:48.52. 6, Flathead 1:49.86.

Consolation - 7, Capital 1:49.98. 8, Sentinel 1:51.59. 9, Central 1:52.29. 10, CMR 1:54.60. 11, Havre/Chinook High School 2:01.36. 12, Hardin 2:06.81.

200 Freestyle

Finals - 1, Karl Kingery, Helena, 1:45.45. 2, Nick Logan, Hellgate, 1:45.77. 3, Nate Wittnam, Senior, 1:48.24. 4, Matt Strauss, Bozeman, 1:52.97. 5, Amos Kuck, West, 1:53.42. 6, Joel Bischoff, Helena, 1:59.07.

Consolation - 7, Sean McCleary, Bozeman, 1:57.54. 8, Tommy Ross, Big Sky, 1:58.87. 9, Colin Harwell, Helena, 2:01.37. 10, Jon Chrzanowski, CMR, 2:02.84. 11, Kevin Brazier, Capital, 2:04.25. 12, Andrew Moore, Bozeman, 2:04.45.

200 Individual Medley

Finals - 1, Cascade Tuholske, Hellgate, 2:00.45. 2, Andrew Miron, Central, 2:00.98. 3, Justin Whaley, Helena, 2:02.83. 4, Major Robinson, Sentinel, 2:02.93. 5, Matthew McCallum, Bozeman, 2:07.77. 6, Brandon Mourich, West, 2:16.63.

Consolation - 7, Cody Koffman, Capital, 2:13.49. 8, Brad Floener, Bozeman, 2:15.98. 9, Dylan Larson, Helena, 2:16.82. 10, Dean Broadbrooks, Bozeman, 2:19.88. 11, Jeff Marty, Helena, 2:19.99. 12, Bryce Fischer, Flathead, 2:26.00.

50 Freestyle

Finals - 1, Brian Brady, Flathead, 22.67. 2, Carson Yahvah, Capital, 22.73. 3, Scott Larson, Bozeman, 23.01. 4, Billy Kump, Hellgate, 23.32. 5, Michael Luterbach, Skyview, 23.33. 6, Kyle Gray, Hellgate, 23.43.

Consolation - 7, Brian Haseman, Helena, 23.39. 8, Josh Dusek, Josh, GFH, 24.03. 9, Jamie Morton, Hardin, 24.11. 9, Scott Robinson, Havre, 24.11. 11, Doug Wandke, GFH, 24.17. 12, Robbie Steinbauer, West, 24.30.

100 Butterfly

Finals - 1, Nate Wittnam, Senior, 54.48. 2, Justin Whaley, Helena, 54.58. 3, Cascade Tuholske, Hellgate, 55.06. 4, Scott Larson, Bozeman, 57.28. 5, Michael Luterbach, Skyview, 57.34. 6, Sean Wevers, Hellgate, 57.73.

Consolation - 7, Matthew McCallum, Bozeman, 57.52. 8, Jeff Marty, Helena, 59.13. 9, Justin Fox, Bozeman, 1:01.99. 10, Jake Jourdonnais, Capital, 1:02.98. 11, Andrew Unterreiner, Flathead, 1:05.20. 12, Jamie Morton, Hardin, 1:05.21.

100 Freestyle

Finals - 1, Nick Logan, Hellgate, 48.46. 2, Matt Skuntz, Bozeman, 50.32. 3, Kyle Gray, Hellgate, 51.29. 4, Brian Brady, Flathead, 52.35. 5, Robbie Steinbauer, West, 52.47; 6. Brian Haseman, Helena, DQ.

Consolation - 7, Zack Griffith, CMR, 52.99. 8, John Halvorson, , West, 53.00. 9, Tommy Rosse, Big Sky, 53.67. 10, Cody Koffman, Capital, 54.10. 11, Mark Stelling, GFH, 54.40. 12, Jeff Magart, GFH, 54.60.

500 Freestyle

Finals - 1, Karl Kingery, Helena, 4:49.68. 2, Michael Hulme, Bozeman, 4:58.13. 3, Billy Kump, Hellgate, 5:04.64. 4, Phillip Ehrlich, Sentinel, 5:08.38. 5, Mike Turner, Capital, 5:11.19. 6, Bryce Cagle, Skyview, 5:18.05.

Consolation - 7, Sean Wevers, Hellgate, 5:17.47. 8, Sean McCleary, Bozeman, 5:20.97. 9, Joel Bischoff, Helena, 5:22.36. 10, Colin Harwell, Helena, 5:27.79. 11, Trevor Lane, Capital, 5:29.24. 12, Thomas Feiden, Bozeman, 5:37.30.

200 Freestyle Relay

Finals - 1, Hellgate (Kyle Gray, Billy Kump, Sean Wevers, Nick Logan) 1:32.59. 2, GFH 1:33.29. 3, Bozeman 1:34.31. 4, West 1:36.32. 5, Helena 1:38.88. 6, Central 1:39.20.

Consolation - 7, Sentinel 1:38.80. 8, Skyview 1:39.72. 9, Havre/Chinnook 1:40.90. 10, Flathead 1:41.12. 11, Capital 1:44.21. 12, Big Sky 1:47.79.

100 Backstroke

Finals - 1. Major Robinson, Sentinel, 54.97. 2, Michael Hulme, Bozeman, 55.39. 3, Paul McCauley, Hellgate, Hellgate, 59.77. 4, John Halvorson, West, 59.99. 5, Mike Turner, Capital, 1:00.51. 6, Amos Kuck, West, 1:00.58.

Consolation - 7. Brandon Mourich, West, 1:02.13. 8, Trevor Lane, Capital, 1:02.64. 9, Windom Tilton, CMR, 1:02.87. 10, Mark Stelling, GFH, 1:03.38. 11, Thomas Feiden, Bozeman, 1:03.88. 12, Dylan Larson, Helena, 1:04.74.

100 Breaststroke

Finals - 1. Matt Strauss, Bozeman, 1:02.33. 2, Andrew Miron, Central, 1:03.30. 3, Josh Dusek, GFH, 1:03.37. 4, Carson Yahvah, Capital, 1:03.40. 5, Taylor Streit, Flathead, 1:07.08. 6, Jake Jourdonnais, Capital, 1:07.36.

Consolation - 7, David Model, West, 1:07.45. 8, Phillip Eherlich, Sentinel, 1:07.71. 9, Andrew Moore, Bozeman, 1:09.14. 10, Scott Robinson, Havre, 1:09.95. 11, Doug Wandke, GFH, 1:10.90. 12, Brad Floener, Bozeman, 1:14.10.

400 Freestyle Relay

Finals - 1, Bozeman (Scott Larson, Matt Skuntz, Matthew McCallum, Michael Hulme), 3:21.91. 2, Helena 3:26.67. 3, Capital 3:35.62. 4, Flathead 3:38.57. 5, West 3:40.49. 6. Hellgate DQ.

Consolation - 7, Skyview 3:40.57. 8, CMR 3:47.75. 9, Havre/Chinnook 3:47.97. 10, Central 3:48.64. 11, Sentinel 3:56.00. 12, Hardin 4:01.54.