Spelker sparks gymnasts in opening win
POULSBO — Sequim junior Lucy Spelker earned first place in the all-around as the Port Angeles-Sequim gymnastics squad opened its season with a win over Kingston earlier this week.
Spelker earned a total of 30.7 points in the floor exercise, vault, bars and balance beam.
Port Angeles sophomore Shavari Epps ended up second on the vault, junior Lillian Sutherland was fourth on bars, freshman Lexi Possinger fourth on vault and Mya Callis seventh on floor.
Girls Bowling Port Angeles 4, North Mason 3
PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles completed a come-from-behind effort to defeat North Mason in a tight match Thursday at Laurel Lanes.
Even though the Bulldogs knocked down more pins than Port Angeles, the Riders prevailed with some excitement.
Falling in the first game, the Riders found themselves trailing by just nine pins in game two.
“Anchor Zoey Van Gordon calmly launched a strike on her final roll to secure the game two win 686-685,” coach Becky Gundersen said.
The first team Baker game proved to be another one-point margin, as Van Gordon again came through in the clutch in the 10th frame helping the Riders to pull out a 136-135 win.
Port Angeles clinched the 4-3 victory by wining the final Baker game.
“The girls brought the energy and enthusiasm today,” Gundersen said.
Van Gordon ended with a two-game series 332 (170/162), Kenadie Ring added a 265 (131/134), and Leilah Franich rolled a 299 (134/165), including five consecutive strikes in game two.
Boys Swimming Bainbridge 104, Port Angeles 79
BAINBRIDGE — Roughrider swimmers claimed four first-place finishes and set 18 personal records against the powerhouse Spartans, third at state in Class 3A in 2023-24.
Port Angeles also notched three new district-qualifying times with Edward Gillespie setting new bests in the 200-yard freestyle and 100 breaststroke and Thomas Jones in the 500 freestyle.
Jones shined in the 200 freestyle, delivering a thrilling win over Bainbridge by just 0.37 seconds with a time of 1:59.61—a staggering 4.5-second drop from last week. Teammate Gillespie also clocked a PR, securing a third-place finish in the event.
Senior standout Finn Thompson dominated the 100 freestyle, securing the Riders’ second victory of the evening with a commanding five-second margin over the nearest Spartan competitor. His time marked a 1.23-second improvement from his previous meet.
The 500 freestyle provided the highlight of the meet, Cole said, with Jones and Miles Van Denburg locked in a nail-biting battle for all 20 lengths.
At the finish, Jones triumphed with a time of 5:25.70, edging out Bainbridge by just 0.11 seconds. Van Denburg rounded out the excitement with a third-place finish, only 0.88 seconds behind Jones.
Nolan Medgin followed with a PR of 1:14.92 for second in the 100 breaststroke.
In the 400 freestyle relay, the Riders closed the meet on a high note, with Van Denburg, Ross, Jones and Thompson finishing just 2 seconds behind Bainbridge for second place.
The diving event saw a Port Angeles sweep.
Grant Butterworth claimed first place, improving his six-dive score by 26.12 points.
Hunter Stratford delivered a standout performance with a 66.80-point improvement, earning second, while Liam Nicholson rounded out the sweep.
As the Roughriders begin winter break, the team boasts eight swimmers with district-qualifying times: Thompson (200 IM, 100 free, 100 back, 50 free); Meek (100 back, 500 free); Waknitz (100 breast); Nolan Medgin (100 breast); Gillespie (100 breast, 200 free); Patrick Ross (100 fly, 200 IM); Miles Van Denburg (100 fly, 200 IM, 500 free); and Jones (200 free, 500 free).
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