River’s Mead makes first big splash at prep district meet

LONGVIEW — If you don’t recognize Rob Mead’s name around the high school swimming circuit, that’s because he’s a first-timer.

Not exactly a first-timer in the pool; he’s a veteran club swimmer, but he’s new to Columbia River High School’s boys swimming team this winter.

The motivation came from his circle of friends.

“It sounded like a good time,” Mead said.

It’s been nothing but fun for the Chieftains’ junior, who not only won the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke at Saturday’s 2A Southwest District swimming championships at Mark Morris’ Dick Mealy Memorial Pool, he broke the meet’s third-oldest record dating back 24 years in the 100 back.

His winning time of 51.82 seconds knocked off a 1993 district record of 51.91 from Hudson’s Bay’s Whitney Woolard and shattered the 2A districttime of 58.36 in place since 2012 by North Thurston’s Erik Solveson. His winning time in the 100 free also set a new 2A meet record time.

All Mead was looking for Saturday was a good seed time into next week’s 2A state swimming championships at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.

“And to challenge myself,” he added.

Challenge, he did. His time was one of three by two River swimmers to set an overall district record. Josh Bottelberghe did it twice in his two events: the 200 freestyle (1:43.22) and 100 breaststroke (58.30), breaking district times from 2007 and ’05, respectively.

Bottelberghe also is the defending Class 3A state champion in the 100 breast, but said his focus Saturday wasn’t on himself, but rather, his teammates.

“I wanted the team to do well,” he said. “I wanted the team to place well and everyone to step up. And they did.

The Chieftains brought 10 to the district meet, and in addition to Mead and Bottelberghe each having first-place times in two events, all three relay teams also are headed to state.

River’s 200 medley and 200 free relay teams each clocked in first-place times, as the team finished second in the team race with 234 points behind team champion and host Mark Morris (308 points).

The day’s most exciting finish came from a runner-up. Hockinson’s Evan Oja qualified for state for a third time — and by the slimmest of margins. His second-place time of 52.08 in the 100 free was one-one hundredth of a second ahead of Mark Morris’ Brian Franklin (52.09) for a state spot.

All Oja said he could focus on was the final 50.

“I thought I lost,” Oja said. “It was way too close, but it was fun.”

Teammate Joseph Dodd won the 50 free (23.26) and also swam a state-qualifying time Saturday in the 100 butterfly (57.44).

For Washougal’s Isaiah Ross, not only did he swim a season-best and new 2A district meet time while winning the 500 free (4:50.76), for the first time at a district meet in his career, he swam as part of a relay.

The Panthers don’t have a big squad; their numbers increased this year to four swimmers, but enough to form 200 and 400 freestyle relays. Their best finish was in the 400 free (third, 4:00.67).

Said Ross: “This was a lot of fun.”

2A District
At Mark Morris
Team scores (top 4): 1. Mark Morris 308, 2. Columbia River 234, 3. Aberdeen 186, 4. Hockinson 164
State qualifiers
200 medley relay: 1. Columbia River (Rob Mead, Josh Bottelberghe, Sam Walker, Ben Phelps), 1:43.25; 2. Aberdeen (Robby Lewis, Kai Kawashima, Sage Bridges, Conner Gates), 1:52.56
200 free: 1. Josh Bottelberghe (Columbia River), 1:43:22; 2. Isaiah Ross (1:45.93)
200 IM: 1. Max Mann (Toutle), 2:04.97; 2. Sam Walker (Columbia River), 2:06.32
50 free: 1. Joseph Dodd (Hockinson), 23.26; 2. Brian Franklin (Mark Morris), 23.35
Diving: 1. Kai Kawashima (Aberdeen), 299.05
100 butterfly: 1. Max Mann (Toutle), 55.10; 2. Robby Lewis (Aberdeen), 56.44; 3. Joseph Dodd (Hockinson), 56.44
100 free: 1. Rob Mead (Columbia River), 48.12; 2. Evan Oja (Hockinson), 52.08
500 free: 1. Isaiah Ross (Washougal), 4:50.76; 2. Sam Walker (Columbia River), 4:57.67
200 free relay: 1. Columbia River (Josh Bottelberghe, Isaac Wooten, Ben Phelps, Rob Mead), 1:33.36; 2. Mark Morris (Brian Franklin, Tanner Drinnon, Cody Schreier, George Johnson), 1:33.58
100 back: 1. Rob Mead (Columbia River), 51.82; 2. Ben Phelps (Columbia River), 1:00.38
100 breast: 1. Josh Bottelberghe (Columbia River), 58.30; 2. Dawson Dang (Mark Morris), 1:10.25