SWIMMING PREVIEW: Promising start for local athletes

It’s hard to judge a season on one meet, let alone the results from the opening event, but swim coaches around the Flathead Valley are optimistic at what’s ahead for their individuals and teams.

“This year we have a lot of talent with the Glacier girls,” David Lillard, who also coaches the Flathead program, said.

“But more important to me is they are willing to learn and work hard.”

Lillard, who is in his fourth year as coach of both schools, says the number of swimmers for the two programs has increased every year, from 30 to 50, then 60 and 80 this year.

“A lot of people are interested (in swimming),” Lillard said.

“I have some great assistant coaches.”

He said Luke Johnson, one of his assistants, is “positive, a great teacher. A lot of kids come (out for swimming) to be with him.

“It’s fun, but we work hard,” Lillard said of practices.

“We have a lot of fun on bus trips, do silly things in practice, but it’s a mix of hard work and dedication.”

Charlotte Ball is also encouraged by the number of swimmers she has at practice every day.

“We have grown a lot,” she said.

“We have a lot of new swimmers this year, their first time ever in the water.”

Bigfork’s roster lists 14 girls. That’s twice as many as she had last year.

“Basically they had friends in swimming,” Ball said of the newcomers.

“They saw how much fun it was (at practice), enjoyed it and stuck with it.”

Mike Nelson, who coaches the Columbia Falls and Whitefish teams, said: “Let’s see if we can increase our place at state this year,” in a preview story in the Hungry Horse News on Dec. 2.

Bigfork

Two girls, juniors Kayleigh Beaulieu-Henion and Gabi DiPaulo, are in their third year with the program.

Beaulieu-Henion hopes to add the 100 butterfly to her event list, which already includes the 50 and 100 freestyle. DiPaulo is a backstroker who may switch to the 50 and 100 freestyle

Two swimmers who competed as freshmen, but are back as juniors, are Amanda Amos and Deidre Leslie. Amos is a distance swimmer. Leslie is a sprinter.

“Only three girls on the team swam last year,” Ball said.

“With 11 new swimmers, we need to work on stroke technique. They are showing a lot of promise.”

Columbia Falls

Colton Babcock’s season is off to another blazing start as he was a double winner — 200 and 500 freestyle — at the Kalispell Invitational last weekend at The Summit.

Teammate Zayne Friar was fifth in the 200 IM and placed sixth in the 100 backstroke.

In the relays, fourth place finishes were earned in the 200 free with Sage Wanner, Kaleb Bagley, Daniel Skinner and Sam Pierce; 400 free with Russell Albin, Zayne Friar, Bryce Callender and Babcock; and the 200 medley with Friar, Wanner, Babcock and Callender.

Those finishes helped the Wildcats, 126 points, finish fourth in the team standings behind three Class AA schools — Missoula Hellgate, C.M. Russell and Great Falls High.

Babcock, a junior, was second at state last year in the 200 free and third in the 500 free.

The Columbia Falls girls were led by Karyssa Nelson, fourth in the 100 free. The girls, 35 points, placed eighth as a team.

Columbia Falls has 18 swimmers competing, 12 boys and six girls. That’s up 11 from a year ago.

Glacier

AJ Popp’s varsity debut at the Kalispell Invitational made plenty of waves.

The freshman, who has been a standout with the KATS for years, broke three individual school records — 200 IM (2:13.47), 100 backstroke (1:00.21), and 100 freestyle (55.31).

The freestyle mark was on the lead leg of the 200 freestyle relay, which also set a school record (1:44.92).

On the relay with Popp were Olivia Gibson, Emma Hornby and Bailey Smith.

Gibson was the other event winner for the girls in the 50 freestyle.

“She has some great talent and wants to work on it,” Lillard said of Gibson.

“She pushes herself to get even better.”

And Lillard on Popp: “She’s very skilled in about any event.”

The Glacier boys had a couple of winners last week in Nate Burnham, 200 IM, and Anthony Clason, 100 breaststroke.

“He’s improved a lot in the freestyle events,” Lillard said of Burnham.

“I expect him to make finals (at state this year).”

Clason, another standout freshman, was also third in the 100 freestyle.

At the invitational, the girls were third and the boys placed fifth.

Flathead

Hillard’s main focus with the Braves and Bravettes is building the program.

“I’m encouraged,” he said of what he has seen in practice.

“You give them suggestions, they take those suggestions and become better. The more I see that, the more I get excited about coaching these kids.”

Ethan Timm, a senior, competed at state last year in the 100 breaststroke. He was fifth at the season opener.

Lillard is looking for a strong season from freshman Shayenn Thompson.

“She’s hurt (right now),” Lillard said.

“If she heals up, she’s a great sprinter.”

The girls finished seventh at the first meet while the boys were eighth.

“We have some great varsity swimmers,” Lillard said.

“They work very hard and have improved every year.”

Whitefish

The Bulldogs total 16 swimmers this season — nine girls and seven boys.

At the Kalispell Invitational, Annie Sullivan, a freshman, was fourth in the 500 freestyle while Matthew Perez was sixth in the 100 freestyle.

The Bulldogs also placed fifth in the boys 200 freestyle relay. Swimming the relay were: Casey Botner, Jaydon Anderson, Sage Cornelius and Denver Dicks.

The WHS girls, 47 points, were sixth at Kalispell, just four points behind Missoula Big Sky/Loyola.

The boys, 48 points, placed ninth.