Strength in numbers was the key to victory as the Marysville-Pilchuck swimming team topped Oak Harbor 120-63 in a Tuesday WesCo North meet and John Vanderzicht Memorial Pool.

The Wildcats (0-3 league, 3-4 overall), managed to win just two events, the 200-meter freestyle relay, when John Hu, Cameron Spence, Spencer Livermore and Zach Johnston teamed up for a time of 1:49.91, and Hu’s victory in the 100-meter backstroke at 1:05.24.

The same quartet of swimmers placed second in the 200-meter medley relay. Spence also captured a pair of second-place finishes in the 200-meter individual medley and 100-meter breaststroke events in times of 2:41.15 and 1:22.30, respectively.

Hu placed second in the 100-meter butterfly in a time of 1:02.78, and Livermore was second in the 500-meter freestyle in a clocking of 6:31.28.

Johnston was second in the 50-meter freestyle and third in the 100-meter freestyle.

“Zach was saving his strength for the relay,” said coach Erika Miller after the 100-meter freestyle event. “That relay is going to be screaming fast.”

The relay time was fast, but not quite fast enough for a state-qualifying time.

“We did well, but I hoped we’d do a little better,” Johnston said. “Psychologically, it’s hard to swim fast in a pool you swim in every day. You need the competition of a meet at another pool to get a really fast time. I’m sure we’ll get the state before the season is over, I didn’t join the swim team this year for nothing.”

Bryce Vagt captured a pair of third-place finishes in the 200 and 500-meter freestyle events. The 400-meter freestyle relay team of Brian Silveria, Cory Blyther, Vagt and Chris Klieman also finished third.

The Wildcats’ next home meet, the final meet of the regular season, will be at 3 p.m. Jan. 25 against Snohomish.