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STATE PREVIEW
February 12, 2025
The Billings Central Rams won their fourth straight swimming championship, and fourth sweep of both the boys and girls podiums, Feb. 10, 2024 in Great Falls at the state swim meet.
Anchored again by relays, the Rams' depth will be tough to contest again as they go for their fifth-straight title. Need proof? They hold the top relay time regardless of class in all three relay races.
The Rams have swept the top spot for the past four years and stopping that streak will be a tall order. Last season they nearly doubled-up runner-up Polson and third-place Columbia Falls.
Returning individual champions: Daniel Apostol (Billings Central, boys 100 butterfly, boys 100 breaststroke), Jonas Johnson (Billings Central, boys 100 backstroke) Teague McElwee (Polson, boys 50 freestyle), Dylan Shelton (Billings Central, boys 200 freestyle, 500 boys freestyle),
Billings Central's Apostol will attempt to add to his previous six state individual titles this weekend with two more not counting relays. Apostol already held two titles each in the boys 200 IM and 100 free before he switched it up with the 100 fly and 100 breast as a junior. As a senior, he'll attempt to defend the 100 breast this weekend, but will also swim the 50 free, an event which he holds the state's best time this season regardless of class.
In a reversal, Polson's McElwee will swim the 100 butterfly instead (again, an event he leads the state in regardless of class) and 100 back rather than defending the 50 free. He'll face the defending 100 back champion Johnson in both.
Shelton has a chance to make it four in a row in the 500 freestyle as just the sixth and first Class AB boys swimmer to win four consecutive titles in a single event. He'll also attempt the 200 IM to add to his career total which includes titles in the 200 free from last season and the 100 back as a sophomore in 2023.
Bennett Seitz holds the top AB time in the 100 freestyle, but Havre's Daniel Tillemanis not far behind. Seitz also leads the qualifiers in the 200 free.
The Billings Central Rams earned their fifth consecutive championship and 15th overall in Great Falls at the state swim meet on Saturday.
After tying Bozeman last season as the all-time winningest girls teams with 15 state titles, the Rams will look to continue building on their streak of five consecutive championships.
The Rams relays and depth make it tough to knock them off, but after topping Havre and Hardin on the podium last season, only time will tell if they can keep it going.
Returning individual champions: Kelly Early (Billings Central, girls 100 butterfly, girls 500 freestyle), Teaghan Vaira (Billings Central, girls 200 IM, girls 100 breaststroke)
Early has led the Rams girls for three years now and will look to add to her career total (two at 50 free, two at 100 butterfly, 500 free) with two new races in the 100 and 200 frees. Rams freshman Vanessa Sheridan instead leads the qualifiers this season in the 500 free as she looks to continue a Rams hold on the event.
Vaira will attempt to repeat in both of her races from 2024 as she brings the top AB times in this season in the 200 IM and 100 back.
East Helena's Sway Longshore leads AB qualifiers in the 50 free with Whitefish'sAvery Theis right behind her by a tenth of a second. Columbia Falls Catherine Opalka leads in the 100 butterfly and Whitefish's Leisel Klein leads the 500 free. Opalka and Longshore are also tops in the 100 breaststroke.
