NWAC swimmers qualify for sectional

At the Kamiak Age Group Invitational Swim Meet at Kamiak High School Nov. 21-22, North Whidbey Aquatic Club (NWAC) swimmers Emily Huffer, Kelly Huffer and Olivia Tungate all qualified for competition at next March’s Northwest Section Age Group Championships to take place in Federal Way.

The sectional draws the top 5 percent of swimmers from six western states.

Emily Huffer, who was already qualified in the 100 and 200 backstrokes, added the 500 freestyle to her list of cuts, finishing in 5:34.70, fast enough for a third-place finish in the girls’ 13-14 division.

Kelly Huffer and Olivia Tungate, both competing in the girls’ 9-10 division, notched their first Age Group Sectional qualifying times while swimming to fourth-place finishes: Huffer in the 200 free (2:27.71), Tungate in the 200 individual medley (2:44.76).

Two Aquajets, Ella Schroeder and Michelle Robinson, raced to their first Pacific Northwest Swimming Championships (PNS) qualifying times. The PNS Champs meet is in Federal Way in December and includes the fastest 20 percent of competitive swimmers in western Washington.

Schroeder had her breakthrough swim in the girls’ 11-12 400 IM, carving 24 seconds off her lifetime best to go 5:54.45; she later added cuts in the 200 fly (3:03.66) and 200 breast (3:11.61).

Robinson, who had been chasing PNS cuts all season, achieved her first standard in the girls’ 11-12 50 breast (38.75) and added the 200 breast (3:03.41) five minutes later.

NWAC athletes already qualified for PNS and adding new cuts included Karina Concepcion, Ryan Cuajunco, Ciara Hu, Emily Huffer, Kelly Huffer, Joey Jepsen, Marissa Morris, Emily Schroeder, Tungate, Molly Vagt, Cullen Wood and Toren Wood.

In making the 100 back cut, Tungate became the third Aquajet (after Laura Rosen and Josh Jepsen) to have qualified in every stroke at every distance.

Aquajet event winners included Price Hu in the boys’ open 200 fly (2:00.94) and Josh Jepsen in the boys 13-14 50 free (24.67).

Athletes achieving 100 percent individual and relay best times were Ella Schroeder, Emily Schroeder, Brett Vagt, Molly Vagt and Cole Weinstein.

NWAC next competes at the Marysville Divisional Championship Dec. 5-6; it will field a team of 33 athletes.

Contact Whidbey News Times Sports editor Jim Waller at jwaller@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360-675-6611 ext. 5060.

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