Olympus swim team finishes at region championships, looks towards state meet

Only the 4A state championships remain ahead for the Olympus swim team, which will be competing at BYU Feb. 3-4 for the state title. The Titans took second in girls and third in boys at the Region 7 meet held Jan. 25 in Bountiful.

The season had some ups and downs for the Titans, with an overall improvement in swim times for individual swimmers.

“The team is working hard and improving,” coach Brad Goffe said. “This is a good group of kids. They have worked hard, despite of all the difficulties. They’ve done pretty well.”

The Titans girls and boys teams had varied overall results in a meet against Woods Cross and Logan on Jan. 6, but had a number of key first place finishes. They included sophomore Abby Loden (500 meter freestyle, 200 free); sophomore Laura Spencer (100 breaststroke, 200 individual medley); junior Jarom Chamberlain (200 IM); junior Shaylee Howard (100 free, 100 back) and senior Emily Ference, Loden, Howard and junior Melissa Hoffman in the 400 free relay event.

Olympus defeated Herriman in combined scores for both boys and girls teams Jan. 11, and the Titans were defeated by returning state 4A second place Skyline Jan. 17, with first place finishes in individual events by senior Shawn Western (500 free), Howard (100 back) and Spencer (100 breast).

“We’re excited for region,” Goffe said before the championship meet. “We’re expecting to do well. We’ve had some good fast times but have tapered in the last few weeks, so hopefully we can get some good fast times.”

At region, the medley relay team of Howard, Spencer, Ference and Melissa Hofmann started things off right by winning the region championship. Olympus swimmers also won titles in these races: Western in both the 200 IM and the 100 backstroke; Spencer in both the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke; and Howard in the 100 back.