Swimmers notch trio of wins

Three out of four isn’t a bad way to end the regular season.

The Fallon swim teams did just that as the Lady Wave swept Fernley (146.5-83.5)and Incline (130-106), while the boys notched a victory over Incline (135-8) and fell to Fernley (111-100) on Saturday in Fernley.

Next up for Fallon, though, is the Northern Division I-A regional meet preliminary heats on Friday followed by Saturday’s finals in Carson City.

On Saturday, though, Katrina Ward led the Lady Wave with wins in the 200-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly. Kyle Grimes added a win in the 100 free.

Fallon coach Ken Grimes’ goal to was qualify as many swimmers as possible. Josie Bekiares was one of those who made the cut in her final swim in the 100 free.

“We have a pretty nice group of young kids, which we are trying to build (the program),” Grimes said. “We are trying to replace those swimmers we had last year.”

The limited schedule, though, reduced the opportunity for a number of swimmers on the cusp. Last year, Fallon competed in eight meets, which allows the athletes to compete in a pressure-packed environment more often.

Unlike practices, a meet is more intense and Grimes said every meet most of his swimmers were dropping their times.

“I think the experience helps the kids out,” he added. “It might make more of difference for them. In a race environment, the kids were dropping time.”

This year’s teams, however, are not senior heavy as was last year’s club. The Wave, though, added numerous underclassmen and first-year swimmers this season.

“I had kids who could barely make it one lap down the pool,” Grimes said. “Now they are swimmer 100s in respectable time. I am real happy and really looking forward to next year.”

Kyle Grimes, Garrett Snooks, William Reece, Zack Keener, Kaelehn Nemeth, Bekiares and Ward all qualified for Friday’s regional.

To qualify for state, the swimmers must finish in the top eight in the prelims and in the top four of the finals.

Grimes, meanwhile, is one of, if not, the fastest swimmer in the North. Grimes won the Northern Nevada Invitational, an event comprised of every team in the region.

Grimes will swim the 50 and 100 free events and is a favorite to reach next week’s state meet in Las Vegas.

Snooks is entered in the 200 free and 100 butterfly, while Reece will join Grimes in the 50 free. Keener qualified in the 200 individual medley, but will miss Friday’s preliminary meet due to a prior engagement, Ken Grimes said.

For the Lady Wave, Nemeth and Bekaires will compete in the 100 free, while Ward will enter the 200 free and 100 fly.

As for the relays — the 200 medley and 200 and 400 free — each team’s three team’s automatically qualify.

“Our boys 400 and 200 free relay look like they might have an opportunity to place in the top four,” Ken Grimes said. “Our girls 400 and 200 free relays have a chance, which would be sweet.”

Fallon’s regional haul is a bit lower than in years past, but the Wave only had six meets in which to qualify.