MARYSVILLE — Marysville-Pilchuck and Marysville Getchell, who usually compete as a tandem unit in girls’ swimming until this year, faced each other as well as host Oak Harbor Wildcats at Oak Harbor’s Vanderzicht Memorial Pool on Oct. 3.
The Wildcats won 10 of 12 events in the meet, beating Pilchuck 140-39 and edging Getchell 137-44. Getchell grabbed the other two events but Pilchuck won its overall matchup against Getchell because of its higher average finish, 94-81.
There is certainly promise in both Marysville teams’ performances.
“Pilchuck had more woman power, so therefore their scores are stronger. These scores are a reflection of what a young team we have,” Pilchuck and Getchell coach Jaci Legore-Hodgins said. “(Pilchuck’s) Karoline (Schaufler) and (Getchell’s) Rachel (Hartmeyer) found a tempo that was a great sprint speed for them. Now we’re in the speed phase of the season, where we’ve been an endurance team until now. Look at the 100 Butterfly, we only lost by 17 hundredths of a second. We won the backstroke won by 34 hundredths.”
Oak Harbor’s A, B and C Relay teams finished first, second and third respectively in the 200-Meter Medley over Pilchuck in the first event. Pilchuck’s A, B and C teams took fourth, fifth and sixth.
The Wildcats posted a similar result in the 200-Meter Freestyle as three Oak Harbor swimmers took the top three spots. Getchell and Pilchuck swimmers alternated from fourth to seventh.
Ciara Hu of Oak Harbor won the 200-Meter Individual Medley, followed three seconds later by Hartmeyer and third by Pilchuck’s Schaufler five seconds later.
The Wildcats finished first, second and third in the 50-Meter Freestyle, followed by Getchell’s Jordan Kercheval and Pilchuck’s Madison Pfeil.
Getchell broke through in 1-Meter Diving as Courtney Moss won with a final score of 161.75. Pilchuck’s Cherish Broker placed third with 118.80.
Schaufler came second in the 100-Meter Butterfly behind Oak Harbor’s Hu.
It was another one-two-three finish for Oak Harbor in the 100-Meter Freestyle. Pilchuck’s Rosemary Mohr and Pfeil, with Getchell’s Tarynnie Dockstader, finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
Kercheval placed third in the 400-Meter Freestyle behind two Oak Harbor swimmers.
Oak Harbor secured the 200-Meter Freestyle Relay, but Getchell’s squad of Hartmeyer, Emma Beauchamp, Kercheval and Lia Mullen-Gaffney placed second. Pilchuck’s team of Mohr, Lydia Strough, Pfeil and Schaufler finished third.
Hartmeyer won the 100-Meter Backstroke, trailed in second and third by Oak Harbor.
The Wildcats continued their winning ways in the 100-Meter Breaststroke by taking the top three spots once again.
Getchell’s unit of Kercheval, Mullen-Gaffney, Beauchamp and Hartmeyer finished the meet by placing third in the 400-Meter Freestyle Relay.