Twelve lettermen return to help the Oak Harbor High School swim team defend its Wesco North title.

The Wildcats, who finished 8-2-1 last season, also return three swimmers who competed in the state meet last winter.

Returning lettermen include seniors Alex Berry, Josh Blyther, David Nuanez, Dakota Powers and Derek Volk; juniors Michael Bukolt, Logan Clark, Micah Geist, Joseph Gorman, Eric Jensen and Raymond Paraiso; and sophomore Jose Cabigting.

Geist (200 individual medley) and Gorman (500 freestyle) both placed 22nd at the 2014 state meet. Powers and Geist were members to the 200 medley relay team that finished 20th.

Geist earned first-team, all-Wesco honors in the IM last season; and he and Powers were on the first-team medley relay squad.

Six freshmen — Tristan Pohlman, Cullen Wood, Christopher Trisler, Garrett Karney, Matthew Kolden and Clifford Hartley — are among the key newcomers, according to coach Erin Bull.

Another key newcomer is Bull, who is in her first year as the Wildcats’ coach. Alex Thierry resigned after two seasons to return to school.

The strength of the team, Bull said, is its large roster of 30 athletes.

“That being said, we have a lot of beginning swimmers who are new to the sport,” she added.

The team is “adjusting well,” to the coaching change, Bull said, adding, “One senior swimmer mentioned that the first week was the toughest they’ve ever had.”

Bull said her expectations for the season are that the swimmers “show up for practice by giving full effort in every workout and race.”

A successful season, she said, would be if “every athlete makes gains” in meeting personal goals.

Oak Harbor begins the season when it joins Jackson at Snohomish for a three-team meet at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9.

The Wildcats open at home with Lake Stevens at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15.