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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us February 17, 2005 Grizzlies try to keep it positive By Ezra Mannix Tidings Correspondent The big fish of Ashland High swimming are about to jump from the district pond into a state-sized lake. Ashland junior Ashley Roda is one of two Grizzly swimmers who will compete in an individual event in this weekend's Class 4A state meet. Orville Hector | Ashland Daily Tidings Two individual event winners from last weekend's Southern Oregon Conference district swim meet, senior Geoff Berteau and junior Ashley Roda, will go to Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham this weekend to compete in the OSAA Swimming State Championships. Berteau will compete in the 200-yard individual medley and Roda in the 500-yard freestyle. Joining them will be the boys' 200-yard freestyle relay team, comprised of junior Ben Dawson, senior Alex Grimaldi, freshman Dashiell King and Berteau, along with three alternates: juniors Jaxon Williams, John Harris and sophomore Corey Thomas. The competition at state could prove insurmountable, however. In all three events Ashland swimmers will compete in, they are ranked 18th out of 18 spots based on their district final's times. "You go up there and they plaster you on the wall," Roda said. "You just come out of districts like 'I am the best' and up there you say 'I'm not even a swimmer.' You know where you stand." Coach Lara Bishop knows the drill well. "That's how its been," she said. "That's because swimming is much more serious up there: more athletes, bigger population." "If I swam twice a day like they do, I'd probably be one of the best, too," Berteau added. Still, the Grizzlies are keeping it positive, focusing more on the experience and less on the prognosis, however gruesome it may be. "I am excited," said and upbeat Roda. "If I go up there and finish 17th and I'll be happy. With all the swimmers in the state I am number 18." The history of Grizzly swimming at state isn't legendary. The only state victories for any Grizzly swimmers came in the 100-yard freestyle. Curtis Taylor won the event in 1990, clocking in at 46.62 seconds. In 2002, Brad Scoles won it in 47.15. In the 56-year history of the OSAA state swimming championship, Ashland has never won a team championship. In fact, no Southern Oregon Conference school has. For some on the team who play water polo, it's a chance to continue year-round training. Water polo season is both spring and fall. With swimming in the winter, that leaves little respite for aquatic athletes. "For the most part, its about water polo," said Berteau. Either way, the state championship doesn't scare Berteau off. "It could be damaging to ones ego, but I'm just going to let it brush off," he said. Added Roda: "I've been swimming since the 2nd grade. I've tried many sports, but I come back to swimming. I love being coached, a love having my times dropped." Her winning 500 free time of 5:44.35 is about five seconds better than her previous best. That's something positive to take north. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Women's & Men's Slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc libor rate Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weightloss Products Memory Foam Mattress afsa studentloans home equity loans teleconferencing W2 Forms fasa student loans Matchmaking & Dating Scripts African Safari Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation wholesale diamonds Currancy Exchange web conferencing Online Casinos Community Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams