RENTON — Port Angeles and Sequim, two of the strongest swim programs in the state last year, will again be sending big squads to the West Central District III meet at Hazen High School in Renton today and Saturday.
Both squads bring a mix of veterans and talented freshmen to district.
For Port Angeles, seniors Felicia Che, Emma Murray and Kenzie Johnson lead a young squad of freshmen and sophomores.
Che, who has won at district in the past and has a state championship on her resume on a 200-yard medley relay team in her freshman year, has qualified to swim in the 200 individual medley and the 100 freestyle. Johnson, who was also part of that state-champion relay team as a freshman, has qualified to swim in the 100 freestyle and the 100 backstroke. Murray is swimming in the 50 freestyle.
Che’s IM time of 2 minutes, 20.95 seconds is good enough to already qualify her for the state 2A meet. Johnson’s 100 backstroke time of 1.03.09 is also good enough to automatically qualify for the 2A state meet.
Che, Johnson and Murray led the Riders’ 200 medley relay team that has qualified for district. They are joined by a talented freshman, Mackenzie DuBois, who won a number of races this year. The Riders’ 200 medley team was sixth in the state last year without DuBois and Johnson on the team. This relay team has already qualified for state.
DuBois also qualified to swim the 200 freestyle and the 500 freestyle.
Her times in both events — 2:04.6 in the 200 freestyle and 5:36.21 in the 500 freestyle — have already qualified her for the state 2A meet.
Also qualifying for district are Ann Edwards (50 freestyle), who has qualified for state in diving, Sage Hunter (200 freestyle), Adriana McClain (200 freestyle), Emilee Reid (500 freestyle), Rachel Cooper (100 breaststroke) and Kiara Schmitt (50 freestyle and 100 freestyle).
Also qualifying for district is the Riders’ 200 freestyle relay team of Murray, Hunter, McClain and Schmitt and the 400 relay team of Che, Johnson, Murray and DuBois. Both teams also will swim at state.
Sequim will have roughly the same number of swimmers.
Mia Coffman has qualified for both the 200 and 500 free.
In fact, Coffman’s top time in the 500 (5:38.65) is good enough to qualify her for state.
Coffman had a hugely successful postseason run in her freshman year last season. She ended up fourth in the state in the 500 freestyle and fifth in the 200 freestyle and was the anchor on a 200 freestyle relay team that finished seventh at state.
The Wolves’ Francesca Bargis qualified for district in the 100 freestyle and the 100 backstroke, while Sydney Swanson will compete in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke.
The Wolves have three relay teams that qualified for district — the 200 medley relay (Bargis, Swanson, Lauren Sundin, Natalie George), the 200 freestyle relay (Swanson, Petra Bernsten, Eislynn Flood and Coffman) and 400 relay (Sundin, George, Bargis and Coffman).
Flood also qualified in the 500 freestyle, while Sundin and Morgan Cariou will compete in the 100 butterfly. Sundin will also compete in the 50 freestyle and George will compete in the 100 backstroke and the 100 freestyle.
Cariou, Aleah Chen and Riley Hough will attend as alternates for the relay teams.
Sequim’s Mia Coffman has qualified for multiple events at the West Central District III meet to be held Friday and Saturday in Renton. Coffman finished fourth last year in the 500 freestyle and fifth in the 200 freestyle. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
