Swim team can't capitalize on home pool advantage

The Columbia Falls swim team's home meet was spoiled last weekend when the team's main nemesis, Shelby, took first place, leaving the home team with second out of a field of 10. Bitterroot took third.

"Shelby's a thorn in our side, but they are a good thorn. They are tough to compete against, but that competition is good for us," said interim coach Lexie Kolodejchuk.

Sixty-four swimmers competed for Columbia Falls, and a lot of them showed great improvement as the team gears up for divisionals next weekend, Kolodejchuk said.

"The Boyd brothers, Scot and Eric, both swam really well. Nate Donner really improved on his final time, taking off two more seconds. He swam smart, he swam competitively," Kolodejchuk said.

Ben Donner knocked six seconds off his time in the 50-meter butterfly, and Jamie Caldwell took 12 seconds off her time in the consolation race for the 50-meter freestyle.

"Clayton Larsen has been trying to break a minute in the 50-meter breast stroke all year, and he did it this weekend," said Kolodejchuk. "He did a great job in improving."

The team will take about 60 swimmers to Conrad for the divisional tourney this weekend, and Kolodejchuk said she hopes about 40 will qualify for state.

"You have to place in the top 12 for individual events, and the top six for relays, to qualify for state. I'm expecting a lot of our swimmers to qualify in their three individual events," said Kolodejchuk. "We should do well."