Area Sports by Michael Dashiell

They have home-pool advantage no longer.

In their final home meet of the 2009 campaign, Sequim's Wolves got soaked on the scoreboard, falling 125-38 to the class 3A Olympic Trojans.

As in previous meets this season, Sequim was a bit behind the proverbial eight-ball before the meet started; a sickness and an injury kept two of the Wolves' eight swimmers out of action and Olympic brought a full compliment of 19 swimmers to the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center last week.

"That's OK," Sequim coach Linda Moats said. "It's all about fun this year."

Three Sequim swimmers posted personal-best times against Olympic. Serena Okamoto cut her 200 free best by 29 seconds to 3:13 while teammate Anna Mittmann improved her 200 free time by five seconds to 3:17.

Autumn Kessinger cut half a second from her 50 free time (33.24, second place) and is nearing the district qualifying mark of 32 seconds. She's also less than two seconds off the 100 free district qualifying mark.

Okamoto also cut four seconds off her previous best in the 100 freestyle.

Rachel Hardy had a pair of second-place swims, in the 100 backstroke and 100 free.

"We didn't have any new district qualifying times today, but if a few improve then we are doing well," Moats said.

Sequim is at North Kitsap on Oct. 22.

The Wolves (0-8) swim at the Olympic League meet in Port Angeles on Oct. 29.

The West Central District meet is Nov. 7 in Bremerton. The top two in each event at districts - plus any swimmers who meet the state qualifying standards - advance to the state 2A meet, set for Nov. 12 in Federal Way.



Sentinels stand tall, stop Sequim

Once a league rival, Steilacoom now has the advantage.

With 30 swimmers taking to the pool, Steilacoom toppled the seven-member Sequim squad 123-48 in Sequim on Oct. 13.

"We didn't do bad, considering our small team," Moats said.

Sequim's two Rachels - Rachel Hardy and Rachel Hughes - provided the Wolves' two first-place finishes. Hughes took first in the 100 butterfly with a 1:27 mark winning by more than four seconds. Hardy topped the field in the 50 free with a 27.35-second finish and placed second in the 500 free (6:56).

Kessinger saw improvements in two swims: the 200 free (2:50) by six seconds, placing second overall; and the 100 backstroke (1:28), also by six seconds, also for second place overall.

Kessinger is nearing the 1:22 district-qualifying mark for the 100 back.

Megan Hale (200 free, 500 free) and Danielle DiPiro (200 IM, 100 back) won two events each for Steilacoom.

Reach Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.