TACOMA — All things considered, the North Kitsap boys’ swim and dive team can look back on its season in a positive light.
Despite no state qualifiers, a district meet of best times by Mikal Reeves and two relay teams will suffice in a season which saw the Vikes out of their home pool due to a boiler failure for more than a month.
“Could we have gone faster? Yes,” said NK Coach Greg Braun. “But the reality is the kids did really well with what they were given on the season.”
Reeves came in sixth overall in the boys’ 500 yard freestyle event with a time of 5:21.79.
Before the district meet, Reeves’ best time in the 100-yard breaststroke was around 1:15. Finishing eighth, Reeves cut four seconds off his time at districts with a 1:11.41.
“It was really exciting to watch him,” Braun said. “He was attacking the walls and had turns that were really good.”
North’s 200 yard freestyle relay team, consisting of Jesse Feutz, William Almond, Josh Jones and Spencer Nagley came in 12th with a 1:44.64. Nagley, who was added late, managed to pull up his time for the occasion, Braun commented.
“Spencer did an absolutely fantastic job,” Braun said. “He really came through in the clutch.”
The Vikings’ other relay team of Krister Seaburg, Leo Keliher, Reeves and Almond came in at eighth place with a 3:58.24 in the 400 yard freestyle.
South Kitsap swimmer Greg Mercer won the 100 yard freestyle and placed second in the 50 yard freestyle as the Wolves placed sixth overall at the meet.
Mercer, who won the 100 event with a 49.04 and placed second in the 50 with a 22.27, will now set his sights on the state meet at King County Aquatic Center, with a little more than a week’s time to prepare. Even so, coach Dennis Anderson said he felt Mercer’s times will only get better.
“(Mercer) hasn’t peaked yet,” Anderson said. “We should expect to see him swim quite a bit faster (at state).”
South Kitsap already has a 200 freestyle relay team qualified for the state tournament, due to previous results on the season.
South’s Nick Dargel cut more time off his 100 backstroke than any swimmer at the meet, Anderson said, coming in at 58.26 for a second place finish.
“He was the swimmer of the meet,” Anderson said of Dargel’s best time. “You can never be disappointed with a lifetime best.”
Central Kitsap finished 11th overall in the meet with swimmers Michael Karpiak, Dean Schoenberg and Erik Vretener coming in with top 12 finishes.
Regardless of where they placed, coach Patti Matthew said she was satisfied, given every Cougar swimmer made best times.
“One-hundred percent of our guys had best times,” she said. “I can’t ask much more than for that.”
Karpiak placed eighth in the 100 yard backstroke with a 1:02.60 and tenth in the 200 individual medley with a 2:22.65. Vretener placed 11th in the 200 yard freestyle with a 2:04.18 and Schoenberg finished with a 2:22.89 in the 200 individual medley to take 11th.
