Girls swimming: Wolves sending 10 to district meet

By Sequim Gazette Staff • November 1, 2023 1:30 am
Photo by Keith Thorpe/Olympic Peninsula News Group Natalie Cross of Sequim competes in the 200-yard freestyle event during the Olympic League Divisionals at Shore Aquatic Center in Port Angeles on Oct. 25.
Photo by Keith Thorpe/Olympic Peninsula News Group Natalie Cross of Sequim competes in the 200-yard freestyle event during the Olympic League Divisionals at Shore Aquatic Center in Port Angeles on Oct. 25.

It’s on to the postseason for Sequim’s girls swim squad, who finished strong at the Olympic League divisional meet last week in Port Angeles.

“Our girls swam great and had many personal best times during this meet,” Sequim coach Sarah Thorson said following the Oct. 25 meet.

Natalie Cross posted a district-qualifying time in the 200 free in 2:21.01, and Ava Shinkle added a district qualifier in the same event, a personal best 2:11.52 mark.

Also earning district qualifying marks at the divisional meet were Sequim’s Annie Ellefson in the 50 free (28.10) and 100 free (1:02.74), and Shinkle in the 100 backstroke (1:10.04).

Sequim will take 10 athletes to the West Central District 1A/2A bi-district meet scheduled for Nov. 3-4 in Mercer Island. They include:

Cross: 200 medley relay, 200 free, 500 free, 400 free relay

Shinkle: 200 medley relay, 200 individual medley, 100 fly, 400 free relay

Ellefson: 200 medley relay, 200 free, 100 breaststroke, 400 free relay

Melia Nelson: 200 medley relay, 200 free, 100 fly, 400 free relay

200 freestyle relay: Keira Morey, Addison Long, Violet Phillips, Cooper Hiatt

Relay alternates: Naomi Beglyakov, Kate Brouillard

Top finishers at the district meet, those meeting automatic state qualifying standards and an undetermined number of “wildcards” move on to the class 2A state meet, scheduled for Nov. 9-11 in Federal Way.