Nate Burnham of Glacier and Colton Babcock of Columbia Falls will close out their stellar prep swim careers today and Saturday with the all-class state meet at the Great Falls High School pool.

The two seniors, along with other state swim meet qualifiers from Bigfork, Flathead and Whitefish, will be going for fast times, medals and team honors.

Babcock won the 50 and 100 freestyle events a year ago in Great Falls. He is a two-time state champion in both.

His performance helped Columbia Falls top Billings Central for the Class A/B team title by 20 points.

Babcock opened the season at the Kalispell Invitational by winning the 200 freestyle in a school record time of 2:00.3. That bettered his old mark by four seconds.

Burnham placed third last year at state in the 500 freestyle and was fourth in the 200 freestyle.

He set a new school record at state in the 200 (1:48.44).

This year he opened the season at the Kalispell Invitational with winning and school record times in the 100 (48.77) and 200 (1:48.05) freestyle.

He will swim the 50 and 100 free this weekend.

Glacier junior Lauran Harman swam on last year’s first place 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams, which set school records in both events. She is the only returning member of those relays.

The meet was originally scheduled for Hardin, but pool deck damage there forced officials to bring the event back to Great Falls.

Swimming begins both days at 11 a.m.

The finals in all events will be held Saturday.

The Columbia Falls girls finished third at state last year for Class A/B.

Flathead/Glacier

Flathead has qualified 16 swimmers (nine girls and seven boys) for the season finale while Glacier totals 13 (eight girls and five boys).

Flathead has been led this year by returning veterans Delanie Eliason, Maddie Huestis and Nathan Moon. They are seniors.

“Delanie and Maddie are both swimming the 500 freestyle and are poised to drop some significant time,” Flathead/Glacier coach David Lillard said.

“They have both been holding their race pace in practice so I anticipate that they will make some huge improvements after their incredible work in practice.

“Nathan Moon has been swimming about 400 yards of fly every practice, which will likely lead to a great improvement in his 100 butterfly,” Lillard continued.

“Gus de Souza is a freshman with a lot of club swimming experience. He is in scoring position for both events (100 and 200 freestyle) if he can post a best time. Clay Skonard is also in scoring position in the 100 breaststroke if he can drop a couple seconds.”

Glacier, in addition to Burnham, has another senior who has been a major contributor during per high school days in Bailey Smith.

“Bailey brings a lot of speed and has a chance of scoring in the 100 freestyle,” Lillard said.

“Freshman Alex Bertrand, an experienced KATS swimmer, is in scoring position in the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley.

“Nathan Burnham is seeded second in the 50 freestyle and third in the 100 freestyle. He has a good chance of winning either of those events with a best time. He holds school records in the 500, 200, and 100 freestyle with a chance at capturing all of the freestyle records if he breaks the record in the 50 as well.

“Nathan is one of the hardest working swimmers I have ever coached,” Lillard added.

“He is exceptional in his drive in practice, which will no doubt lead to some great swims this weekend.”

Burnham placed in two events his freshman season at state — second with the 200 freestyle relay team and sixth with the 200 medley relay squad.

His sophomore season, he was seventh in the 500 freestyle, eighth in the 200 freestyle and 10th as a member of the 400 freestyle relay team at state.

Lillard said Miguel Generoso has a chance of scoring in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.

“Both teams are battling for scoring position on relays,” Lillard said.

“Most swimmers are poised for a great state meet, scoring for their school or swimming season and lifetime bests.”

