Dogies shine at conference — Newcastle swimmers deliver strong home meet

The Newcastle Dogies boys swimming team turned in a strong performance at the 3A North Absaraka Conference meet Feb. 6–7 at the Kozisek Aquatic Center, meeting a key championship objective by advancing every swimmer into finals and scoring team points against a deep field.

Coach Doug Scribner said placing in the top 12 during preliminaries was the primary focus entering the meet, as it allows swimmers to compete on the second day and contribute to the team score.

“The biggest goal going into a championship meet is placing in the top 12 on the first day,” Scribner said. “Last year all the swimmers were able to advance in at least one race, and this year the swimmers were able to achieve that same goal. Having the whole team place top 12 in at least one event is a huge accomplishment.”

Newcastle competed against Buffalo, Cody, Powell, Douglas and Worland, using the home conference meet as both a measuring stick and an opportunity to push outside familiar racing comfort zones.

“The competition was tough, and the swimmers did an outstanding job of competing,” Scribner said. “They used the opportunity to get out of their comfort zone and had some really solid time drops.”

Friday preliminaries set the tone for the Dogies, as Archer Ohnstad qualified for the state meet in the 50-yard freestyle. Gabe Hoover swam into the top seed in both the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 backstroke, while Isaiah Anderson, John Sandrini and Nathan Smith all advanced to finals in individual events.

Saturday’s finals featured several standout swims for Newcastle, led by Hoover’s championship performance in the 200 IM. The junior dropped nearly five seconds from his preliminary time to win the event and later added a second-place finish in the 100 back with another notable time improvement.

The Dogies’ 200 medley relay team of Hoover, Ohnstad, Anderson and Sandrini moved up one spot in finals to place fourth and score key team points. Ohnstad placed seventh in the 100 freestyle, while Smith stepped up in the 500 freestyle, moving up one position and cutting more than 13 seconds to finish seventh.

With the conference meet complete, Newcastle now turns its focus to one final opportunity to qualify additional swimmers for the state meet. The Dogies will travel to Gillette this week for the last chance qualifier.

Boys swimming
Absaraka Conference meet
At Kozisek Aquatic Center, Newcastle

Team results
Buffalo: 363 points.
Cody: 263.
Powell: 191.
Douglas: 158.
Worland: 123.
Newcastle: 92.

Newcastle individual and relay results

200 medley relay: Gabe Hoover, Archer Ohnstad, Isaiah Anderson, John Sandrini, 4th, 22 points.

200 free: Nathan Smith, 10th, 3 points.

200 IM: Gabe Hoover, 1st, 16 points.

50 free: Archer Ohnstad, 11th, 2 points.
Isaiah Anderson, 12th, 1 point.

100 free: Archer Ohnstad, 7th, 7 points.

500 free: Nathan Smith, 7th, 7 points.

100 back: Gabe Hoover, 2nd, 13 points.
John Sandrini, 12th, 1 point.

100 breast: Isaiah Anderson, 11th, 2 points.

400 free relay: Archer Ohnstad, John Sandrini, Nathan Smith, Gabe Hoover, 6th, 18 points.