Killer Whales Gavin McAuliffe, left, and Soren Strauss battled it out in the 13-14 year old, 200-yard individual medley.
The Methow Valley Killer whales hosted their final meet of the 2023 swimming season on Saturday, inviting Brewster’s Bearacudas, Okanogan’s Bull Frogs and Omak’s Manta Rays. The local swim team came away with a sweep of both the girls’ and boys’ team titles, thereby winning the combined score, as well.
The relays, which included a set of mixed freestyle races, were once again strong for the Killer Whales. The Methow Valley swimmers won four of the five mixed freestyle relays, six of the eight medley relays, and seven of the nine freestyle relays.
Olive Frady was arguably the busiest swimmer on the day. She was in the pool for 10 events, gathering six 1st-place ribbons in the three 15-18-year old relays, the 200-yard individual medley, 100-yard freestyle and 50-yard breaststroke. Her four other ribbons were all 2nd places in the 200-yard freestyle, 50-yard freestyle, 50-yard backstroke and 50-yard butterfly. Brewster’s Camryn Ashworth placed ahead of Frady in each of those events.
Frady, who will soon be a Liberty Bell High School sophomore, did get the best of her Brewster rival in the 50-yard breaststroke, nudging her by about 1.4 seconds.
Quin Smith swam his way to five 1st-place ribbons in the 13-14 age group. Two of those came in the boys’ relays and the three individual wins were in the 50-yard, 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle races. Soren Stevie, also in the 13-14 age group, took 1st place in the 200-yard individual medley and 50-yard butterfly, along with a pair of wins in the boys’ freestyle and medley relays.
This Saturday (July 29) is the season’s final meet, the Okanogan League championships at Okanogan. Swimming gets underway at about 9 a.m. and. will run into the afternoon.
