By MIKE MALTAIS
The Methow Valley Killer Whales had a busy week as the team sandwiched its Swimathon, the only season fundraiser, between two meets at Okanogan July 9, and Toppenish Saturday and Sunday (July 13-14).
The Methow swimmers extended their undefeated season with a convincing win over the Bullfrogs at a dual meet in Okanogan. The Killer Whales girls’ team outdistanced the Okanogan girls by 100 points, 208 to 108, while the boys compiled an impressive 243 points against Okanogan’s 93. The final combined team score was 451 points for the Killer Whales and 201 for the Bullfrogs.
“We took 96 swimmers to that meet,” said team coach Jeanne White. “It was one of the largest turnouts we’ve ever had.”
Nearly 100 swimmers competing in 92 different events produces pages and pages of results and space constraints do not allow all to be listed here. Just a sampling of the Killer Whale winners included Morgan Palm, Josiah Klemmeck, Ben Klemmeck and Connor Cooley who won the 15-to18-year-old boys’ 200-yard freestyle relay in a time of 1 minute, 50.54 seconds.
Cailin Chandler won the 11-12 girls’ 100 freestyle in 1:17:62 and Michael Mott was first among 11-12 boys with a time of 1:33:64.
Madison Ceasar took first in the 13-14 girls’ 50-yard butterfly in 32.91 seconds while brother Leif won the same event for 15-18 boys in 31.29.
Huff Hawke led the 7-8 boys in the 100-yard individual medley in 2:21:42.
Grace Rothmeyer, Mariah Lucy, Alyssa Griggs, and Eva Weymuller were first in a crowded field of 9-10 girls competing in the 100-yard medley.
The pods took a short breather but were back in the Twisp pool Wednesday afternoon (July 10) for the multi-lap Swimathon, the group’s only fundraiser.
“We had a great turnout,” White said although the exact amount of funds raised is still being calculated.
All team members are required to participate in the fundraiser where swimmers complete a marathon of pool laps for pledge donors.
The Killer Whales’ biggest meet of the year was at Toppenish last weekend where the Methow pods linked up with teams from Brewster, Omak and Okanogan to compete in the eight-team showdown. Killer Whale alumnus Derek Oliver and White coached the Okanogan County team that placed first in the Silver Division and fourth overall.
