League title for undefeated Kingston boys swimmers
Published 9:29 am Friday, January 22, 2016
By GERALD MCLAIN
Special to the Kingston Community News
POULSBO — The Kingston Buccaneers boys swim team won the Olympic League title Jan. 21, defeating the North Kitsap Vikings 93-77 to maintain a perfect regular-season record.
The showdown between two of the best swim teams in the state took place at the North Kitsap Community Pool, the home pool for both teams.
The first event for the evening, the 200 medley, produced a state tournament-qualifying time. The Kingston medley team of Tim Gallagher, Nolan Platz, Hunter Parini and Quincy Walker took first place with a time of 1:46.61. This effort bested their opponents by 1.34 seconds and qualified for the state meet by 1.29 seconds.
Six of the 11 swim meet events produced state-qualifying times.
“It is a spirited competition between us,” North Kitsap coach Greg Braun said. “They know each other, swimming the same pool and sharing the same locker room. This meet brings out the best in these kids.”
Three standout swimmers for the Vikings this evening were Thor Breitbarth, Nathan Ramey, and Simon Hoke. Hoke knocked a full minute off of his personal best in the 500 freestyle. “I didn’t see that one coming. He did great,” Braun said. Ramey swam a state-qualifying 100 breaststroke, winning the event with a time of 1:05.96. Breitbarth won the 100 freestyle event, beating Kingston’s Ethan Fox by .17 second. Breitbarth and Fox both posted state-qualifying times.
In the end, it was Kingston’s core group of speedsters that produce their first-ever Olympic League championship. “In my 21 years of coaching, this is the best group of high schoolers I’ve had the pleasure to work with,” Kingston coach Mark Van Huis said. “I’ve been nervous about this meet all day. I’m happy with these results.”
The Buc’s Ethan Fox took first place in the 200 individual medley with a state-qualifying time of 2:03.34. Tim Gallagher swam 5:11.83 in the 500 freestyle and qualified for state by four seconds. Sophomore Quincy Walker posted a state-qualifying 100 backstroke, winning with a time of 58.82. The 400 freestyle relay team of Ethan Fox, Tim Gallagher, Bryce Hoffer, and Quincy Walker finished the meet with a 3:31.05 state-qualifying winning time.
This was the final regular-season meet for the Buccaneers. Next: the divisional invitational Feb. 3 at William Shore Memorial Pool in Port Angeles.
North Kitsap and Kingston swimmers leave the start blocks to begin the first heat of the 50 freestyle event, Jan. 21 at North Kitsap Community Pool. The North Kitsap Vikings were ultimately beaten by the Kingston Buccaneers in their Olympic League matchup by a score of 93-77. Photo: Gerald McLain / Contributed
