The Oak Harbor High School swim team will send its 200 freestyle relay squad to the state meet after qualifying at the district 3A finals at the Snohomish Aquatic Center Saturday, Feb. 14.
The top three in each event qualified for state, but the Wildcats earned a wildcard spot after posting one of the state’s best times in the relay.
Oak Harbor athletes were close to qualifying in several other events, finished fourth in three races and fifth in two more.
Micah Geist, Eric Jensen, Derek Volk and Joe Gorman swam fifth in the 200 free relay (1:38.56).
Gorman was fourth in the 200-yard freestyle (1:55.7), and Geist placed fourth in the 100 backstroke (59.82). The two also finished fourth in the 200 medley relay (1:50.39) with Jose Cabigting and Jensen.
Placing fifth were Jensen in the 100 butterfly (1:00.26) and Cabigting in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.98).
As a team, Oak Harbor was seventh in the 12-team meet with 200 points. Shorewood claimed the title with 487 points.
“There were many time drops and great placements heading into the finals,” coach Erin Bull said in regard to her team’s effort at district. “Overall, the team performed their best, and I am proud of those who are committed to the team.”
The medley relay team was seeded sixth, dropped three seconds and placed fourth.
The 200 free relay team trimmed five seconds from the preliminaries to the finals.
Gorman came into the 200 free seeded sixth, cut four seconds and finished fourth.
In the 200 IM, Jensen dropped four seconds from the preliminaries to the finals to nab sixth, and Cabigting cut one second and placed 10th. Cabigting improved by nearly five seconds in the breaststroke.
All four district qualifiers in the 100 fly reached the finals, and two placed in the top six.
“The team faced many battles and ran into a few walls the past three weeks,” Bull said. “Many stepped up, and watching them in practice I knew they were ready heading into districts.
“3A districts had some tough competition that we did not swim against throughout the regular season.
“Due to some unfortunate events, the relay team changed many times and this had an effect on the team both mentally and physically.”
Other Oak Harbor results at district:
Sixth: Geist, 100 fly, 1:01.64.
10th: 400 free relay (Cabigting, Chris Trisler, Noel Pangilinan, Volk), 4:16.91.
13th: Trisler, 100 fly, 1:06.36.
18th: Volk, 50 free, 26.31; 100 free, 1:00.47.
