The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The Sisters Outlaws swim team qualified three swimmers to the OSAA State Championships at the 4A/3A/2A/1A Special District 4 meet February 9-10 at the Albany Aquatics Center. 

First place in each event automatically qualifies a swimmer for state along with the next best times for a total of 12 individuals and relay teams in each distance from the four special districts

Ella Bartlett will be returning to state, for the third consecutive year thanks to her win in the 200-yard individual medley in 2:24.42, nearly four full seconds ahead of her closest rival. She also picked up a state berth by placing second in the 100-yard backstroke (1:14.92).

Joseph Souza will also make another appearance at state after his two second place finishes in the 50-yard free (23.35) and the 100-yard free (52.40) respectively. 

Souza's fellow senior teammate Ted Stolasz was right behind him in both events (25.53 and 52.87) and will join Souza in both events at state based on his times. The pair are seeded fourth and sixth respectively going into the state meet. Proving his well-roundedness, Stolasz also sang the national anthem "beautifully," according to head coach Alex Bick. 

Hunter Lea also qualified for the finals in both the 50 and 100 free where he placed fifth (26.25) and seventh (57.30) respectively. 

Other individual  swimmers reaching the finals included Rylie Bick (28.38) and Kate Singleton (28.84) in the 50-yard free. 

In the 200-yard freestyle relay, the girls team of Bartlett, Bick, Singleton, and Mae Roth placed third in 1:53.81, while the boys team of Souza, Lea, Stolasz, and Dakota Smithers placed fourth in 1:45.76. 

Coach Bick said, "The team members raced to their potential and supported one another throughout the meet. Their connection to one another was visible in their faces as they rooted hard for each other." 

The 4A/3A/2A/1A OSAA Championships are scheduled for February 16-17 at Tualatin Hills Aquatic Center in Beaverton.