Swim team earns third at Fort Benton

The Columbia Falls swim team earned a third place finish in Fort Benton over the weekend, despite being shorthanded.

With only 26 swimmers making the trip, the Swim Cats finished in the top three 17 times in 13 events, including five first-place finishes.

Alanis Peterson led the way for Columbia Falls with a a trio of top finishes, coming in first in the girls’ 100 individual medley (9-10) with a time of 1:33.65, the 50 breaststroke with a time of 49.10 seconds and the 50 butterfly with a time of 40.69 seconds.

Kensley Cheff was first in the girls’ 100 individual medley (8&U) with a time of 2:17.70 and Camille Cronk won the girls’ 100 freestyle (9-10) with a time of 1:25.75.

The Cats had four second-place finishes as Norah Bagley was second in the girls’ 200 individual medley (11-12) with a time of 3:17.30, Cronk was second in the girls’ 50 freestyle with a time of 38.95 seconds, Cheff was second in the 50 freestyle with a time of 54.44 seconds and Tyler Venegas was second in the boys’ 50 backstroke (11-12) with a time of 38.36 seconds.

Taryn Borgen (9-10) picked up a trio of third-place finishes in the girls’ 100 individual medley, 100 freestyle and 50 butterfly while Venegas was third in the boys’ 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle.

Sadie Cheff, Kensley Cheff and Connor Cheff each also picked up third place finishes during the meet.

The team will be back in action this weekend as they travel to the divisional meet in Choteau Saturday and Sunday.

The state meet will be in Conrad August 4-5.