Camas Boys Swim Team Wins Saturday’s SW Washington Invitational

Longview, WA — The Camas Boys Swim Team handily won the 14-school Southwest Washington Invitational Saturday, with 691 points, distancing second place Columbia River by 332 points.

The annual invitational typically includes all local high schools, and one from the north — which this year was Aberdeen.

The Papermakers won the meet with multiple team members down to health or injury, and have been struggling to get state qualifying times.

”So far, we only have one state qualifying time,” said Camas co-captain, Chris Xia. “Usually, we have a lot more at this point in the season, so we’re hoping we can get more state times at Districts in two weeks.”

The Papermakers got off to a great start in the 200 Medley Relay, with both A and B relay teams taking first and second  place, respectively. The A team (Josef Kiesenhofer, Austin Fogel, Jaden Kim, and Chris Xia) timed in at 1:42.60 with the B team (Dave Peddie, Jack Harris, Emanuel Crisan-Dum, and Victor Wu) finishing with 1:47.60. Kelso placed third.

Harris won the 200 Free (1:52.35) narrowly beating Peddie (1:53.21). Simon Parish, of Columbia River, placed third.

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Skyview’s Jace Creech won the 200 IM event (2:04.95) with Battle Ground’s Alex Curran placing second (2:06.82) and Daniel Ishchuk placing third.

Skyview’s Liam Johnson won the ultra-competitive 50 Free (22.94) with Kodee Soetamin, of Mark Morris, placing second (23.29) and Papermaker Jaden Kim third (23.41).

Kim would win the 100 Fly right after (53.28) with Johnson, second (56.40) and Washougal’s Daniel Brown, third (56.49).

Soetamin won the 100 Free (50.37) narrowly beating Harris (50.93) and Chris Xia (52.36).

Peddie handily won the 500 Free (4:48.84) with Skyview’s Jace Creech placing second (5:09.07) and Prairie’s Jonah Colagross placing third (5:26.02).

Luke Bales, right, enters the pool.

Camas took first place in the 200 Free Relay. Luke Bales, Xia, Harris and Kim (1:32.46) bested Skyview (1:34.29). The Camas B Relay placed third.

Battle Ground’s Alex Curran won the 100 Back event (55.00) with Union’s Tony Kajino second (56.24) and Battle Ground’s Andrew Schivalocchi placing third (1:00.02).

Papermaker’s Austin Fogel handily won the 100 Breast (1:02.80) with Skyview’s Khai Tran second (1:04.77) and Mark Morris’ Ryan Pospichal placing third (1:08.91).

Camas took the top spot in the meet’s final event, the 400 Free. Xia, Peddie, Bales Andy Harris finished in at 3:24.30. Mark Morris second at 3:39.93, and Battle Ground at 3:43.67.

The boys are preparing for Districts in two weeks, and State in the middle of February. The two-time State champions have a lot of catching up to do, so “we’re focused on getting more state qualifying times during this time,” said Xia.