Continuing its successful run through the Wesco North, the Oak Harbor High School swim team hammered Stanwood 116-53 Monday, Jan. 14, at John Vanderzicht Pool.
The Wildcats (8-1) have defeated three of its four Western Conference 3A North challengers. They will go to Everett at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, to face the final North foe.
Against Stanwood (3-7), Oak Harbor won 10 of the 11 events, paced by four-time winners Josh Jepsen and Kevin Levy.
Jepsen took the 200-meter individual medley (2:16.3) and 100 breaststroke (1:12.88). Levy captured both freestyle sprints (50, 25; 100, 57.31).
They swam with Toren Wood and Caley Powers to take the 200 medley relay (1:56.18), and with Powers and Jerek Bianco to win the 200 free relay (1:46.47).
Powers added a first in the 100 butterfly (1:02.24).
Michael Johnson captured the 100 backstroke (1:09.19) and Joe Gorman took the 400 free (4:55.51).
Joey Jepsen, Ryan Cuajunco, Jake Nelson and Erik Jensen finished the meet by winning the 400 free relay (4:00.28).
Coach Alex Thierry said he was pleased with his team’s performance, but the Wildcats have “hit a little plateau.” He added, “We haven’t trained as hard as we should.”
Thierry said the return of Bianco, who missed the first half of the season with “physical issues,” will give the Wildcats more depth.
Second: Gorman, 200 free, 2:19.81; Bianco, 200 IM, 2:28.56; Nelson, 400 free, 5:28.27; Wood, 100 back, 1:14.86; David Kusnick, 100 breast, 1:21.1; 400 free relay, Wood, Bianco, Gorman, Cedric Cabigting, 4:11.7; 200 free relay, Wood, Kusnick, Joey Jepsen, Cuajunco, 1:57.18.
Third: Cabigting, 200 IM, 2:32.72; Johnson, 100 fly, 1:07.59; Joey Jepsen, 400 free, 5:52.56; 200 medley relay, Cabigting, Kusnick, Johnson, Gorman, 2:10.53.
Fourth: Joey Jepsen, 200 free, 2:35.39; Kusnick, 50 free, 28.22; Cabigting, 100 fly, 1:10.04; Nelson, 100 breast, 1:26.33; 200 free relay, Eli Mitchell, Cameron Radka, Derek Volk, Josh Blyther, 2:11.16; 200 medley relay, Livermore, Radka, Jensen, Volk, 2:25.63.
Fifth: Blyther, 200 free, 2:55.17; Jensen, 100 free, 1:12.34; Livermore, 100 back, 1:23.27; 400 free relay, Raymond Paraiso, Blyther, Radka, Volk, 5:21.74.
