Newport sweeps state swim titles

Newport’s boys have made a habit of winning the state title, but had been beat out the past two years by Catlin Gabel.

The Cubs returned to the top of the podium for the first time since winning three straight titles before the pandemic and Newport made it a double delight by also winning the school’s first-ever girls title in Beaverton.

Both squads shined in the relays, where points count double, each taking both freestyle relay titles and finishing second in the other relay.

Newport’s boys scored 72 points to easily beat runner-up Catlin Gabel, which scored 47 points.

For the girls, Newport scored 54 points and runner-up La Grande had 43.

Newport’s boys won the 200 freestyle relay with the group of senior Braylon Belloni, senior Grady Gibson, junior Ivan Farias and senior Sam Postlewait finishing in 1:34.72. Newport also took the 400 freestyle relay with the group of junior Ben Hurty, junior Will Postlewait, freshman Jahan Eibner and Sam Postlewait touching the wall in 3:21.81.

Newport’s Hurty, Farias, Eibner and Belloni finished second in 200 medley relay behind Catlin Gabel in 1:44.69

The Cubs also got three individual titles.

Sam Postlewait won the 50 freestyle in 21.59 and the 100 freestyle in 46.72.

Hurty won the 100 backstroke (54.17) and Will Postlewait was sixth (1:00.26).

Hurty also was second (1:59.03) and Eibner fifth (2:09.02) in the 200 individual medley.

Farias was second in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.70).

Eibner just missed the final in the 500 freestyle, placing seventh in the prelims in 5:18.20.

Belloni was 10th in the prelims for the breaststroke (1:10.66).

Clyde Bretz was 12th in the prelims for the 100 butterfly (1:04.93)\

Newport’s girls won the 200 freestyle relay with the group of freshman Ruby Perucci, senior Claire Hurty, junior Allison Pettett and senior Layla Bretz, finishing in 1:46.55. The Cubs also took the 400 freestyle relay with Hurty, Bretz, freshman Gwynn Postlewait and senior Pia Lihou finishing in 3:53.73.

Newport’s quartet of Lihou, Postlewait, Hurty and Perucci was second to La Grande in the 400 medley relay in 1:58.70.

In individual events, Bretz was second in the 100 butterfly (59.62) and third in the 50 freestyle (24.93).

Postlewait also placed third in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.40) and sixth in the 500 freestyle (5:44.95).

Perucci was fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:04.78). Lihou was ninth in the prelims (1:06.85).

In other prelims, Perucci finished 10th in the 00 freestyle (2:16.22). Lihou was ninth in the 200 individual medley (2:28.38).

Taft’s only swimmers to advance to the state meet did not make it into the finals.

The Tigers finished 10th in the boys 400 freestyle relay, with the group of Brenden Wilson, Brandon Murphy, Elijah Fingerson and Noah Serrato finishing in 3:41.91.