Olympic League standings

Team Lg.

Kingston 2-0-0

Olympic 2-0-0

North Kitsap 2-1-0

Port Angeles 2-1-0

Klahowya 1-2-0

Bremerton 0-2-0

Sequim 0-3-0

A deep Port Angeles squad defended their home turf last week, preventing Sequim’s boys swim crew from posting rivalry wins in back-to-back seasons.

Still, the Wolves set 10 personal record times at PA’s William Shore Memorial pool on Dec. 13, highlighted by strong efforts from Zen Graham and Liam Payne who were named swimmers of the meet by SHS coach Anita Benitez.

“They both swam their hearts out and it was noticed,” Benitez said.

Led by two individual wins by Cameron Butler (200 free, 500 free), the Roughriders topped Sequim 105-74 — one year after the Wolves topped Port Angeles for the second time in program history and first since 2003.

Jax Thaxton posted two individual wins for Sequim, splashing the field in both the 50 free (23.81) and 100 free (53.70), both district meet-qualifying times. Teammate Alex Berikoff took second in both events, finishing the 50 free in 25.34 seconds and 100 free in 100 free in 58.74 seconds.

Payne scored Sequim’s other individual win with a 1:17.01 finish in the 100 breaststroke, with teammate Jesse Bobst in second (1:22.44).

Sequim (0-3) also took first in the 200 free relay, with Thaxton, Berikoff, Kaleb Needoba and Christopher Tadlock finishing in 1:45.29, a district meet qualifier.

Graham took third place in the 100 butterfly (1:13.98), a personal best, and posted a strong time in that discipline to help Sequim take second in the 200 medley relay with a 2:02.18 time.

Sequim’s Oscar Walchenbach received the team’s “time dropper” award for trimming nearly four seconds from his 500 free time to 8:18, and received an honorable mention for swimming the 200 individual medley for the first time.

Other Sequim swimmers setting personal bests included: Payne in the 200 IM (2:34.83); Blake Boardman in the 200 free (2:26.50); Michel Mattern Hall (29.77), Noah White (33.37) and Liam Bratten (43.41) in the 50 free; and White (1:16.91) and Trey Brouillard (1:26.69) in the 100 free.

See more photos from the meet here.

Looking ahead

The Wolves are off until Jan. 10, when they host North Kitsap’s Vikings.

Sequim is at Klahowya on Jan. 17 before finishing the regular season with a Jan. 24 home meet against Bremerton.

Sequim’s Zen Graham posts a strong butterfly leg of the 200 medley relay to help Sequim take second in a meet at Port Angeles on Dec. 13. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim’s Liam Payne competes in the 200 individual medley against Port Angeles’ Roughriders on Dec. 13. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim’s Blake Boardman swims the 100 backstroke portion of the 200 medley relay at Port Angeles on Dec. 13. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim’s Jax Thatxton prepares to break from the starting block in the 50 free event at Port Angerles on Dec. 13. Thaxton won the event and the 100 free. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell