Honker swimmers place third at BVL championships

Willows High finished third at the Butte Valley League Championship meet on Oct. 20 in both the boys and girls divisions.

The five swimmers from Willows swam very well for being tired and sore, according to coach Tater Parham.

"These five teenagers started their season by riding an hour and ten minutes one way to their practice facility," Parham said. "Then after four weeks of this, we were able to secure pool time in Red Bluff for the remainder of the season."

Though the Honkers were unable to practice as much as their competition, they performed well at the league championships.

Freshman Molly Bateman won bother her events, completing the 100-butterfly in 1:04.19 and the 100-backstroke in 1:04.53 to become a two-time BVL champion.

Another freshman, Veronica Foley, won the girls 100-freestyle (1:00.39) and took second in the 100-butterfly (1:07.17).

The third Honkers' freshman girl swimmer, Jazmin Hernandez, also qualified for the Division II Championships with a third-place finish in the 100-breaststroke (1:26.69) and eighth in the 50-freestyle (32.19).

Senior Kasey Foley placed second in the 100-freestyle (50.95) and second in the 100-backstroke (58.91) after missing a week of practice with bronchitis, Parham said.

Noah Parham, a freshman, out-raced an upper classman from Winters High to win the 100-breaststroke (1:09.46) and placed third in the 100-butterfly (1:03.34) to give the Honkers three freshmen with BVL titles.

"I am proud of these student-athletes," coach Parham said. "I am grateful for the help from the parents and our Boosters organization."