Entered with two relays and two individual events at State Championships at the Mt. Hood Community College Pool, Justin Hedemark, Casey Meudt, Kyle Whipps and Byron Womack swam personal records in almost every segment during the two days of competition. Their individual and combined efforts earned them top finishes and a fifth place in the final team rankings. Casey Pyke and Tyler Young accompanied the relay team as alternates.

 In the first event of championship finals, the 200 yard medley relay, Sweet Home’s Larry Coulter and Astoria’s Andrew Ellsberg attacked the fourth seeded Outlaws in the backstroke segment with force and put our swimmers close to sixth. Kyle Whipps, with a perfect relay exchange, made up some distance in the breaststroke. Justin Hedemark passed Sweet Home’s Ian Parks in the butterfly, and came within 0.4 seconds of Astoria’s Ben Lilley and anchor Byron Womack, swimming a lifetime best of 22.83 seconds, secured fourth place for Sisters High School. Cottage Grove finished third in a time of 1:50.53, the Outlaws touched the pad at 1:51.29 and Astoria clocked 1:51.48.

 Justin Hedemark qualified for second day competition as the number three seed in the 50 yards freestyle with a time of 23.26 and Byron Womack was eligible as second alternate in the same event with a time of 23.97. In a most dramatic championship final on Saturday, district contender Michael Cobarrubias, who had outtouched Hedemark at district championships by 0.07 seconds, gave the Outlaw another race to remember. Both swimmers churned the water stroke for stroke, flipped simultaneously and ended up tying for the bronze with a time of 23.20. This time also marks a new Sisters High School record. “Only individual times or starting segments on a relay may be considered for records” coach Hedemark commented. “Relay segments by swimmers two, three and four give the competitors an unfair advantage, as they may be in motion before their feet leave the platform. Starters however, may not move until the start signal is sounded.”  Justin Heath of Phoenix was first and Daniel Stowers from Seaside took second.

 Seeded third in the next event, the 200 yard freestyle relay, the Outlaws moved into second place, due to an early take-off disqualification of the Seaside relay. Motivated by opportunity, the  desire to finish their last swim as a team with the best times they had ever achieved and the chance to win silver,  Womack, Meudt, Whipps and Hedemark not only improved their total time from prelims, they also beat each individual segment in finals. Byron Womack started with a powerful dive and quick turn in 23.45, followed by Casey Meudt’s 24.40, Kyle Whipps in 24.59 and Justin Hedemark as anchor in 22.55 seconds. Their combined time of 1:34.99 confirmed their second seed behind Newport’s 1:33.19 and ahead of Henley (1:37.04) and Sweet Home (1:37.53).   1:34.99 is also a new Sisters High School record for the 200 yard freestyle relay.

 The last competition for the Outlaws featured Hedemark in the 100 yard backstroke. Swimming in lane 2 with the third fastest entry time in championship finals, Hedemark won bronze, improving his own best by over one second to 58.72 and setting a new Sisters High School record in the process. Matthew Grimes from Sherwood finished first, Cottage Grove’s Eric Elligott was second.

 Of the 39 3A/2A/1A teams represented during prelims on Friday, 19 made it to finals. Only Sherwood, Seaside, Newport and Cottage Crove earned more points than the Outlaws.