Season Begins for Malta Swim Team; Young Brothers Lead Charge

The Malta Swim Team saw their first action of the season last weekend, as a handful of the team’s more experienced swimmers went to Plentywood last weekend.

Though only five attended the meet, the Malta Swim Team has a total of 29 swimmers signed up.

The Plentywood meet started on Saturday, June 10, and concluded on Sunday, June 11.

Malta’s boys team scored 69 points, while the girls scored 22.

Silas Young, age 13, led Malta by scoring a total of 40 points.

Young won the Boys 13-14 100 Meter Breaststroke with a time of 1:38.59 in the finals.

“In the 100 Breaststroke I glided because Darrow told me too,” Silas said.

Coach Messerly was asked about the tactic.

“It was just so that he wouldn’t get as tired,” Coach Messerly said. “So that he holds his stroke a little longer and that way he goes faster in the breaststroke and he doesn’t get tired as quick.”

He also won the 100 Meter Freestyle with a time of 1:19.21 in the finals and placed second in the 50 Meter Freestyle with a time of 34.21.

“It feels pretty good to go to my first swim meet and tie for first,” Silas said.

Kael Young, age 15, racked up 29 points in the Boys 15-19 class. He took third place in the Boys 15-19 100 Meter Freestyle with a time of 1:07.67 in the finals.

He was also third in the 50 Meter Fly finals with a time of 35.78. He was fourth in the 50 Meter Freestyle finals with a time of 29.44.

Jayne Young, age 10, placed sixth in the Girls 9-10 Meter Backstroke finals with a time of 58.08. She was seventh in the 50 Meter Free finals with a time of 45.10 and ninth in the 50 Meter Breaststroke finals with a time of 1:12.29.

Mary Simons, age 10, placed in the Girls 9-10 50 Meter Backstroke finals with a time of 1:03.12. She also had a time of 50.66 in the 50 Meter Free prelims.

Nine-year-old Erin Solberg competed in the Girls 9-10 50 Meter Backstroke and had a time of 1:26.94 and in the Girls 9-10 50 Meter Free and had a time of 1:23.99.

Prior to the meet, Malta did not have a proper pool to swim in given the water was not ready until Monday, June 12.

Instead, they practiced on dry land at a team member’s house.

“They built this pit for some game, so we had just been doing that to make sure that the kids run around and get some sort of exercise for the day,” Coach Messerly said. “It was kind of more for me to get to know the newer kids that have come in.”