The North Whidbey Aquatic Club finished second in the eight-team 33rd Annual Spring Thunderbird Invitational at Anacortes’ Fidalgo Pool May 13 through 15.
Cascade Aquatic Club won the meet with 6,912 points, followed by the Aquajets with 4,821 and the host Thunderbirds with 1,881.
Seven Aquajets won their respective divisions’ high point awards: Lucas Tack (8u boys), Olivia Tungate (9-10 girls), Ethan Tack (9-10 boys), Kelly Huffer (11-year-old girls), Marissa Morris (12-year-old girls), Emily Huffer (13-14 girls), Josh Jepsen (15-and-older boys).
Five NWAC’ers set 16 team records, led by Tungate (9-10 girls) and Laura Rosen (girls 15-and-over), who set seven and six new marks respectively.
Tungate set records in the 50 free (32.21), 100 free (1:09.50), 400 free (5:12.60), 50 back (37.91), 100 fly (1:18.07), 50 beast (42.14) and 100 individual medley (1:18.60).
Rosen’s marks came in the 50 free (29.04), 100 free (1:02.39), 200 free (2:14.73), 400 free (4:47.81), 800 free (9:48.93) and 400 individual medley (5:09.96).
Other records were clocked by Ethan Tack in the boys 9-10 400 IM (5:11.76), Emily Huffer in the girls 13-14 200 back (2:28) and Ciara Hu in the girls 15-and-over 100 fly (1:06.81) and 200 fly (2:24.64).
NWAC also set four team relay records: senior girls 200 medley and 200 free, Rosen, Hu, Emily Huffer, Akasha Trisler and Rachel Weinstein; senior boys 200 medley and 200 free, Jacob Jepsen, Josh Jepsen, Price Hu, Michael McGinnis and Cole Weinstein.
Tungate’s performance earned her the Aquajet Swimmer of the Meet honor. She met three Western Zone cuts (she is now qualified in every event), picked up seven individual wins and high-point winner, set six team records, recorded 8-of-9 individual PRs and added impressive relay legs.
Seven Aquajets swam to 100 percent individual PRs: Frances Empinado, Kelsey Vogt, Jillian Pape, Andrea Ruben, Emily Schroeder, Maria Sulin and Derek Volk.
One-hundred percent relay PRs were achieved by Carlos Bishai, Maria Bishai, Taliah Black, Jerrin Concepcion, Carl Davis, Nicholas Davis, Frances Empinado, Mariel Empinado, Sarah Head, Ciara Hu, Kelly Huffer, Price Hu, Stacy Jappert, Michael Johnson, Tyler Marlo, Pape, Harrison Tack, Tungate, Bruce Vagt, Lauren Vagt, Brett Vagt, Kelsey Vogt, Nichole Vogt and Cole Weinstein.
Josh Jepsen, Johnson, Morris, Pape, Harrison Tack and Cole Weinstein met Pacific Northwest Swim cuts.
Zone cuts came from Tungate and Emily Huffer.
Event winners were Black, Emily Huffer, Kelly Huffer, Price Hu, Josh Jepsen, Morris, Kenneth Morrow, Ethan Tack, Lucas Tack and Tungate.
The North Whidbey Aquatic Club is a competitive swimming program of the North Whidbey Park and Recreation District. It includes swimmers of all abilities and ages from 6 through college.
Tryouts occur Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at the city pool from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. New swimmers should be able to swim a length of the pool in freestyle and backstroke.
The first two weeks are free.
For more information, please call the pool (675-7665) to speak with head coach Neil Romney or view the team’s website at www.teamunify.com/pnswznwac.