Flathead State Qualifiers

Girls

Emily Cephers (FR) — 200 IM 2:44.39; 100 Fly 1:17.41

Greta Cole (JR) — 200 Free 2:34.15; 100 Back 1:17.87

Delanie Eliason (SR) — 100 Free 1:01.98; 500 Free 6:22.09

Hailey Fennell (JR) — 200 Free 2:35.90; 100 Breast 1:30.85

Maddie Huestis (SR) — 200 Free 2:24.05; 500 Free 6:20.05

Kaylee Kurkowski (FR) — 200 IM 2:58.65; 100 Back 1:22.18

Jenna Skonard (SO) — 200 IM 3:24.85; 100 Breast 1:30.97

Shayenn Thompson (SO) — 50 Free 28.72; 100 Breast 1:21.01

Roxy Ward (SR) — 200 Free 2:51.65; 100 Back 1:24.95Y

Boys

Chance Ammirata (FR) — 200 IM 2:49.39; 100 Free 1:03.91

Gustavo De Souza (FR) — 200 Free 2:01.69; 100 Free 55.76

Gage Magone (JR) — 50 Free 28.22Y; 100 Breast 1:28.34

Nathan Moon (SR) — 200 Free 2:20.55; 100 Fly 1:04.00

Brandon Pyron (JR) — 50 Free 29.71; 100 Free 1:10.74

Clay Skonard (SR) — 200 IM 2:37.08; 100 Breast 1:11.27

Makena Tanko (JR) — 50 Free 26.31; Male 100 Free 1:02.64

Glacier State Qualifiers

Girls

Megan Andersen (FR) — 200 Free 2:37.11; 500 Free 6:57.47

Kenna Bemis (JR) — 200 Free 2:31.78; 500 Free 6:43.57

Audrey Despain (FR) — 200 Free 2:45.98; 100 Back 1:23.50

Lauren Harmon (JR) — 100 Free 1:03.36; 100 Breast 1:22.79

Meg Hornby (JR) — 50 Free 29.98; 100 Back 1:18.67

Selena Ikeda (SR) — 100 Free 1:12.14; 100 Back 1:22.85

Bailey Smith (SR) — 100 Free 1:01.74; 100 Back 1:09.53

Lauryn Vornbrock (SO) — 200 Free 2:40.12; 100 Free 1:10.38

Boys

Alex Bertrand (FR) — 200 IM 2:12.14; 100 Breast 1:09.40

Nathan Burnham (SR) — 50 Free 22.22; 100 Free 48.52

James Dittmann (JR) — 50 Free 28.87; 100 Free 1:05.60

Miguel Generoso (SR) — 100 Fly 1:00.60; 100 Back 1:02.94

Keegan Mackenstadt (JR) — 50 Free 26.13; 100 Breast 1:17.85

Bigfork

This will be the final swim meet for half of the team’s state qualifiers.

In the pool for the last time are seniors Deidre Leslie, Victoria Hiza, Gabriella DiPaulo, Wilson Vogt and Julia Saunders. All are competing in three events.

“I am just so proud of my girls,” Bigfork coach Charlotte Ball said.

“The seniors were with me four years ago when we started the team, and they came with little to no experience. I’m just so impressed with how far they have come and the successes they have had personally.

“These girls are swimming against others who have been competing for 10 or so years, and they have really learned to hold their own,” she continued.

“All of the girls have been showing improvements in times. We are excited to achieve more personal bests at this final meet of the season.”

State Qualifiers

Deidre Leslie (SR) — 200 medley relay; 50 freestyle; 200 free relay

Victoria Hiza (SR) — 50 freestyle; 100 freestyle; 200 free relay

Gabriella DiPaulo (SR) — 50 freestyle; 100 freestyle; 400 freestyle relay

Wilson Vogt (SR) — 200 medley relay; 200 free relay; 100 backstroke

Julia Saunders (SR) — 200 medley relay; 200 free relay; 100 breaststroke

Alyssa Pancoast (JR) —100 backstroke; 400 free relay

Ahna Fox (SO) — 200 medley relay; 200 free relay; 100 backstroke

Alice Valore (SO) — 200 freestyle; 400 free relay

Kyndall Eike (SO) —100 backstroke

Aubrey Halverson (FR) — 100 freestyle; 400 free relay

Columbia Falls/Whitefish

Helping Burnham with the team scoring this weekend will be Sage Wanner and Zayne Friar in the freestyle events.

Maddy Stoddard and Shai Moultray have placed in the freestyle and individual medley for the Columbia Falls girls along with Hannah Callender in the backstroke.

Caroline Dye is enjoying a standout season for the Whitefish girls along with Jessica Young, Preston Ring, Annie Sullivan and Kelton Thomas in the freestyle swims.

No information was available on the state qualifiers for both schools.

The head coach for both schools this year is Amy Caudill. She was an assistant for both teams before that.