Online Exclusive: District meet next for Eagle swimmers

The Hood River girls, who finished second at district to Canby a year ago, will be in the team championship mix again this season — based on regular season results. The Eagle girls were unbeaten in league dual meets this winter.

First-place winners in each individual and relay event at each of the four 5A district meets automatically qualify for the OSAA’s state championships Feb. 21-22. Any remaining open lanes will be filled by the next fastest times from district meet finals, up to 12 participants.

Hood River returns three members of its state placing 200 freestyle relay — sophomore Nyxey Heredia, junior Sophia Helleberg, and senior Sophia Cross — and each figure to place in individual events at district (as they did in 2024). HRV had numerous other girls who placed in the top eight a year ago, including senior Maya Arndt, junior Delaney Hackett, and senior Kylin Elliott.

Elliott and Cross were double, individual winners for Hood River in the NWOC dual last week. Elliott won the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke. Cross won the 200 and 100 freestyle races, and she also swam legs on HRV’s first-place 200- and 400-meter relays.

Also swimming winning relay legs were Arndt (400 relay) and Heredia (200 medley and free relays), who finished 1-2 in the 400 freestyle, and Helleberg (200 medley and 400 relays), who won the 100 backstroke and was second in the 50 freestyle. Arndt also was second to Cross in the 200 free and Heredia was third in that race.

Hackett and Ava Giordano also were on HRV’s first place 200 free team. Hackett was second in the backstroke and 100 butterfly and she also swam the third leg on the Eagles’ first place medley relay. Giordano was second in the 100 free and third in the 50 free, and she also swam legs on the first place 200 and 400 freestyle relays.

The Hood River boys, who also swept their two dual meets last week, were third at district in 2024. Returning district placers Max Webster, Felipe Mendez, and Francisco Solberg teamed with Liam McGeeney to win the 200 medley relay a week ago. Webster finished behind teammate Kane Wagner in the 50 free. Mendez won both the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke. Solberg was second in the 100 free and third in the 100 backstroke. McGeeney won the 100 butterfly and was third in the 50 free.