POLSON — Butte High’s Thad Holdsworth had a big day to lead the Bulldog swimming teams Saturday.
The senior captain posted a career-best time to win the 50-yard freestyle race at the Missoula City Meet. The victory came as Holdsworth placed second in the 50 breaststroke.
The Butte boys placed seventh in team standings. Butte High’s girls placed sixth.
“We had a lot of improvement today and are swimming faster each meet,” Bulldog coach Lynn Shrader said.
Missoula Hellgate’s boys and Glacier’s girls won the team titles. Hellgate scored 266 points on the boys’ side. Missoula Sentinel was second at 258, followed by Kalispell Glacier at 254, Helena Capital at 202, Missoula Big Sky/Loyola at 169, Helena High at 153, Butte at 127, Polson at 121 and Kalispell Flathead at 119.
Glacier’s girls racked up 366 points in the win. Helena High was second at 256, and Sentinel placed third at 255. Hellgate scored 250, followed by Big Sky/Loyola at 241, Butte at 172, Flathead at 148, Capital 117 and Polson at 86.
Junior Ladd Hutchinson placed ninth in the 200 individual medley. He also beat his PR by 3 seconds to take 10th in the 100 freestyle.
Freshman Ziah Garaza took eighth in the 200 medley, and senior John Vadekop took ninth in the 200 freestyle.
Holdsworth, Hutchinson, Garza and Vadekop took sixth in the 200 freestyle relay. They also placed eight in the 200 medley relay.
For the Bulldog girls, Senior Kenzie Mason placed fourth in the 50 free. She also competed in the 500 free for the first time, placing fifth.
Sophomore Lily Jaksha took fifth in the 50 free and 100 butterfly. She beat her best time in the butterfly by 7 seconds.
Senior captain Carley Trefts took seventh in the 200 freestyle, and Joci Petroni and Kieyerah Killoy took seventh and eighth in the 500 freestyle.
Jaksha, Alex Kovnesky, Petroni and Mason placed sixth in the 200 freestyle relay. Jaksha, Trefts, Mason and Kovnesky finished seventh in the 200 medley relay.
The Bulldogs will compete next in a Jan. 7 meet in Bozeman. They will host a meet Jan. 8.
Complete results from Saturday’s meet are not available.
