The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The Outlaws swim team wrapped up the 2024 season with strong performances at the OSAA State Championships held at Tualatin Valley Swim Center February 16 and 17. 

Preliminaries took place Friday with the top six finishers qualifying for the finals. 

Ella Bartlett picked up a pair of medals over the weekend. She placed fourth in the 200-yard individual medley, clocking 2:24.17. The winner, Marie Mason of Molalla, dominated the field by nearly 14 seconds with a winning time of 2:07.83. 

Bartlett went on to place fifth in 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:14.12. Kirsten Sautel of Sweet Home overwhelmed the competition to win in 1:06.00. 

The prelims of the 50-yard freestyle spelled trouble for junior Joe Souza, who was disqualified. According to coach Alix Bick, Souza's starting block was not locked in, which caused him to move forward prior to the gun. 

Ted Stolasz, in the same heat as Souza, made the final by swimming 23.40, a personal best and went on to finish fifth in the final with another best of 23.07. Sam Postlewait of Newport won the event in 21.59. 

Souza redeemed himself in the 100-yard free with a fourth place finish (51.68) to edge Stolasz by .10, who finished fifth (51.78). Postlewait won another gold with a time of 46.72. 

"Joe handled himself well, and this should provide extra motivation for him next year as a senior," said Bick. 

The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Rylie Bick, Mae Roth, Kate Singleton, and Bartlett did not advance out of the prelims but posted a season's best time of 1:52.20 to place ninth.

"The younger relay members, Kate, Mae, and Rylie performed well and gave us a spark of what is to come in the future," said Bick.

Newport won the final in 1:46.55 and captured the overall team title with 54 points. Sisters scored a total of five points to finish 17th. Newport also claimed first place in the boys' team race, amassing 72 points. Sisters scored 7 to finish 14th in the team standings. 

Following her final meet of her high school career that included three trips to state, Bartlett said, "I am so glad the relay team made it to state. It was so great having some teammates with me this year." 

Bick said, "Ted and Ella finished their high school careers in admirable fashion. Ted made both finals and showed he belonged in with a really competitive set of swimmers, and Ella, who also made both finals, showed how much competition means to her. She has been the heart of Sisters swimming for three years and will be missed by all of us."