What do you do if you have swim practice the same time the Bobcats are battling the Redbirds for a national title?

If you’re the combined swimmers of Glacier and Flathead High, you have your coach find the game on her iPad. ... and you tread water.

The Division I Football Championship turned out swimmingly for the Montana State Bobcats, who prevailed 35-34 over Illinois State a couple Mondays ago. You can say the same thing about the Wolfpack and Braves/Bravettes, in their first season under coach Tori Homer.  

They’ve made the most of those 8 p.m. practice teams, certainly. 

“I had some idea just because I coached the club team,” Homer said Wednesday. “But many swimmers have risen to the occasion and gotten better through the season. Which is really rewarding.” 

To this point — and with the Crosstown meet set for Friday evening, at the pool located at the Logan Health Fitness Center — 11 Glacier swimmers have qualified for the state championships Feb. 13-14 in Great Falls, along with eight Flathead athletes. 

Homer, who swam for the University of Idaho before moving to the Flathead Valley, singled out several leaders, starting with Kylie Blodgett and Ainsley McGaughy for Glacier. 

“Those two ladies are the foundation for both relays that will compete at state, as well as their individual races,” she said. 

For Blodgett, that is the 100 backstroke and freestyle sprints; for McGaughy is the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley. 

For the Wolfpack boys there are Edward McNeil, Chase Vollertsen and Noah Juster: McNeil excels in the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM; Vollertsen in the 100 backstroke and the freestyle sprints; and Juster in the 100 fly and 200 free.  

Along with Madhav Gautam, Homer said, “All of them will be on very competitive relays at state.” 

“I expect both the guys and girls to make it back to the finals for the A heats,” she continued. “Based on last year’s times, they should be pretty darned competitive.” 

Five seniors dot Glacier’s combined roster: Marian Tuck, McNeil, Gautum, Truett Warren and Claire Belle. 

Flathead’s fortunes are led by the lone senior from that school, Ellie Easley, who stands out in the girls’ distance freestyles and 100 breaststroke. She and junior Elsie Scallenberger (freestyle sprints, 100 fly) are key members of the Bravettes’ relays. 

Which leads us to another pleasing development: With Meah Koppes and Charley Gregg joining Easley and Scallenberger, Flathead has qualified its first girls relay team for state in four seasons.  

Homer calls Cruz Pettymyers and Nick Taylor, “the leading gentlemen,” for Flathead. She expects Pettymyers will swim in the state finals in the 50 and 100 free; “He’s doing very, very well,” she said. 

Meanwhile Taylor has qualified in multiple events, Homer said, but is at his best in the 200 free and 100 fly. Pettymyers and Taylor are first and last legs on the Braves’ relays. 

“I’m just super proud,” said Homer, who boasts a couple juniors, Glacier’s McGaughy and Blodgett, looking to swim in college — with Blodgett aiming to compete for Homer’s Idaho Vandals.  

Friday’s Crosstown meet is set for 4:30 p.m. On Saturday Logan Health will host the final home meet for the schools, the Kalispell-Missoula meet that includes the three Missoula AA schools along with Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Polson and Bigfork. That meet begins at 11 a.m.