The Outlaws came across with several top finishes and personal bests during the Cascade Invitational January 15, which was held at Stayton Memorial Pool. Teams from Junction City, Gladstone, Cottage Grove, Cascade, Mollala, Stayton and Sisters were a good representation of what is to be expected at the upcoming District Championships the middle of February.

In the 200 meter Medley Relay, the first event of the competition, Andie Lesowske started the Outlaws in the backstroke with a season best of 44.5 seconds, followed by Bree White in the breaststroke with a 45.3, Kate Canja with a time of 37.9 in the butterfly and anchor Jillian McConville with a 36.7 freestyle leg. All times are meter times.

The boys relay with Casey Meudt, Morgan Mansker, Justin Hedemark and Kyle Whipps won their heat with ease but in the final line-up their time of  2:15.30  put them into fourth position behind Junction City, Cottage Grove and Cascade.

Kate Canja was the only Outlaw competitor in the 200 meter freestyle event. After a commanding first half of the race, Canja had to give way to Sierra Hicks from Cottage Grove and Cascade’s Shannon Selander and finished with a time of 2:44.53.

Justin Hedemark was the only Outlaw entry in the 200 meter Individual Medley. His time of 2:43.37 was good enough for third place behind Jerry Diamond from Junction City and Cascade’s Noah Brokaw.

Several heats of swimmers were on the blocks for the next two events, the 50 meter and 100 meter freestyle. On the girls’ side Måren Burck, Rachel Pilliod, Jillian McConville and Aubyn Geser battled it out in heat 3 and heat 4. Freshman Måren Burck swam into the top ranks of 28 competitors in the 50 m distance and finished with a personal best of 36.12 seconds in 9^th place.

Casey Meudt, Kyle Whipps and Nathan Teeny represented the Outlaws in the same event. Meudt won his heat easily and with a personal best of 28.45 seconds swam into second place overall. Kyle Whipps finished fifth with 29.92 seconds. Senior swimmer Alexander Knapp from Junction City won the 50 meter freestyle in 26.28

Six heats of girls competed in the 100 m freestyle. Kate Canja, Rachel Pilliod, Kalyn Brink and Rikki Glick represented the SHS Swim Team. Top finisher in this event was Kate Canja with a time of 1:14.45 which put her in 6^th place.

Nineteen swimmers represented seven teams on the boys’ side in the same event. Seeded second behind Robert Beard from Cottage Grove, Casey Meudt led the last heat with a powerful dive off the blocks and never looked back. He finished in first place 2.5 seconds ahead of Beard with a personal best of 1:05.79. Kyle Whipps touched with the 6^th fastest time and Casey Pyke was 11^th.

The girls’ 200 m freestyle relay with Kalyn Brink, Aubyn Geser, Jillian McConville and Kate Canja finished in the middle of the pack with a 2:33.33. Kyle Whipps, Nathan Teeny, Morgan Mansker and Casey Pyke stepped on the blocks in the first heat on the boys’ side. They easily beat Mollala “A” and the “B” teams from Cascade, Junction City and Stayton. Their final time of 2:13.55 placed them fifth overall. Casey Pyke swam the fastest split in 31.4 seconds.

Another top finish for the Outlaws came in the 100 meter backstroke when Justin Hedemark touched the pad in 1:12.37 behind first place finisher Eric Elligot from Cottage Grove.

Event 19 contested Jessie Swaner and Bree White in the 100 meter breaststroke. Jessie Swaner finished fourth in 1:39.24 and Bree White fifth with a time of 1:42.61. Morgan Mansker and Casey Pyke competed in the same stroke. Mansker took 2.5 seconds off his personal best and the final time of 1:34.04 positioned him in 5^th place.

The last relay of the competition produced another top six finish. Rachel Pilliod, Rikki Glick, Kat Diener and Kalyn Brink competed in the 400 meter freestyle relay against eleven teams. Rikki Glick swam the fastest split and achieved a personal best with a 1:26.30

The next competition for the Outlaw swimmers is scheduled for January 31 in Albany.