Aberdeen claims first district title since 2019

Matisons, relay teams lead Bobcats to girls swim district title

By Ryan Sparks • November 6, 2022 11:00 pm
SUBMITTED PHOTO The Aberdeen girls swim team won the 2A District 4 championship on Saturday in Shelton. Pictured are (front row, left to right): dive coach Megan Elway, assistant coach Tanya Bowers-Anderson, Julia Cerrillo Serrano, Saylor Heikkila, Harnoor Jandu, Wendy Rojas Contreras, Wendy Neil and head coach Tiffany Montoure. Back row (from left): Jessica Meza, Arianna Alavez, Asha Martin, Anna Matisons, Litzy Orona, Mija Hood, Emma Mullins, Ava Benn, Keara Burns and Isabella Melville.
SUBMITTED PHOTO The Aberdeen girls swim team won the 2A District 4 championship on Saturday in Shelton. Pictured are (front row, left to right): dive coach Megan Elway, assistant coach Tanya Bowers-Anderson, Julia Cerrillo Serrano, Saylor Heikkila, Harnoor Jandu, Wendy Rojas Contreras, Wendy Neil and head coach Tiffany Montoure. Back row (from left): Jessica Meza, Arianna Alavez, Asha Martin, Anna Matisons, Litzy Orona, Mija Hood, Emma Mullins, Ava Benn, Keara Burns and Isabella Melville.

UPDATE: Information added regarding Aberdeen’s Litzy Orona’s placement in the 100 breaststroke.

Anna Matisons and the Bobcats relay teams led Aberdeen to victory in the 2A/1A District 4 Swim & Dive Championships on Friday and Saturday in Shelton.

The Bobcats won their first district title since 2019 by earning 301 points as a team, defeating second-place Tumwater by 29 points.

Aberdeen, which had won seven-straight district titles leading up to 2019 and placed second last season, got several podium performances from multiple swimmers.

Senior co-captain Anna Matisons led the way, winning her second-consecutive district title in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:11.48, besting Black Hills’ Olivia Van Dyne by more than three seconds.

Matisons also placed fifth in the 200 individual medley (2:50.78).

“Her positive attitude, encouragement and great sportsmanship shined through during the meet,” Aberdeen head coach Tiffany Montoure said of Matisons.

Sophomore Mija Hood placed second in the 100 backstroke (1:05.57) and third in the 100 freestyle (1:01.58) for the Bobcats while senior co-captain Litzy Orona took third in the 100 breaststroke (1:19.06) and fourth in the 200 individual medley (2:29.53).

Aberdeen junior Keara Burns earned a podium placement with a time of 28.69 in the 50-yard freestyle, placing seventh overall.

Sophomores Emma Mullins and Ava Benn finished seventh and eighth in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:15.52 and 1:19.82, respectively.

Aberdeen freshman Isabella Melville placed eighth in the 100 freestyle with a time of 1:08.65.

The Bobcats got a large portion of its overall points from its three relay teams, all of which qualified for the state meet.

The Aberdeen 4×50 medley relay team of Mullins, Matisons, Orona and Burns won a district championship with a time of 2:03.43, beating Tumwater by 1.46 seconds.

Aberdeen’s 4×50 freestyle relay team of Hood, sophomore Harnoor Jandu, Burns and Orona placed second with a time of 1:52.26.

Finally, the Bobcats 4×100 freestyle relay team of Mullins, Melville, Jandu and Hood placed third overall with a time of 4:26.06.

Montoure said she had to juggle some swimmers on the relay teams but her athletes didn’t allow it to affect them in the pool.

“The team truly came together to make the win happen. We switched up races and everyone swam their best. We had some outstanding swims,” she said. “The relays were key to winning the District meet. All of the relays needed to be strong and everyone stepped up to do their part for the team.”

Aberdeen advances to the state championship meet scheduled Thursday-Friday at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.

The district title was the first for Montoure as head coach, who commended assistant coaches Megan Elway, and Tanya Bowers-Anderson and also acknowledged previous head coach Jan Simons, who still follows and is closely related to the program.

“It’s very cool,” Montoure said of the victory. “It’s a huge thing to win districts and follow in Jan’s footsteps. … As athletes, they put their best foot forward. I am so proud of all of their hard work and dedication to this amazing sport.”

Aberdeen Results

Team standings (top 5) — 1, Aberdeen 301. 2, Tumwater, 272. 3, Shelton 251. 4, Columbia River 210.5. 5, Hockinson 170.

4×50 medley relay — 1, Aberdeen (Mullins, Matisons, Orona, Burns), 2:03.43.

200 freestyle — 9, Melville, 2:28.49. 12, Mullins, 2:32.98. 16-t, Asha Martin, 2:50.78. 16-t, Wendy Rojas Contreras, 2:50.78.

200 IM — 4, Orona, 2:29.52. 5, Matisons, 2:40.28.

50 freestyle — 7, Burns, 28.69. 13, Jandu, 30.19. 15, Jessica Meza, 31.30. 16, Arianna Alavez, 32.20.

100 butterfly — 7, Mullins, 1:16.41. 8, Ava Benn, 1:19.82.

100 freestyle — 3, Hood, 1:01.58. 8, Melville, 1:08.65. 13, Alavez, 1:12.73.

500 freestyle — 9, Burns, 6:36.04.

4×50 freestyle relay — 2, Aberdeen (Hood, Jandu, Burns, Orona), 1:52.26.

100 backstroke — 2, Hood, 1:05.67. 12, Jandu, 1:24.58. 14, Jessica Meza, 1:23.09. 16, Saylor Heikkila, 1:25.13.

100 breaststroke — 1, Matisons, 1:11.48. 3, Orona, 1:19.06. 10, Wendy Neil, 1:26.53.

4×100 freestyle relay — 3, Aberdeen (Mullins, Melville, Jandu, Hood), 4:26.06.