Girls swim/dive: Vikings splash Wolves

SHS coach optimistic as 16 athletes earn personal bests

With the know-how and more yardage in the pool, the Lady Wolves swim team expects to send a full bus to districts this year.

Despite a recent 113-67 loss at home to the North Kitsap Vikings on Sept. 18, head coach Anita Benitez said the Sequim girls continue to improve with 16 girls setting personal records against the Vikings.

“They keep getting better and better,” she said.

Top finishers include Sydnee Linnane, who won the 100 yard backstroke with a time of 1:10.85 while Jessica Craig took third at 1:16.64, which qualifies them both for districts.

Benitez said Linnane is four seconds from qualifying for state and after working more on her turns, she’s confident the freshman will get there.

Dani Barrow took the 200 yard IM 2:34.19 with Craig placing second at 2:50.91. Benitez said Craig is only two seconds off of a district-qualifying time.

Barrow also took second in the 100 yard freestyle 1:03.99 and with the 200 free relay team of Linnane, Victoria Fitzpatrick and Jaycee Thompson-Porrazzo at 2:26.35.

Sequim swept diving, too, behind first-place finisher Emily Van Dyken scoring 170.85.

Benitez said many girls, like Thompson-Porrazzo, are either keeping their times from last year or are already speeding past them.

For this week, the girls travel to Bremerton on Sept. 25, and Benitez said they’ll focus on streamlining, being underwater as long as you can, and on their turns.