Riders sink sick Wolves

Published 2:40 pm Friday, March 21, 2014

As if the visiting Roughriders needed more of an advantage.

Already outnumbered by their cross-peninsula rivals, the host Sequim Wolves saw five of their 14 swimmers slowed by illness in a 134-42 loss to Port Angeles on Oct. 7.

Port Angeles took first place in all 12 events as the Roughriders extended their perfect mark against Sequim 13-0 all-time.

"When we are swimming against a team that is that much bigger it is hard to stay positive and happy with our performance," Sequim coach Susan Craig said.

Sequim did earn four second-place finishes – their 200 medley and freestyle relays, plus Rachel Hardy in the 50 free and Autumn Kessinger in the 100 backstroke.

Kessinger dropped 5.5 seconds off her 100 backstroke while Amariah Clift took 2 seconds off her 200 freestyle. Hardy took two-tenths of a second off her 50 free swim, finishing less than a second out of first.

Sequim’s "B" 200 medley relay team of Clift, Kessinger, Meredith

Evridge and Havila Gautschi took two seconds off their previous best mark.

Sequim was slated to take on another big team – the powerhouse Spartans from Bainbridge – on Oct. 12; results of the meet were unavailable at press time.

The Wolves host North Kitsap on Oct. 14 and are at Olympic (Silverdale) on Oct. 21, one week before the postseason begins.

The Olympic League meet is set for Oct. 26.