Making Waves
Growing Polson swim team looks to make another splash at state
Bob Gunderson photo
Bob Gunderson photo
Polson Pirate senior swimmer August Hertz was recognized along with swim team mates for their achievements and contributions to their team during senior night prior to the start of the Jan. 5 meet.
Bob Gunderson photo
Polson Pirate senior swimmer Kyle Alexander along with swim team mates were recognized for their achievements and contributions to their team during senior night prior to the start of the Jan. 5 meet.
Bob Gunderson photo
Polson Pirate senior swimmer Hayden Clairmont along with swim team mates were recognized for their achievements and contributions to their team during senior night prior to the start of the Jan. 5 meet.
Bob Gunderson photo
Polson Lady Pirate swimmer Dixie Montgomery competes during the Jan. 5 home meet.
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
POLSON — With a strong nucleus of eight returning swimmers and nine newcomers, the Polson Pirate Swim Teams look to make a splash again this season after wrapping up last year with a second-place overall state medal for boys swimmers.
Girls and boys team scores combined earned Polson a second-place finish overall at the Pirates’ Jan. 5 home-hosted meet at the Mission Valley Aquatics Fitness Center. Both boys and girls teams finished fourth individually with numerous swimmers clocking top 3 finishes.
“As of now, we have a very strong team,” Head Coach Morgan Zimmer said, adding that she’s pleased with how her team is growing – both in numbers and camaraderie. “All of our swimmers from last year have really stepped up and helped get new swimmers up to speed.”
“A lot of team members are (Mission Valley Aquatics) club swimmers who’ve started young and continued on to the high school swim team,” Zimmer said. “Swimming is a unique sport. Swimmers use every muscle in their body at the same time … and have to strengthen their lungs before they can increase speed in the water.”
The endurance aspect, Zimmer added, makes swimming useful for cross training - improving an athlete’s performance in other sports.
As her program continues to grow, Zimmer said she hopes to host additional home meets – increasing from one to two or three next year. As for the current season, Polson Pirate swimmers will compete in three more meets, in Kalispell, Butte and Missoula, prior to Feb. 10 state competition in Great Falls.
Pirate swim results
Jan. 5 Polson meet:
Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay
2nd – Gus Hertz, Truman Sawyer, Lachlan Sloan, Teague McElwee, 1:51.69
Girls 200 Yard Freestyle
9th – Kena Sutton, 2:55.49
Boys 200 Yard Freestyle
3rd – Lachlan Sloan, 2:09.05
7th – Josh Reed, 2:32.66
Boys 200 Yard IM
1st – Gus Hertz, 2:10.44
3rd – Truman Sawyer, 2:18.09
Girls 50 Yard Freestyle
12th – Laurielee Truex, 32.62
Boys 50 Yard Freestyle
1st – Teague McElwee, 22.73
3rd – Gus Hertz, 24.52
12th – Josh Reed, 29.16
16th – Kyle Alexander, 32.19
Girls 100 Yard Butterfly
2nd – Dixie Montgomery, 1:32.46
Boys 100 Yard Butterfly
1st – Teague McElwee, 56.02
2nd – Truman Sawyer, 1:02.66
3rd – Lachlan Sloan, 1:04.81
Girls 100 Yard Freestyle
7th – Adi Montgomery, 1:11.98
13th – Laurielee Truex, 1:17.87
Boys 100 Yard Freestyle
9th – Hayden Ricks, 59.90
17th – Isaac Kinnick, 1:11.83
18th – Kyle Alexander, 1:12.98
Girls 500 Yard Freestyle
4th – Anastasia Hertz, 6:57.40
5th – Dixie Montgomery, 7:10.51
Girls 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
4th – Laurielee Truex, Kena Sutton, Anastasia Hertz, Dixie Montgomery, 2:09.82
Boys 100 Yard Backstroke
9th – Isaac Kinnick, 1:20.75
Girls 100 Yard Breaststroke
5th – Anastasia Hertz, 1:36.73
6th – Adi Montgomery, 1:39.58
9th – Kena Sutton, 1:44.50
Boys 100 Yard Breaststroke
5th – Hayden Ricks, 1:19.94
Girls 400 Yard Freestyle Relay
3rd – Kena Sutton, Adi Montgomery, Anastasia Hertz, Dixie Montgomery, 4:59.10
Combined Team Scores – Through Event 22
2nd – Polson High School, 413.5
Jan. 6 Butte meet:
Girls 200 Yard Freestyle
11th – Anastasia Hertz, 2:36.96
13th – Adi Montgomery, 2:46.32
Boys 200 Yard Freestyle
4th – Teague McElwee, 1:57.90
11th – Hayden Ricks, 2:12.83
17th – Isaac Kinnick, 2:48.54
18th – Kyle Alexander, 3:07.07
Girls 50 Yard Freestyle
27th – Adi Montgomery, 33.50
33rd – Kena Sutton, 34.81
Boys 50 Yard Freestyle
10th – Hayden Ricks, 26.59
Boys 100 Yard Butterfly
4th – Gus Hertz, 58.92
Boys 100 Yard Freestyle
5th – Lachlan Sloan, 55.84
7th – Truman Sawyer, 56.29
18th – Josh Reed, 1:09.59
Boys 500 Yard Freestyle
6th – Truman Sawyer, 5:55.59
11th – Josh Reed, 7:23.89
Boys 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
5th – Kyle Alexander, Isaac Kinnick, Josh Reed, Hayden Ricks, 1:59.15
Girls 100 Yard Backstroke
17th – Anastasia Hertz, 1:26.80
Girls 100 Yard Breaststroke
16th – Kena Sutton, 1:43.12
Boys 100 Yard Breaststroke
5th – Teague McElwee, 1:07.68
9th – Gus Hertz, 1:14.57
11th – Lachlan Sloan, 1:17.92
Boys 400 Yard Freestyle Relay
3rd – Gus Hertz, Truman Sawyer, Lachlan Sloan, Teague McElwee, 3:40.13
8th – Kyle Alexander, Isaac Kinnick, Josh Reed, Hayden Ricks, 4:40.94
