A pair of two-time state qualifiers will lead the Oak Harbor swim team this winter.

Seniors Joe Gorman (last year’s team MVP) and Eric Jensen are state veterans, all-league honorees and winners of multiple varsity letters.

They will be joined by returning lettermen Jose Cabigting, Cullen Wood, Logan Clark, Raymond Paraiso and Garrett Karney.

At last year’s district meet, Gorman was fourth in the district 200 freestyle, Jensen placed fifth in the 100 butterfly and Cabigting took fifth in the 100 breaststroke.

Gorman, Jensen and Cabigting swam on the fourth-place 200 medley relay; while Gorman and Jensen were on the fifth-place 200-free relay team that earned a wildcard spot in the state finals, where they placed 24th.

Key newcomers are seniors Daniel Guerrero, Quinn Karney, Nathan Larsen, Cole McCaslin and Andrew Snyder and freshman Pablo Closson.

The team’s strength, according to coach Erin Bull, will be in the sprints.

The lack of depth is a weakness, Bull said.

“Many new swimmers are seniors who are learning the different strokes for the first time ever,” she said.

Bull’s expectations are for all the swimmers “to put forth their best day in and day out, and for the returning athletes to be positive models for our new members.”

The season will be a success, according to Bull, if the athletes drop time from last year and advance further into the postseason.

Oak Harbor entertains Mount Vernon at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7, in the season opener.