BREMERTON — The Port Angeles boys swim team traveled to Olympic Aquatic Center this weekend to compete in the 11-team Swimvitational meet, finishing second as a team.
Port Angeles finished with 260 points. Gig Harbor, a 3A school, was first with 390.
Each team was only allowed to enter a maximum of eight swimmers. All eight Roughrider swimmers placed in the top 12 in their individual events. All the Riders’ relay teams placed in the top five.
The Port Angeles 200 freestyle relay team of Keane McClain, Finn Thompson, Landon Close and Alex Che earned the highest place for the Riders, coming in second, just shy of a state-qualifying time.
In the 200 freestyle, Colby Ellefson swam a personal best by more than four seconds, grabbing fifth in a close race against an opponent from Gig Harbor. Ellefson then picked up third in the 500 freestyle, swimming his fastest time of the season.
In the 50 freestyle, Che finished fourth in another close race for the Riders. Close finished right behind Che, claiming fifth, and McClain picked up ninth. Both Close and McClain set personal records in their swims.
Later in the meet, the Roughriders took home two more personal records for the season in the 100 freestyle with Che in third and Thompson claiming ninth.
“The boys have been working hard at practice and it shows. To see improvement meet after meet is tough and these eight swimmers keep doing it. Their progress makes me excited for their performances in the postseason,” said coach Sally Cole.
Other personal records accomplished this weekend were Will Roening in the 200 individual medley and Thompson in the 100 backstroke.
The 200 medley relay squad of Thompson, Aidan Butterworth, Roening and McClain kicked off the meet for Port Angeles with a fifth-place finish, and the 400 freestyle relay crew of Ellefson, McClain, Close and Che concluded the meet in third.
Other finishes included Roening (seventh in the 200 IM and 11th in the 100 butterfly), Davis Hueter (ninth in the 200 IM, fifth in the 500 freestyle), Close (sixth in the 100 butterfly), Thompson (fifth in the 100 backstroke) and Butterworth (12th in the 100 breaststroke).
Port Angeles next hosts Olympic at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Shore Aquatic Center.
