Hurricanes take third at state champs

Seven Rangely swimmers competed at the Scottie Ascherman Seasonal State Championships in Ouray this year, including Ashton Hacking, Karter Skelton, Ethan Hacking, Peyton Armstrong, Colton Noel, Mary Scoggins and Timothy Scoggins. The team placed third.
MATT SCOGGINS PHOTO

Rangely Hurricane Peyton Armstrong also competed in Ouray.
COURTESY PHOTO

RANGELY | The first weekend of August for summer club swimmers always means one thing: the Scottie Ascherman Seasonal State Championships. This year the meet was held in the scenic, outdoor pool of Ouray with teams from all over the state traveling to compete.

Categorized as a “small” team, the Rangely Hurricanes brought seven swimmers to the meet, with each athlete proving why they deserved to be swimming amongst the state’s finest. The Hurricanes were made up of 6-year-olds Ashton Hacking and Karter Skelton 6, 9-year-old Ethan Hacking, 12-year-old Peyton Armstrong, and 15-year-olds Colton Noel, Mary Scoggins and Timothy Scoggins.

The young team competed hard and fast, setting new personal bests and coming home with lots of hardware. The seven combined for 14 top six medals and compiled enough points to finish the state meet in third place for small teams, only behind Meeker and Rocky Ford.

Each swimmer raced well in all of their races, but certain races highlighted the weekend.

Ashton Hacking cut off nearly four seconds on his way to a fourth place finish in the 25-meter freestyle. Karter Skelton cut close to seven seconds off of his 25-meter breaststroke to win his first state championship at the age of 6. Skelton also won the 25-meter backstroke.

Ethan Hacking swam a strong race in the 100-meter backstroke, leading to a new personal best by nearly three seconds. Peyton Armstrong, at the top of a very competitive 11-12 age group, finished fifth in both the 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke.

Colton Noel, one of three Hurricanes keeping at the bottom of the 15-18 age group, didn’t let his age or experience hold him back as he swam an intense personal best of five seconds to finish in fifth.

Mary Scoggins has seen improvement all summer, especially in her butterfly. Her smooth and strong 100-meter butterfly earned her an 11th place finish. Timothy Scoggins swam in one of the most exciting races of the meet, finishing second in the 50-meter freestyle, only .08 seconds from winning the state title.

RESULTS

– Ashton Hacking

50m Free (1:06.92 – 4th)

25m Back (DQ)

25M Free (27.89-4th)

– Karter Skelton

25m Breast (36.56-1st)

50m Free (1:02.83-3rd)

25m Back (27.64-1st)

25m Free (25.01-2nd)

100m Free (2:15.32-2nd)

– Ethan Hacking