RENTON — Six swimmers, three divers and a relay team are in position for state berths for Port Angeles at the end of the West Central District girls swimming preliminaries Thursday.
Several Roughriders already had state qualifying times going in but six other competitors earned top-six spots Thursday in the preliminaries to be on the verge of state berths.
“All they have to do is not get disqualified in the finals Saturday morning, to finish their races, and they will go to state,” Port Angeles coach Rich Butler said.
If everybody qualifies as expected in the finals, this will be one of the biggest groups in years going to state for the Riders.
“This is a pleasant surprise,” Butler said. “They are matching the challenge of the possibility of going to state.”
Port Angeles’ top-six individual swimmers include Tracie Macias, third in the 200-yard individual medley in 2:25.54; Tarah Erickson, fourth in the 50 freestyle in 26.83; Ashlee Reid, fourth in the 100 free in 59.41, and Erickson fifth in the 100 free in 59.77; Reid fourth in the 100 backstroke in 1:07.59; and Jenna Moore, sixth in the 100 breaststroke in 1:17.98.
The 200 free relay of Kelly Winn, Moore, Macias and Erickson captured second in 1:50.27.
Divers in the running for state berths are Allison Hodgin, Tannesha Jackson and Kyrie Reyes.
After eight preliminary dives, Hodgin is in second, Jackson fourth and Reyes fifth.
They have three dives left in the finals Saturday.
The preliminaries and the finals are being held at Hazen High School.