FEDERAL WAY — The Port Angeles boys swim team had all three relay teams place and got some outstanding individual results in the team finished sixth at the 2A swim championships, the team’s best showing at state in more than a decade.
The Roughriders last finished in the top 10 in 2022 when they came in eighth. They also finished eighth in 2015.
“With a mix of standout individual performances and strong relay contributions, the Roughriders demonstrated their depth and determination on the state’s biggest stage,” said coach Sally Cole.
Port Angeles earned 120.5 points in the three-day event held this weekend at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. Bainbridge won the state championship with 395 points.
The Roughriders’ 200 medley relay team, the 200 freestyle team and the 400 freestyle team all placed.
The 200 IM team of Thomas Jones, Nolan Medgin, Miles Van Denburg and Finn Thompson came in seventh with a time of 1:47.88, the 200 freestyle team of Patrick Ross, Jones, Van Denburg and Thompson finished eighth in 1:36.69.
The best showing was by the 400 freestyle relay team, which came in sixth. The team of Van Denburg, Ross, Jones and Thompson had a time of 3:30.74. The three relay teams earned a combined 72 points.
The Riders came on strong during the end of the meet. After seven events, they were sitting in 11th, but placed swimmers in the final four events to move up to sixth.
Thompson had the best individual finish for the Riders, coming in third in the 200 backstroke with a time of 57.74. In a rarity for swimming, he tied for third, touching the wall at the exact same moment as Brock Pollestad of Pullman and earning 15.5 points.
Jones came in fifth in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:00.34. That finished moved Port Angeles from 11th to eighth. Thompson’s finish in the backstroke moved the Riders to seventh and the final event of the day, the 400 relay, gave Port Angeles sixth.
Grant Butterworth got the team off to a good start in the diving competition Thursday, jumping up two spots after the semifinal to finish seventh after the finals with 209.25 points. Jack Root also made the finals and finished 16th with 168.1 points. Liam Nicholson also competed in the diving for PA.
Van Denburg also had a strong swim in the 500 freestyle, placing 11th with a time of 5:09.77.
Ross placed 19th in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:58.86.
