The next few days are important ones for local high school swimmers and wrestlers. All the months of training and competing will be put to the test as district meets determine which athletes move on to compete at the state’s highest stages.

Eight boys and girls swim teams, six boys wrestling teams and five girls wrestling teams will have their district championships starting Friday, looking to punch their tickets to the state championships.

“I think the kids are excited,” said Summit swim coach Nolan Morrell. “This is kinda what you do the sport for, for these events.”

The Intermountain Conference swimming championships at Bend’s Juniper Swim & Fitness Center begin Friday at 5 p.m. (weather pending) with preliminary rounds. The finals will start Saturday at 1:15 p.m. To qualify for the state championships at the Tualatin Hills Aquatic Center in Beaverton Feb. 21-22, swimmers must win their individual event or relay.

The Bend High girls team, the two-time defending Class 5A state champion, returns three of its top swimmers — junior Emma Bronson, junior Maddie Thronton and senior Hadley Hayes — from last year’s record-breaking squad.

“I’m really excited for districts this year,” said Bend High swim coach Alexandra Winslow. “I think it is going to be a really fun meet. I’m excited to see how the girls do, hopefully we can bring back another district title.”

Caldera senior Campbell McKean owns all-time state-meet records in the boys 200-yard individual medley and the 100 breaststroke. At last year’s district meet, he set Class 5A records before shattering the Oregon records at the state meet.

Two Central Oregon swim teams will compete in the 4A/3A/2A/1A district meets starting on Friday. Madras will host the Special District 1 meet beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday and continuing at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Sisters will travel to South Albany for the Special District 4 meet beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday.

Two Central Oregon leagues will have their district wrestling meets this week to determine who will qualify for the state wrestling championships at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, beginning Feb. 27.

The IMC boys wrestling championships will be held at Ridgeview on Friday and Saturday. Matches start at 9 a.m. on both days, with the championship rounds scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday. The top four wrestlers in each weight class will qualify for state.

Girls wrestling 4A/3A/2A/1A Special District 3 will have its two-day district meet starting on Friday at La Grande High School. The meet includes Crook County, Culver, La Pine, Madras and Sisters. Wrestling will start at 2 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday.