PORT ANGELES — A total of five Olympic Peninsula divers qualified for the State Dive and Swim Meet in Federal Way this weekend, finishing among the top 11 at the West Central 2A District Meet on Saturday.
Qualifying for state were Mathew Craig of Sequim, who finished third at the West Central 2A Meet; David Jensen of Port Angeles, who finished fourth; Andrew Methner of Port Angeles, who finished seventh; Micah Scott of Crescent, who finished 10th; and Hollund Bailey of Port Angeles, who came in 11th.
Micah Scott of Crescent, just a freshman, practices with the Port Angeles team. He earned a “wild card” berth at the state diving championship with his 10th-place finish. Scott was the only freshman to place at the West Central 2A districts. Bailey likewise was awarded a wild card slot at state.
Port Angeles will send a total two relay teams, swimmers in six individual events and three divers to the state meet, which begins Friday.
Port Angeles had state-qualifying times in four events at district, then received additional state allocations and wild card berths.
Port Angeles finished fifth at the district meet with 128 points, while Sequim finished 13th with 24. Kingston won the meet with 234 points.
Port Angeles swimmers making state include:
Cameron Butler — 200-yard freestyle; 500 freestyle. Butler finished second at districts in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1 minutes 53.13 seconds and fourth in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:08.92.
Tristin Butler — 200 individual medley, 500 freestyle. Butler finished fourth in the 200 IM with a time of 2:03.73 and third in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:01.14.
Karsten Hertzog — 200 freestyle. Hertzog finished eighth with a time of 2:00.37 and earned a wild card slot at state.
Jonas Kongerslev — 100 backstroke. Kongerslev finished seventh with a time of 1:02.23.
400 freestyle relay — Milo Atwater, Karsten Hertzog, Cameron Butler and Tristin Butler. They finished fourth with a time of 3:32.27.
200 medley relay — Alex Hertzog, Tristin Butler, Cameron Butler and Atwater. They finished sixth with a time of 1:52.72.
Sequim swimmers
SEQUIM — The Wolves will also send swimmers to state, thanks to a heroic effort by their 400 freestyle team that chopped 16 seconds off their previous best before districts.
Sequim’s 400 freestyle team of Alex Berikoff, Liam Payne, Christian Goodrich and Jax Thaxton shaved seven seconds off their district preliminary time, coming in 10th at the district finals with a time of 4:02.25. That prelim time was already nine seconds better than they had ever done before.
For their effort, they were rewarded with a wild card berth at state this weekend.
“It was great to watch them swim with determination and achieve what they believed they could. It just goes to show you that it’s better to think ‘I haven’t yet’ rather than ‘I can’t’,” said coach Linda Moats.
Moats said she expects Sequim’s Craig to make the diving finals Saturday.
West Central District 2A Meet
Team Scores
Kingston, first, 234; Steilacoom, second 233; Lindbergh, third, 154; North Kitsap, fourth, 129; Port Angeles, fifth, 128; Olympic, sixth, 105; Fife, seventh, 96; Klahowya, eighth, 52; Bremerton, ninth, 51; River Ridge, 10th, 47; Highline, 11th, 33; Renton, 12th, 27; Sequim, 13th, 24; Washington, 13th, 24; Foss, 15th, 22; Clover Park, 16th, 21; Tyee, 17th, 9; Crescent, 18th, 3.
