Hood River News

October 19, 2005

The Hood River Swim Team Ospreys kicked off the winter swimming season over the weekend with the Diamond Fruit Harvest of Gold Invitational at the Hood River Aquatic Center. The pool was packed shoulder-to-shoulder around the edges, as parents, coaches, officials and lifeguards kept track of 275 swimmers, eight lanes and three days of steady competition.

Despite the dizzying logistics of the event, coordinators and coaches were composed, spectators cheered loud for their swimmers, and the kids competed with intensity and smiles.

For Hood River, 40 Ospreys competed against swimmers from teams around the Northwest.

“We had a very good opening meet to our winter season,” commented Ospreys coach Shelly Rawding. “All our swimmers did well.”

Out of the 41 Ospreys, a handful had times fast enough to qualify for the state meet later in the season.

Elle Truax, in her first meet as an Osprey, qualified with two State-A times, one in the eight and under 25-meter free and one in the 25-meter breaststroke.

Connor Webb posted 100 percent best times and two State-B times.

Peter Debbaut posted Oregon senior state times in all events he swam, and he posted Age Group Sectional times in the 100-meter freestyle.

Zed Debbaut posted Oregon Senior State times and Age Group Sectional times in the 15 and over 100-meter freestyle and the 200-meter breaststroke.

Cheyenne Willey finished with best times in all events she swam, including her first race in the 500-meter freestyle.

Scott, Matt, and Mariah Bergstrom all had multiple State-A times, and they are working towards Age Group Sectional standings.

For two local swimmers, the chaos at the pool was a new experience. Russel Grim and Taylor Peterson swam in their first meets as Ospreys. The two competed in the eight and under division.

Standout Osprey swimmer Erin Jones, 14, posted slower than usual times on Sunday. This was probably because she also runs for the Hood River Valley High School cross country team, which competed in an elite Portland Race Saturday afternoon.

“We would like to thank sponsors Diamond Fruit, Stadelman’s and Duckwall Pooley for their help,” said Rawding. “They are very supportive of swimming.”

Osprey Highlights

Matt Bergstrom (9)

200-meter IM- second

100-meter IM- fifth

Scott Bergstrom (10)

200-meter IM- first

100-meter free- first

100-meter IM- first

Myles Cameron (7)

25-meter free- fifth

Zed Debbaut (16)

200-meter breast- fourth

100-meter free- sixth

Anika Engbersen (10)

50-meter breast- eighth

Nils Engbersen (8)

825-meter breast- third

Russel Grim (7)

25-meter back- 10th

Erin Jones (14)

100-meter breast- sixth

Garrett Kelly (8)

100-meter free- 31st

Daniel Mears (7)

25-meter fly- fourth

25-meter back- fifth

25-meter breast- fifth

Jacob Mears (10)

200-meter IM- fifth

JJ Mears (5)

25-meter free- 12th

Abby Oswald (8)

25-meter fly- fifth

Claire Oswald (5)

25-meter back- 16th

Sophie Oswald (10)

100-meter free- sixth

Taylor Peterson (5)

25-meter free- 14th

Jacob Rawding (9)

200-meter IM- ninth

Mariah Rawding (9)

50-meter fly- third

100-meter IM- third

Isaiah Rich-Wimmer (8)

25-meter free- third

Jessie Robertson (12)

100-meter back- first

Madison Roeder (8)

25-meter free- 16th

Charlie Sutherland (7)

825-meter breast- fourth

Elle Truax (8)

25-meter free- third

Shannon Voyles (6)

25-meter free- 13th

Alyssa Walker (12)

100-meter IM- eighth

David Walker (7)

25-meter fly- eighth

Connor Webb (10)

200-meter IM- third

Kylie Webb (8)

25-meter breast- fourth

Cheyenne Willey (11)

200-meter IM- seventh

Arin Wooster (12)

50-meter free ninth

Becka Wooster (9)

50-meter fly- 8.02 PR