Blue Herons pile up PRs | NWAC

Nine North Whidbey Aquatic Club swimmers competed in the 2015 Pacific Northwest Swimming Division 4 Age Group Invitational at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo Nov. 21 and 22 and produced 45 lifetime bests in 47 events.

Nine North Whidbey Aquatic Club swimmers competed in the 2015 Pacific Northwest Swimming Division 4 Age Group Invitational at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo Nov. 21 and 22 and produced 45 lifetime bests in 47 events.

This was the “best overall performance by NWAC swimmers in a long, long time,” according to coach Richard Taylor.

Alana Miller, 10, earned NWAC Swimmer of the Meet honors and posted regional qualifying times in winning the girls 10-and-under 50-yard butterfly (32.14) and finishing fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:14.63).

Lindsay Brown, 10, also qualify for the Northwest Regional Championship with a lifetime-best in the 200 individual medley (2:44.84).

Ashleigh Merrill, 12, continued her strong season by winning the 50 freestyle (27.06) and 200 free (2:08.93) in regional times.

Merrill also took control of NWAC’s season-long Hytek points battle, which is used in determining the Blue Herons’ Most Outstanding Swimmer of Short Course Season, by upping her total to 5,039. She is followed by Haley Borja (4,531), Miller (4,400) and Brown (4,293).

Lea Opdyke, 10, was named NWAC’s Most Improved Swimmer of the Meet. She swam a 37.26 in her 50 backstroke leg of the 200 medley relay, good enough for her first PNS Short Course Championship qualify time.

Here are the top performances by the other five Blue Herons that competed last weekend:

Jaedine Casey Cabigting, 10: sixth, 100 IM, 1:26.86.

Lola Chargualaf, 9: sixth, 50 fly, 38.72.

Micah Franklin, 14: 10th, 400 IM, 5:07.91.

Jillian Pape, 15: fourth, 50 breaststroke, 34.71.

Kiersten Tyson, 9: seventh, 100 IM, 1:27.26.