Dolfins ready for state

The Douglas Dolfins swim team hosted the Last Chance Invitational recently, giving swimmers one last shot to make the Nevada State Championship qualifying times.

The state championships will be in Las Vegas, Feb. 17-20.

Douglas has 23 swimmers traveling down south to compete with an additional three who qualify but are unable to travel.

State qualifiers include Christopher Bergstrom, Taylor Brockway, Rebecca Chappell, Marco Hyman, Kyle and Lindsey Johnston, Shawn Kessler, Sarah and Shelby Koontz, Molly Lahlum, Lexi Lane, Mandy Moore, Cameron and Shaelin Morefield, Katie O'Neil, Cassie Parr, Josefina, Sara and Paula Sigala, Whitney Simpson, Sean Vogl, Paul Von, Haley Van Schottenstein, Sam Ansel, Levi Grabow and Sara Mangiaracina.

In the Last Chance Invitational, the Dolfins had 39 swimmers participating. In the 15-over group, Marco Hyman, 15, improved seven of his eight races, placing second in the 200 back with a time of 2:22:58 and third in both the 100 back (1:06.35) and the 200 free (2:07.92.

Josefina Sigala, 17, finished first in the 400 IM (4:59.58), the 200 breast (2:35.69); the 200 fly (2:27.71) and the 100 breast (1:12.07). Sarah Sigala, 15, improved in five events, finishing second in the 1,000 free (12:45.00) and third in the 200 back (2:33.97 and taking three seconds off her 100 back for a fifth-place finish.

Whitney Simpson, 15, improved times in two races, placing third in the 1,000 free (12:59.95).

Katie O'Neil, 16, swam faster in four of her races, placing third in the 400 IM and fourth in the 100 free and the 200 free.

Mandy Moore, 17, swam to three improved times, and a fourth place finish in the 200 fly (3:05:96). Taylor Brockway, 15, had two first-place finishes, the 400 IM (4:57:50) and the 200 free (1:58:56), and four second-place finishes, with two improved times. Becca Chappell, 15, improved her 200 fly for a third-place finish with a time of 3:03:30. Amanda McRae, 17, had three improved times, while Sean Vogl, 16, dropped a second from his 50 free.

In the 13-14 age group, Haley Von Schottenstein, 13, swam personal bests in seven events, for second-place finishes in the 400 IM (5:36:51), the 200 IM, the 200 breast, 200 fly (2:55:01), and 100 breast. Haley also placed third in the 200 back, the 200 free and the 100 back. Shawn Stubnar, 13, swam to six improved times placing fourth in the 200 back and fifth in the 500 free, while Paula Sigala, also 13, swam five improved races, placing third in the 200 fly (3:05:42) and the 500 free (6:36:16), and fourth in the 100 fly. Thirteen-year-old Levi Grabow bettered three times netting a 4th place in the 500 free (7:06:07) and the 100 back (1:19:73), while Cassie Parr, 14, shaved time from three events and placed first in the 1000 free with a time of 13:43:18.

Sarah Bates, 13, had 100 percent improvement in her five races, taking 13 seconds off her 500 free for a seventh-place finish with 6:57:23. Christopher Bergstrom, 13, swam personal bests in five events and placed third in the 500 free, while Sara Mangiaracina, 14, improved in the 200 IM.

In the 11-12 age group Cameron Morefield, 11, had a fantastic meet with seven personal best times and second-place finishes in the 200 breast (3:17:61) and the 200 free (2:52:50), and thirds in the 50 breast, the 100 back, the 50 fly and the 100 breast. Sarah Koontz, 12, swam to five improved times and netted a first in the 1000 free on her very first attempt, with a time of 13:19:98. Sarah also placed fourth in the 100 IM and the 50 fly. Molly Lahlum, 12, bettered four of her five races and placed second in the 50 fly (35:01) and third in the 100 back and the 500 free. Becky Grabow,11, swam faster times in all three of her races, as did Taylor Chandler, 11, in her seven events. Taylor Killion, 11, improved her 50 back, while Yuchen Jin, 11, swam her first meet with four events.

In the 9-10 age group, Shaelin Morefield had an outstanding meet netting eight personal best times resulting in four first place finishes, a second and three thirds! Shaelin's first's were the 200 IM (2:51:11), the 500 free (6:56:19), the 50 fly (35:65), and the 50 free (32:46). She placed second in the 200 free and 3rd in the 100 breast , the 50 back and the 100 back. Kyle Johnston, 10, improved four races and placed second in the 200 free (2:38:23). Kyle placed third in the 200 IM (3:09:95), the 100 free (1:14:45), and the 100 back, and finished fourth in the 100 IM, 100 fly, 50 back, 50 fly, and 50 free. Lexi Lane, 10, swam faster in three events blasting 31 seconds off her 100 backstroke, and Erica Chappell, 9, took 20 seconds off her 100 IM. Sam Ansel, 10, placed sixth in the 50 breast (50:44), and Stephanie Trackman, 9, began her swim career with three events.

The 8 and under age group had seven swimmers with two of them heading for State. Lindsey Johnston, 7, swam personal bests in her three races, placing fourth in the 50 free, while Shelby Koontz, also 7, improved two events for second place finishes in the 50 free (39:47), the 100 free (1:30:20), and the 25 fly (22:47). Shelby placed third in the 100 IM, the 50 breast and the 25 free, as well as fourth in the 25 breast. Allison Ansel, 7, dropped five seconds from her 25 fly and Logan Killion, 8, shaved three seconds from his 25 free for a 6th place finish. And finishing up this age group were eight-year-olds Seth Jezek, Grant McClean, and Sean McClean who were all competing for the first time.

Good luck to the Dolfins traveling to State. The next home meet at the Carson Valley Swim Center will be in May. Come by and watch these young swimmers any afternoon. They are truly inspirational.