MARYSVILLE — Marysville-Pilchuck looked to remain unbeaten and Marysville Getchell looked for its first win when their combo boys swimming and diving team hosted 1-0 Oak Harbor on Dec. 6.
The Tomahawks, led by Wesco swimmer of the week Colin Willis, were out to win a second consecutive meet. The Chargers looked to prove themselves after a tie against Glacier Peak and a close loss to Snohomish.
Oak Harbor, however, continued their hot start with eight first-place team and individual finishes to down M-P, 100-85, and Getchell, 123-58.
“We knew going in that it was going to be competitive and close, and we hoped that we would come out ahead,” said M-P and Getchell coach Meredith Jenks, who is in her second year as head coach after spending the nine previous as an assistant. “We’re not getting down, we’re looking forward to both teams swimming well at the end of the season.”
M-P’s A team finished just thirty-two hundredths of a second behind Oak Harbor to take second place at 1:48.60 in the 200-yard medley relay. Junior Thomas Durand clocked 31.07 seconds, senior Jon Ell 29.96, Willis 24.05 and senior Andrew Winquist 23.52. Getchell’s A team of senior Matt Knowlton (30.34), senior David Fugate (32.42), junior Kevin Korte (30.05) and Josh Estella (24.27) finished third.
The 200-yard freestyle went to Oak Harbor’s Jacob Jepson with a 3A state-qualifying time of 1:49.89. Winquist swam a 4A Districts-qualifying time of 1:57.00 in second, followed by Tomahawk sophomore Jonathan Pusateri in third at 2:09.73.
“These guys all work well as a team,” Jenks said. “They’re always cheering for their teammates, and that kind of enthusiasm really helps when you’re racing.”
Jepson also won the 200-yard individual medley with a 4A State time of 2:03.38. Willis recorded a 4A State time of 2:07.08 to secure second place for M-P.
Oak Harbor’s Kevin Levy split first in the 50-yard freestyle with Tomahawk junior Jacob Blomberg at a 4A Districts time of 24.28. Ell took second by twelve hundredths of a second and qualified for 4A Districts at 24.40.
Tomahawk senior Tyler Russell won the 1-meter dive event with a final score of 134.15. Junior Dominique Gray took second for the Chargers with 90.20 points.
Willis won the 100-yard fly with a 4A State time of 54.43.
Winquist took first in the 100-yard freestyle with a 4A Districts time of 53.08. Estella took second for Getchell with a 4A Districts time of 53.74.
Jepson won the 500-yard freestyle at 5:00.66, followed by Pusateri at a 4A District time of 5:59.85.
Getchell’s A relay team of Korte (25.98), Fugate (24.83), Knowlton (24.88) and Estella (25.13) broke through by winning the 200-yard freestyle relay. M-P’s A team of Cram (26.82), Durand (26.33), Ell (24.18) and Bloomberg (24.81) took second.
“There were lots of best times,” said Cram, who considers the swim season to be his favorite time of year. “We’re swimming as fast as we ever have and we almost pulled it out. We were never too far back in points, and we almost won. We’ve got great people, great swimmers and great academics. I couldn’t swim with another team.”
Jepson won his fourth event of the night with a 3A Districts-qualifying time of 1:04.15 in the 100-yard breaststroke. Both Ell (1:08.13 for second place) and M-P senior Corey Coombs (1:13.50 in third) qualified for 3A Districts.
Oak Harbor’s A relay team won the 400-yard freestyle relay at 3:35.84, followed by Willis, Pusateri, Blomberg and Winquist of the Tomahawk A team at 3:36.40. Getchell’s A team of Fugate, Korte, Knowlton and Estella took third at 3:59.33.
“Hopefully we beat Cascade (on Dec. 8),” said Tomahawk senior Kaili Swan, a swimmer of 10 years who wears his M-P letterman jacket every day.
