Tualatin swim team head coach Erik Konrad was pleased with his team’s progress throughout the season this year, noting he felt the team got stronger as the year went on.
He thinks the team will continue to trend in that direction in the next few years, as well.
“We had really strong girls this year overall, and we’ve had a lot of club swimmers come in, and they’re freshmen, so that’s really great to see a lot of talent in their first year in high school,” he said. “We’re hoping that that will continue on throughout all four years of their high school careers.”
Some of that freshman talent was on display at the end of the swim season, as a few Tualatin girls qualified to compete in the state meet. Freshman Elora Faucera earned a spot in the 200-yard freestyle event, and finished 10th in the preliminary race, putting her as the first competitor not to make it to the championship round.
Fellow freshman Isabella Smith also earned a trip to the state meet in the 200-yard freestyle event in her first year swimming for the high school team.
“They’re both very fast, very strong swimmers,” Konrad said. “They had great seasons for us.”
The only other Tualatin swimmer to qualify for the state meet in a solo race was junior Lorelei Ahrens, who earned a spot in the 100-yard butterfly competition. Ahrens finished eighth in that race.
Smith also competed in the 500-yard freestyle, while Faucera raced in the 100-yard backstroke, and Ahrens qualified for a spot in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Faucera and Smith were also part of the 200-yard freestyle relay team, which competed in the state meet, along with senior Natalie Shepherd and sophomore Alexis Pazda.
Over on the boys side of things, Konrad said the team gelled really well this year, which he said was partly thanks to seniors Matthew Roberts and Owen Tasa.
“Matthew really stepped it up, and he’s a natural leader,” Konrad said. “He just goes above and beyond, and so does Owen. It’s nice when it’s that leadership ability where you don’t really have to tell them to do a whole lot. They just kind of step in and help bring the team along with just their spirit and everything.”
