Sports

West Linn sends 13 swimmers to state competition

Derek Fieldhouse
February 16, 2012

For a few select athletes, their season has one more day of life. Tomorrow, 13 Lion swimmers will be heading to Mt. Hood Community College for the 6A State Swim Meet. Multiple athletes, both boys and girls, qualified for a multitude of events.

“This year we have a much better team going to state compared to last year.” Curtis Klein, junior, said. “We’re taking two [boys] relay teams instead of one and one may advance to the finals.”

For individual girl swimmers, Brie Balsbough, sophomore, qualified for the 50 freestyle, seeded second and the 100 breaststroke, seeded third. The girls 200 individual medley relay team, consisting of Brianna Dyrdalh, freshman, Sarah Cooper, sophomore, Balsbough and Lindsey Gilmore, senior, qualified, as well as their 200 freestyle relay, seeded 12^th. The freestyle relay team consists of Dyrdahl, Ciara Wolfe, sophomore, Balsbough and Katie Cooper, senior.

On the boys side, there will be a group competing with Oregon’s elite. Klein is competing in the 200 freestyle, seeded second and the 100 backstroke, seeded first.

“I’m pumped for my race, a little nervous too, but its how I normally feel. I think we will do well,” Klein, said.

Branden Brooksby, senior, is swimming in the 50 freestyle, seeded fourth and the 100 freestyle, seeded 11^th. The West Linn boys also had both of their relay teams qualify. The 200 individual medley relay, seeded sixth, consists of Justus Highbarger, junior, Klein, Anthony To, senior and Brooksby. The swim teams 200 freestyle relay team, seeded 10^th, qualified as well, made up of Klein, Highbarger, Ryan O’Leary, junior and Brooksby.

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About the Contributor

Derek Fieldhouse, Managing Editor

At a young age, many boys dream of becoming a swashbuckling pirate, or a strong, brave firefighter; Derek Fieldhouse, senior, wanted to be an investment banker. Fieldhouse, who has climbed the corporate ladder of the Amplifier, now acts as Managing Editor.

“I was not interested in following this path,” Fieldhouse said. “I just wanted to improve my writing.”

But writing isn’t the only thing Fieldhouse enjoys. Outside of all the hectic writing, reading and studying, he can be found running with the cross country team, sleeping, and hanging out with friends. Because he is a senior, Fieldhouse spends many free moments filling out college applications.

“I want to go to a coastal college. I would not be able to withstand being land-locked,” Fieldhouse said.” I think it would be a cool thing to hang out with friends on the beach on the weekends and stuff.”

Fieldhouse is a “complicated mess of stuff,” and enjoys it, because it is his life. The only thing he is looking forward to “is getting out of this place and entering the world of business.”