Milbank Swimmers Place High at State Tournament

Seven Milbank members of the Watertown Swim Club competed in South Dakota’s four-day State A championship races for 13-and-over swimmers. The meet was held from February 26 through March 1 at the Mitchell Recreation Center. Watertown swimmers as a team were the runners-up in both the boys and the girls divisions. Each of the Milbank swimmers earned a top-10 place and four swimmers took top-three honors.

Team rankings and their total points: 

Boys (1) Sioux Falls – 2,041  (2) Watertown – 1,447  (3) Rushmore –1,222 (4) Dakota Riptide (Mitchell) –698 and  (5) Aberdeen –643.  

Girls (1) Sioux Falls –2,749 (2) Watertown –1,640 (3) Aberdeen –604 (4) Rushmore –537 and  (5) Dakota Riptide (Mitchell) –461.

Individual results for the Milbank swimmers:

Sophia Bass (Age 13)
Event———-Place
650 Free——–10
100 Breast——8 
50 Free-———7
100 IM-———-3
100 Free ——-6

Thomas Bass (Age 16)
Event –——–Place
100 IM————4
100 Free———3

Bryton Blauert (Age 15)
Event————Place
200 Free———12
50 Back———– 8
50 Free———–13
100 Back———15
100 Free———13

Pierce Mathiason (Age 16)
Event————Place
100 Breast——6
50 Back———10
50 Free———-9
50 Breast——-6
100 Free——–12

Jesus Ramirez (Age 18)
Event————-Place
200 Free———–8
100 Fly————-7

Jada Leigh Wellnitz (Age 15)
Event————-Place
1650 Free———7
50 Back————4
200 IM————-7
100 Back———-3
200 Back———-3
1000 Free———9

TyLynn Wellnitz (Age 13)
Event————–Place
200 Free————4
50 Back————-5
50 Free————–3
100 Back———–7
200 Back———–4
100 Free————4

“One to Watch”: Colin Pickett is a junior at Mitchell High, but he swims for the Sioux Falls SwimTeam. Pickett won 11 gold medals in the 15-16 age group during  the 2026 state meet. He scored 894.8 points for his team.

Pickett is ranked first in South Dakota for boys swimming, and he currently holds seven records. He was also the first boy in South Dakota  to swim a sub-50-second 100 backstroke. Pickett clocked in at 48.81 seconds. His best ti

According to Swimcloud, Pickett is ranked 158th in the United States and 216th internationally for the graduating class of 2027.

All Photos Submitted. Top Photo- Crosby Bass.