WOLVES SPLASH KINGHTS FOR FIRST WIN Danika Duncan comes up for air during her 100 breaststroke race last week against Bremerton. Harasick nears state-qualifying times in 100 freeBy Michael DashiellStaff writer The Wolves got to pick on a team its own size last week and came away with the first win of the season. After falling three times to teams three times the size of its swimming and diving squad, Sequim topped the similarly-sized Bremerton Knights 109-61 on Sept. 25, giving the Wolves a 1-3 season mark. “They don’t even ask me for the scores until the next day,” said Sequim head coach Linda Bingler. “It’s nice to come away with a win.” Senior Rebekah Harasick, who’s making a push to qualify for the class 2A state meet in two events, worked with Bingler to change her body positioning in the water and saw it pay off big time against Bremerton, dropping four seconds off her 200 IM time (to 2:46.48) and a second in the 100 freestyle (to 1:02.42). She’s now just three seconds from a state-qualifying 100 free mark. “She did an excellent job; (the change) is very difficult to do especially if you’re a senior and have been swimming a long time,” Bingler said. Harasick took first in both 200 IM and 100 free events and helped the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay teams earn first-place finishes. In the medley relay, Harasick swam a swift 27.76-seconds split. Other top Sequim finishers included Rachel Hardy in the 50 free (28.65), Medea Bernsten in the 500 free (6:42.79, a district meet-qualifying time) and Sequim’s 400 free relay team of Bernsten, Hardy, Gianna Vennetti and Mackenzie Marmol took home first as well. Bernsten also earned second-place finishes in the 100 fly (1:16.42) while Marmol (100 back, 1:12.74), Vennetti (500 free, 6:42.79, a district meet-qualifying time) and Danika Duncan (100 breast, 1:36.02) also were runners-up. Colsie Froerer, posted solid times for a newcomer, Bingler said, with her 100 butterfly time of 1:34.08 and 100 breaststroke time of 1:37.18. Bingler said she also was impressed with first-year swimmer Mylece Burling’s improvement in the 100 breaststroke (2:02.18). Sarah Hardy knocked two seconds off her 100 backstroke time, to 1:24.50. Rachel Hardy earned a ticket to the West Central District 2A meet with qualifying times in the 200 free and 50 free, as did Vennetti in the 200 free and Louise Showers in the 100 free. While other programs the Wolves faced this year bring upwards of 40 swimmers to a meet, Bremerton, a 3A school, brought 17 participants. Sequim had 13 in the pool. While the relative balance in numbers sometimes can hurt experienced swimmers by having less competition and drive to beat other top swimmers, Bingler said the younger Wolves’ swimmers excelled against the Knights. “The newer swimmers, they see these big teams and become intimidated and don’t try as hard,” she said. “But yesterday, the faster swimmers and the veterans swam a little bit slower and the newer swimmers swam a lot harder. They (all) definitely need the competition as a goal.” The Wolves were scheduled to swim a non-league meet with another swimming powerhouse — Bainbridge — on Oct. 2. Results were not available at press time. The Wolves take on Port Townsend’s Redskins Oct. 4 away. Sequim then hosts Steilacoom Oct. 9 and Klahowya Oct. 11. Sequim girls are ranked Call it a badge of respect. The Washington Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association has ranked Sequim No. 4 among 2A teams in its latest coaches’ poll, three spots behind top-ranked Anacortes, the defending state champion. Other top-ranked teams include Inglemoor (4A) and Bainbridge (3A). Teams are ranked by returning state participants. WISCA coaches’ poll — 2A rankings 1. Anacortes 2. Centralia 3. Aberdeen 4. Sequim 5. Fife 6. Cheney 7. Sehome 8. Pullman 9. (tie) Bellingham, River Ridge |
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