Swim teams head to C-Falls

The Daily Inter Lake

Over 400 kids from 11 Montana cities will be in Columbia Falls this weekend for the Western Divisional swim meet at the Pinewood Family Aquatic Center.

Columbia Falls will have around 50 swimmers entered, including defending state champ Alan Newton in the 100 backstroke.

Columbia Falls is coached by Price Richardson of Hamilton, who swims at Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Ky. He will be a sophomore.

Richardson has competed for Cumberland in the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke and the 1,650 freestyle at the NAIA national swimming championships in St. Louis.

Divisional swimming begins 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Prelims will be held Saturday with finals on Sunday.

"The majority will be camped right here," said Ron Newton, president of the Columbia falls swim team.

"People (also) stay in motels, camp grounds; we will be spread all over the place."

Newton said this event rotates among the Western Division cities. To help pull this meet off, "we have a bunch of great parents and everyone volunteered to help out," he said.

Twelve swimmers in each event advance to the finals, and state.

Swimmers compete in one of the following age groups - bantam 5-8, midget 9-10, junior 11-12, intermediate 13-14 and senior 15-19 - and in the following individual events - individual medley, freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly - and relays.

Distances vary from 25 to 400 yards.

Alan Newton will also compete in the individual medley and breaststroke in the senior divison. Last year he swam as an intermediate.

Columbia Falls' Nate Donner, also in the senior division, is expected to turn in high places in the 100 and 400 freestyle.

The hosts expect to do well in the relays, especially the junior girls freestyle with Katie Piper, Katie Newton, Bria Ward and Hanna Ronish; and in the medley relay with Piper, Newton, Ward and Tianna Burns.

The same holds true for the junior boys in the freestyle and medley with Michael Baiar, Jon Riffey, Eric Boyd and Scott Boyd.

In six previous meets, Columbia Falls has finished second five times and third once.

"It's really all about numbers, now many swimmers you have," said Richardson.

"Shelby is the team that has won the most of them, they have 70-80 swimmers. Hamilton has over 90, but will take 60 to divisional. We've been holding our own for having lower numbers."

Richardson says Columbia Falls has good depth, which has helped the team finish high.

"I've really enjoyed (it)," said Richardson of coaching.

"It's been a lot more fun than I expected."