Despite sending only 18 swimmers, ages 5 to 18, to Hamilton for a meet hosted by the Bitterroot Swim Team, Columbia Falls swam to a 4th place finish this past weekend in a field of eleven teams.
Head coach Mike Nelson reported “We had many improved times this weekend. As a team, we shaved an additional 71 seconds off of past original best times.”
Below, Kodiak Gimbel swims the freestyle leg of the 200 yard medley relay, an event where four swimmers swim four different strokes in relay fashion. CFST won the event.
Nelson is confident and excited about the future of the season, commenting “Columbia Falls Swim Team has a few rookies who did exceptionally well. These kids have talent and will be even more fun to watch later in the season.”
New swimmers on the team are Garrett Caffrey (age 7), Chloe Johnson (9) and Kodiak Gimbel (14).
About this weekend’s upcoming home meet, Nelson expects a lot from the Wildcats, saying “This weekend we will be at home, so I expect our team to do very well. We will have the numbers as well as the talent.”
Combined Team Scores
1, Bitterroot Swim Team, 2018.
2, Conrad Swim Team, 598.
3, Shelby Water Otters, 570.
4, Columbia Falls Swim Team, 388.
5, Plains Swim Team, 258.
6, Cut Bank Shark Swim Team, 200.
7, Fort Benton Gators, 143.
8, Chester Swim Team, 139.
9, Sunburst, 113.
10, Fairfield Sailfish, 62.
11, Choteau Swim Team, 59.
Individual Results:
Girls 9-10 100 Yard Freestyle Relay
8, Columbia Falls Swim Team ‘A’ (Caffrey, Ashley 9, Johnson, Chloe 9, Gimbel,
Allyson 10, Nelson, Karyssa 9), 1:48.50.
Boys 13-14 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
1, Columbia Falls Swim Team ‘A’ (Nelson, Dalton 12, Gimbel, Kodiak 14, Role,
Garett 12, Erickson, Vincent 14), 2:12.18.
Girls 15-19 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
3, Columbia Falls Swim Team ‘A’ (Potter, Elena 14, Donner, Katie 13, Piper,
Katelynn 15, Ward, Bria 14), 2:03.23.
Girls 9-10 100 Yard IM
4, Nelson, Karyssa, Columbia Falls, 1:39.98.
Boys 11-12 200 Yard IM
3, Role, Garett, Columbia Falls, 3:45.60.
Girls 13-14 200 Yard IM
3, Potter, Elena, Columbia Falls, 2:50.41.
Girls 15-19 200 Yard IM
3, Ronish, Hannah, Columbia Falls, 2:51.08. 6, Piper, Katelynn, Columbia
Falls, 3:04.00.
Boys 9-10 50 Yard Freestyle
(A – Final) 9, Ronish, Nic, Columbia Falls, 48.25.
Girls 9-10 50 Yard Freestyle
2, Nelson, Karyssa, Columbia Falls, 36.28.
Boys 11-12 50 Yard Freestyle
2, Nelson, Dalton, Columbia Falls, 31.64.
Boys 13-14 50 Yard Freestyle
2, Gimbel, Kodiak, Columbia Falls, 30.05.
Girls 13-14 50 Yard Freestyle
4, Ward, Bria, Columbia Falls, 30.40. 5, Potter, Elena, Columbia Falls, 30.77.
(B – Final) 8, Donner, Katie, Columbia Falls, 32.99.
Boys 11-12 50 Yard Breaststroke
(A – Final) 4, Role, Garett, Columbia Falls, 48.21.
Boys 13-14 100 Yard Breaststroke
2, Erickson, Vincent, Columbia Falls, 1:22.18.
Girls 13-14 100 Yard Breaststroke
3, Donner, Katie, Columbia Falls, 1:33.32.
Boys 8 & Under 50 Yard Freestyle
8, Caffrey, Garrett, Columbia Falls, 1:04.09.
Girls 9-10 100 Yard Freestyle
1, Nelson, Karyssa, Columbia Falls, 1:26.31. (B – Final) 7, Caffrey, Ashley, Columbia Falls, 1:47.75.
Boys 11-12 100 Yard Freestyle
(A – Final) 1, Nelson, Dalton, Columbia Falls, 1:11.34. 5, Role, Garett,
Columbia Falls, 1:22.69.
Boys 13-14 100 Yard Freestyle
2, Gimbel, Kodiak, Columbia Falls, 1:11.40.
Girls 13-14 100 Yard Freestyle
4, Ward, Bria, Columbia Falls, 1:09.30. 6, Donner, Katie, Columbia Falls,
1:13.56.
Girls 15-19 100 Yard Freestyle
2, Piper, Katelynn, Columbia Falls, 1:07.84.
Boys 8 & Under 25 Yard Backstroke
7, Caffrey, Garrett, Columbia Falls, 34.63. 10, Role, James, Columbia Falls,
44.20.
Boys 11-12 50 Yard Backstroke
–, Nelson, Dalton, Columbia Falls, DQ.
Boys 13-14 100 Yard Backstroke
1, Erickson, Vincent, Columbia Falls, 1:24.41. 2, Gimbel, Kodiak, Columbia
Falls, 1:29.25.
Girls 13-14 100 Yard Backstroke
2, Ward, Bria, Columbia Falls, 1:20.53.
Girls 15-19 100 Yard Backstroke
4, Piper, Katelynn, Columbia Falls, 1:22.62.
Girls 13-14 50 Yard Butterfly
4, Potter, Elena, Columbia Falls, 34.47.
Girls 15-19 50 Yard Butterfly
4, Ronish, Hannah, Columbia Falls, 34.26.
Boys 15-19 400 Yard Freestyle
5, Riffey, Jon, Columbia Falls, 6:00.28.
Girls 9-10 100 Yard Medley Relay
7, Columbia Falls Swim Team ‘A’ (Caffrey, Ashley 9, Gimbel, Allyson 10,
Nelson, Karyssa 9, Johnson, Chloe 9), 2:01.88.
Boys 13-14 200 Yard Medley Relay
1, Columbia Falls Swim Team ‘A’ (Erickson, Vincent 14, Role, Garett 12,
Nelson, Dalton 12, Gimbel, Kodiak 14), 2:38.41.
Girls 15-19 200 Yard Medley Relay
3, Columbia Falls Swim Team ‘A’ (Ward, Bria 14, Donner, Katie 13, Potter,
Elena 14, Piper, Katelynn 15), 2:22.46.
Boys 13-14 100 Yard Butterfly
1, Erickson, Vincent, Columbia Falls, 1:33.65.
Boys 15-19 100 Yard Butterfly
3, Riffey, Jon, Columbia Falls, 1:17.75.
Girls 15-19 100 Yard Butterfly
2, Ronish, Hannah, Columbia Falls, 1:19.06.