Borja, Miller lead Blue Heron in Toppenish | NWAC

North Whidbey Aquatic Club’s Haley Borja and Alana Miller earned high-point honors in their respective divisions at the Wine Country Open in Toppenish June 17-19.

North Whidbey Aquatic Club’s Haley Borja and Alana Miller earned high-point honors in their respective divisions at the Wine Country Open in Toppenish June 17-19.

Twelve Blue Heron were among the 328 swimmers from 14 clubs that took part.

Borja, 8, won each of her events in the 8-and-under girls division and jumped up to the 10-and-under class for several races.

In her final race, which was also her last race as an 8-year-old (he turns 9 in July), Borja set her 14th NWAC record. She won the 100-meter freestyle in 1:20.74, which is the 28th fastest time in the country. The effort earned Borja the NWAC Fast Swim of the Meet award from coach Dick Taylor.

For Miller, 10, the meet was her final contest for NWAC before moving to Walla Walla, and she left in style by winning five of 10 events, most in personal best times.

Miller swam the 200 freestyle with the butterfly stroke and established a new NWAC 200 fly record, 3:14.15.

Taylor named Miller NWAC’s Swimmer of the Meet.

Lindsay Brown won the girls 10-and-under 200 individual medley, and Lola Chargualaf, 10, recorded a swift 1:22.02 in the 100 free.

Claire Paul and Robin Zemlo shared the NWAC Most Improved Swimmer of the Meet award for “enormous drops” in time, according to Taylor.

The Blue Heron will compete next at the Mark Prothero Invitational July 7-10 in Federal Way, and then NWAC will be well represented, Taylor said, in a series of championship meets throughout the Western United States in July and August.