Kelso, WA — The back-to-back State Champion Camas High School Boys swim team handily won Saturday’s Kelso Invite — without 10 key swimmers — which is a testament to their depth, talent, and endurance.
The Papermakers earned 440 points, outscoring second place Union by 82 in the 15-team annual invitational where many Camas swimmers still hold years-old records in multiple events. It wasn’t looking good for the Papermakers, as they didn’t win an event until the 200 Free Relay, which is the ninth of 11 events. But, even without 10 swimmers, Camas held an edge with their numbers and earned enough points in all the heats to come out on top.
Even so, Union and Mountain View came on strong, topping multiple events, and setting state cuts throughout the meet.
In the 200 Free Medley Relay, Mountain View’s Timothy Huang, Justin Xue, Christian Madden and Fred Grimshaw won the event with a state cut (1:42.90). Union placed second; Skyview third.
Evergreen’s Ilya Zablotoviskii’s strength in the water was on display as he narrowly defeated Washougal’s Isaiah Ross in the 200 Free with a final time of 1:47.66; Ross clocked in at 1:48.21, and Skyview’s Jace Creech placed third. Papermaker Jack Harris, fourth.
Union swimmers Tony Kajino (2:08.41) and Jack Gallo (2:09.31) took the top two spots in the 200 IM, with Columbia River’s Sam Walker placing third (2:10.74) and Kelso’s Grant Eastham, fourth.
In the last of 18 50 Free heats, Mountain View’s Grimshaw (22.52) barely defeated Liam Johnson (22.58) and Mountain View’s Justin Xue (22.60). Papermaker Ben Taylor placed fourth.
Off the starting blocks.
Grimshaw would do it again in the 100 Free (50.14) barely beating Battle Ground’s Alex Curran (50.54) and Papermaker Taylor (50.87). Washougal’s Daniel Brown placed fourth.
Ross topped the 100 Fly (52.46), one of his specialties, barely beating Zablotoviskii (52.60). Union’s Val Tikhomirov placed third, and Liam Johnson placed fourth.
Grimshaw delivered a win again in the 100 Free (50.14) outpacing Curran (50.54) and Taylor (50.87). Brown placed fourth.
Madden was victorious in the 500 Free (5:05.24), followed by Columbia River’s Liam Noftsker (5:12.76) and Prairie’s Jonah Colagross (5:33.57). Mark Morris’s Andrew MacDonnell placed fourth.
Camas won the 200 Free Relay (1:32.86) on the strength of Taylor, Luke Bales, Austin Fogel and Emanuel Crisan-Duma. Skyview placed second (1:33.90), Union third (1:34.46) and Kelso, fourth.
Camas Freshman, Josh Swenson.
Curran would win the 100 Back (52.76) outpacing Skyview’s Jace Creech (55.69) and Union’s Tony Kajino (56.77). Columbia River’s Daniel Ishchuck placed fourth.
Tikhomirov won the 100 Breast (1:00.52), with Union’s Nick Wahlman (1:01.94), Xue (1:02.08) and Fogel (1:03.75) rounding out the top four.
Mountain View came out on top in the 400 Free Relay (3:27.62) — with Madden, Xue, Huang, and Grimshaw. The Camas A Relay team of Taylor, Crisan-Duma, Bales and Harris placed second, with Mark Morris placing fourth.
”I’m shocked we won,” said Harris. “We’re down so many swimmers due to the Science Olympiad.”
Skyview’s Liam Johnson.
Austin Fogel dives in.
Team Scores:
1. Camas — 440
2. Union — 358
3. Mountain View — 335
4. Columbia River — 330
5. Kelso — 285
6. Mark Morris — 247
7. Skyview — 200
7. Battle Ground — 200
9. Prairie — 183
10. Hockinson — 86
11. Washougal — 82
12. Evergreen — 64
13. RA Long — 41
14. Hudson’s Bay — 36
15. Heritage — 16
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- Stewart Johnson off the starting block.
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- Austin Fogel.
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- Jack Harris finishes a race.
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- Austin Fogel dives in.
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- Michael Nicoricci and Jake Duerfeldt a little distressed.
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- Camas Sophomore, Jack Harris.
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- Mountain View Junior, Christian Madden.
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- Camas Senior, Jake Duerfeldt, off the starting block.
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