Outstanding upperclassmen for swimming were Rhys Birky and Megan Blank. Outstanding underclassmen were Emily Coulter and Sean Martin.
The success of the program this year depends on everyone involved, parents, athletes and the coaches working together, Coach Doug Peargin said. “We’re a team. That’s why we’re so tough.”
After Christmas, all of the team’s energy is poured into refining swimming skills for the district meet, Coach Peargin said. At the district meet, if everything works together, each swimmer will have their best swim of his or her life at the district meet.
“If you’re tied with us with one lap to go, we’re going to beat you 99 times out of 100,” Coach Peargin said. “These guys do it the old-fashioned way, hard work.”
To letter on the swim team, an athlete must have perfect attendance, earn 100 points in meets over the season or place at the district meet.
“Every kid that gets a letter on this team deserves it,” Coach Peargin said. Those that don’t earn letters have still worked hard and spent huge amounts of time working on their sport.
First year letters went to Emily Coulter, Ann Helfrich, Jeff Stratman, Josh Starha, John Lovik and B. Caswell.
Second year letters went to Sean Martin and Matt Slauson.
Third-year letters went to Nichole Starha, Jill Gilliland, Jeff Ecker, Chris Bate, Frank Coulter and Chris Burford. Fourth-year letters went to Megan Blank, Marie Duncan, Andrea Yunke, Megan Foucht, Carissa Van Cleave and Rhys Birky. JV included C. Smith, A. Larsen and H. Ross.
Among the Huskies, 12 were district champions. Twenty placed at the district meet. Eight placed at the state meet. The boys finished second in the state meet.
The team was tough, Coach Peargin said. At a meet in Astoria, the only way the team would get a trophy was for all 23 swimmers to place, and they did.
After all that, Coach Peargin said, this is a tough time for him.
“For 28 years, it just tears me up when I give these awards,” Coach Peargin said. “I wish I could just mail them.”
His team is full of “good people,” he said. “You just hate to see them go.”
This year was one of the best, Coach Peargin said. “Not only did we have quality swimmers. We had quality people.”