Swimming Tigers

Tigers outswim Beavers to win home opening match
6A swimming — Both the boys and girls team easily outdistance the Beavers Thursday
By: Frank Graham
Published: 12/4/2009 2:17:56 PM

The Newberg High School boys and girls swim teams dominated Beaverton in their home opening match Thursday at the Chehalem Aquatic Center. The boys outscored the Beavers 118-52 and the girls won their match 117-54. The boys 200 medley relay team — comprised of Craig and Brian Cheney, Evan Taylor and Taylor McMaster — won in a time of 1:46.43.The girls 200 medley team — made up of Alysha Bush, Hannah Miller, Catherine Mays and Cassie Beecher — won their event with a time of 1:59.69. Head swim coach Rich Tobergte said he was excited about the seven freshmen that joined this year’s team and speculated that Mays and Bush would qualify for state. Tobergte said he expected two girls relay teams and the boys would compete for state titles. In fact, the girls 200 medley relay team already broke the old school record, established in 2006, by .03 this season. The girls swam a 1:57.58 at a match in Salem. Bush also won the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:06.47. The Tigers’ Matthew Weger also placed first in the boys 200 freestyle with a time of 2:08.75. Kindra Fish won the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:28.28. Hannah Miller placed second in the race. The Tigers’ Kale Rogers won the boys event with a time of 2:13.33. Evan Taylor finished second in the race. Craig Cheney placed first in the 50 freestyle with a time of 22.35; his brother, Brian, finished second at 23.10. Catherine Mays finished second in the girl’s 50 free behind Nicole Schalk. Tobergte said that Craig Cheney, a four-time All American, is the favorite in this year’s 6A 50 meter freestyle. The girls swept the 100 butterfly race. Mays placed first with a time of 1:04.23, Miller was second at 1:08.81 and Tina Thatch was third at 1:12.88. Kale Rogers won the event for the boys with a time of 58.76 Craig Cheney placed first in the 100 freestyle with a time of 48.86. The girls swept the top three places in the event: Mays was first at 1:04.23, Miller second at 1:08.81 and Thatch finished third at 1:12.88. Grant Aldred placed first in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:36.15. Bush finished in first for the girl’s team with a time of 5:40.60. The Tigers’ girls 200 freestyle relay team of Meghan O’Halloran, Beecher, Fish and Alexis Vargas won the race with a time of 1:48.69. The boys team of the Cheney brothers, Rogers and Matthew Eichten won their race with a time of 1:34.37. The girls also swept the 100 breast stroke with Thatch in first at 1:18.43, O’Halloran in second at 1:20.04 and Vargas in third at 1:23.80. The boys swept the 100 breast stroke with McMaster in first at 1:05.70, Brian Cheney in second at 1:07.47 and Brendon Allen in third at 1:15.14. The girls 400 freestyle relay team of Bush, O’Halloran, Miller and Mays won their race with a time of 3:56.61. The boys team of Taylor, McMaster, Eichten and Rogers also won with a time of 3:43.56.Tobergte said he was looking forward to this year. He said McMaster, who qualified for state last year, should compete in the breaststroke and expected Brian Cheney would also be competitive in the 50 freestyle.

**Cassie also took 3rd in the 100 backstroke at this meet.