Jesuit's girls team is lined up for a three-peat after a dominant performance in prelims of the OSAA 6A swimming championships Friday at Tualatin Hills Recreation Center in Beaverton.
The Crusaders racked up 16 berths for Saturday's finals, including two No. 1 qualifiers in junior Stela Sufuentes (500-yard freestyle) and the 400 freestyle relay team.
Lakeridge and Wells will have 10 entries in the finals. Wells seniors Cassidy Schneider and Julia Iwanow posted the No. 1 times in the 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, respectively.
Newberg junior Sydney McDonald qualified first in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. She edged the reigning champion in the 50 freestyle, David Douglas sophomore Ariya Abdullah, by .16 seconds.
Lake Oswego senior AnneMarie Vlaic, going for a third consecutive title in the 100 butterfly, qualified first in the event. West Linn junior Lauren Sexton posted the best time in the 200 IM, an event she won last year.
Lincoln had the No. 1 qualifying time in the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay.
5A
Reigning champion Bend appears ready to challenge its dominant performance from last year, when it scored a 5A record 119 points. The Lava Bears secured 21 finals entries, far ahead of the next two teams, Redmond and West Albany, who have seven apiece.
Bend qualified first in eight events, including all three relays. Juniors Emma Bronson (200 freestyle, 100 butterfly) and Maddie Thornton (200 IM, 100 backstroke) and senior Hadley Hayes (100 breaststroke) had the top times in their events.
Bronson swam the 100 butterfly in 55.12, breaking the 5A meet record of 55.47 that she set last year. Redmond senior Willow Messner was second in the 100 butterfly (55.29), also going faster than the meet record.
Other top qualifiers were Messner (50 freestyle), Summit junior Adeline Bennett (100 freestyle) and Canby sophomore Quincy Taliaferro (500 freestyle).
4A/3A/2A/1A
Cove junior Becca Koza, a four-time individual state champion, qualified first in the 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle. She is going for a third title in the 200 freestyle and second title in the 100 freestyle.
Sweet Home senior Kirsten Sautel is on track for a three-peat in the 100 breaststroke, where she qualified first. Her freshman sister, Khloe Sautel, had the No. 1 qualifying time in the 500 freestyle. The Huskies also qualified second in all three relays.
Catlin Gabel heads into the finals as the heavy favorite after earning 11 entries. The Eagles had the top time in the three relays. Sophomore Tia Chakrapani is the No. 1 qualifier in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly.
St. Mary's senior Elise Chamberland, the 100 freestyle champion as a sophomore, posted the best time in the 50 freestyle.
Boys
6A
Jesuit's boys also set the stage for a three-peat by securing 18 finals berths. The Crusaders qualified first in both freestyle relays and got No. 1 times from juniors Suiyao Li (50 freestyle) and David Barkley (500 freestyle) and senior Tenmy Wangpo (100 butterfly).
Nelson junior Drew Eubanks, bidding for his third title in the 100 breaststroke, set the 6A meet record in the event. He finished in 54.25 to break the mark of 55.40, set by Oregon City's Brian Frazier in 2016.
McMinnville had the second-most finals qualifiers with 11, but no No. 1 times. Sunset earned nine finals berths, getting top times from juniors Victor Krautsov (200 freestyle, 100 freestyle) and Luca Ignatescu (200 IM).
5A
Crescent Valley, runner-up the last two years after winning the 2022 title, is in position to return to the top after an impressive showing in prelims. The Raiders earned 12 entries to the finals, ahead of Silverton (eight), Summit (seven) and reigning champion West Albany (seven).
Crescent Valley qualified No. 1 in the both freestyle relays and got two top times each from seniors Emerson Gatherum (200 IM, 100 breaststroke) and Keller Evans (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle).
Summit senior Landon Egeland and junior Brecken Egeland qualified first in the 500 freestyle and 200 freestyle, respectively.
Caldera senior Campbell McKean, who set OSAA meet records in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke last year, qualified first in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. He entered the meet with four individual state titles.
4A/3A/2A/1A
Catlin Gabel and Newport, who have held down the top two spots in the last three state meets, look like they are headed for a showdown in the finals.
Catlin Gabel put nine entries in the finals, including two No. 1 relays and three top individuals. Reigning champion Newport secured eight finals berths, qualifying first in one relay and two individual events.
Catlin Gabel senior Adam Li, the 200 IM champion the last two years, recorded the top times in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly. Eagles freshman Coe Dauler was the No. 1 qualifier in the 500 freestyle.
Newport senior Ben Hurty swam the best times in the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke. He won the 100 freestyle as a sophomore and the 100 backstroke as a junior.
jerryu@osaa.org
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