Swim team endures record heat in Glasgow

The Malta Swim team overcame a couple of 105-degree days in Glasgow last weekend, including record-breaking 108-degree temps on Sunday, July 17.

"The first day (Saturday, July 16), was super long and hot," Malta Swim Team Head Coach Darrow Messerly said. "I think we had roughly 200 or 250 kids and that took a while."

The Malta boys racked up 78 points and took ninth place as a team, while the Malta girls had 22 points and were tenth. Present for the boys were Reese Brown, Kael Young, and Silas Young. The girls were represented by Taya Wilke, Rosie Day, Brooke Negus, Ellie Norville, and Aubrie Norville.

"I think that the kids did really well, the few that I had," Coach Messerly said.

Kael Young had 31 points. He was second in the Boys 13-14 100 Meter Freestyle with a time of 1:07.75. He was also third in the Boys 13-14 200 Meter Freestyle with a time of 2:35.38. He was also fourth in the 50 Meter Freestyle with a time of 31.27.

"Kale swam pretty well and I think that he swam his best times of the year," Messerly said.

Silas Young scored a total of 27 points. He was third in the Boys 11-12 200 Meter Freestyle with a time of 3:02.55. He was also fourth in the 50 Meter Breaststroke with a time of 46.68, and fifth in the 100 Freestyle Finals with a time of 1:20.02.

"Silas had some tough competition," Coach Messerly said.

Brown scored 20 points and was fourth in the Boys 15 and Over 100 Meter Breaststroke with a time of 1:49.56.

Taya Wilke led the girls, scoring nine points. She was seventh in the Girls 11-12 50 Breaststroke finals with a time of 53.10.

She was tenth in the 50 Meter Backstroke Finals with a time of 51.07.

Ellie Norville scored three points by taking tenth in the Girls 9-10 50 Meter Backstroke with a time of 1:09.64.

The Malta Swim team will be heading to Scobey this weekend. The meet is scheduled to start on Saturday, July 23, and conclude on Sunday, July 24.

"I don't think that I will have a lot of kids going (to Scobey), but divisionals are right around the corner and we are getting prepared for that," Coach Messerly said.

With divisionals coming soon, Coach Messerly was asked what the team is working on.

"We are really focusing on the importance of starts and turns," Coach Messerly said. "I have watched it firsthand and my kids get beat off the turns and now they understand the importance of why I preach it to them all of the time."