CORRECTION: Due to a source error, a previous version of this article contained incorrect information. Three Aberdeen relay teams qualified for the state meet.
The Aberdeen girls swim and dive team had a strong showing at the 2A/1A District 4 Championships, placing third overall on Saturday at Shelton High School.
The Bobcats were led by junior Mija Hood, who placed second in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:04.84 and third in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:07.13, earning Aberdeen 37 points t0ward Aberdeen’s team total in those two events.
Bobcats senior Saylor Heikkila (271.90 points) and junior Zahyra Graham (161.90) placed second and third, respectively, in the 1-meter dive completion.
Aberdeen had three relay teams earn spots in the state meet after their performances at the district swim.
The 4×50 (200 yard) relay team of Hood, Harnoor Jandu, Ava Benn, and Keara Burns posted a time of 1:56.27 to place second overall to qualify.
The Bobcats 4×50 medley relay team of Emma Mullins, Wendy Neil, Arianna Alavez and Jandu also qualified for state by placing third with a time of 2:13.97.
Aberdeen’s 4×100 freestyle relay team of Burns, Isabella Melville, Mullins and Hood placed fifth with a time of 4:21.85, just outside of the top four placements to qualify for state.
On Sunday, the WIAA notified Aberdeen officials that due to a need to fill 24 spots for the state meet, the Bobcats 400 freestyle relay team earned a trip to state. Aberdeen’s relay team had one of the faster times among the teams that did not qualify to earn a spot as a wildcard.
SUBMITTED PHOTO The Aberdeen 200-freestyle relay team of (from left) Mija Hood, Keara Burns, Harnoor Jandu and Ava Benn placed second at the 2A/1A District 4 Championships on Saturday in Shelton.
Defending district-champion Aberdeen scored 278 points to place third behind Tumwater (332 points) and Shelton (325).
“They did a wonderful job,” Aberdeen head coach Tiffany Montoure said. “Three relays to state, two divers and Mija Hood in two individual events. Mija did an amazing job you can see her time drops on the results. I am so proud of them all.”
Montoure was voted by the district’s coaches as the District Coach of the Year, an honor that was announced at the event.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Montoure said of the award. “The other coaches voted on it and they are all great coaches. … I couldn’t have done it without my assistant coaches and the community.”
Aberdeen brought 15 competitors to the district meet, with 12 making it through qualifying and to the second day of competition.
Montesano’s Willow Valentine also competed at the district meet. The Bulldogs junior placed 14th in the 50 freestyle with a time of 30.32 and 15th in the 100 freestyle, touching the wall at 1:07.71.
The WIAA Girls Swimming & Diving Championships are scheduled for Thursday through Saturday at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
Team Results (Top 5)
1, Tumwater 332. 2, Shelton 325. 3 Aberdeen 278, 4, Columbia River 268. 5, Ridgefield 177.
Local Results
200-yard medley relay: 3, Aberdeen (Emma Mullins, Wendy Neil, Arianna Alavez, Harnoor Jandu), 2:13.97.
200 freestyle: 14, Isabella Melville, Aberdeen, 2:26.57.
200 IM: 18, Neil, Aberdeen, 3:03.96.
50 freestyle: 8, Keara Burns, Aberdeen, 28.96. 14, Willow Valentine, Montesano, 30.32. 16, Ava Benn, Aberdeen, 30.78. 17, Mullins, Aberdeen, 30.82. 18, Alavez, 31.04.
1-meter dive: 2, Saylor Heikkila, Aberdeen, 271.90. 3, Zahrya Graham, Aberdeen, 161.90.
100 butterfly: 3, Mija Hood, Aberdeen, 1:07.13. 11, Benn, Aberdeen, 1:21.44. 15, Harnoor Jandu, Aberdeen, 1:26.10.
100 freestyle: 10, Burns, Aberdeen, 1:04.70. 14, Alavez, 1:07.64. 15, Valentine, Montesano, 1:07.71.
500 freestyle: 8, Melville, Aberdeen, 6:34.57. 14, Asha Martin, Aberdeen, 7:36.67.
200 freestyle relay: 2, Aberdeen (Hood, Jandu, Benn, Burns), 1:56.27.
100 backstroke: 2, Hood, Aberdeen, 1:04.84. 7, Mullins, Aberdeen, 1:13.36. 18, Heikkila, 1:29.16.
100 breaststroke: 8, Neil, Aberdeen, 1:23.47.
400 freestyle relay: 5, Aberdeen (Burns, Melville, Mullins, Hood), 4:21.85.
