The Philomath High boys and girls swim teams were able to finally get back in the pool Saturday after meets earlier in the week had been canceled. In an invitational hosted by Cascade, both Warrior squads finished second behind the Cougars.
Seniors Henry Katsikis and Marshall Morrison and sophomore Cameron McLennan had victories for the boys while junior Kyah Weeber and sophomore Jessica McLennan had wins for the girls.
Competing in the Stayton Family Memorial Pool, which measures in meters instead of yards, Katsikis had an impressive victory in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:25.32. Katsikis beat out two Cascade swimmers who came into the meet with better seed times.
In the 400 freestyle, Morrison and sophomore teammate Mason Stevens had a close race for first place in an event that featured three swimmers. Morrison touched in 6:00.26 with Stevens right behind him at 6:01.62.
Cameron McLennan swam against only himself in the 100 butterfly but nonetheless it goes down in the books as a victory with a time of 1:15.67.
Elsewhere for the boys in the individual events, Morrison placed second in the 200 freestyle (2:43.45), Stevens was second in the 200 individual medley (3:05.94) and junior Emmitt Gaskey was runner-up in the 100 backstroke (1:27.75). Third-place finishers were Gaskey in the 200 freestyle (2:53.93) and junior Ethan Aynes in the 200 IM (3:21.84).
The 200 medley relay had a second-place showing in 2:17.72 with Stevens, Katsikis, McLennan and junior Alex Dye.
PHS freshman Lucas Brandt did not swim at the meet.
Cascade racked up 214 points to Philomath’s 120. Rainier and Kennedy also participated.
For the girls, Jessica McLennan beat out eight other swimmers for her victory in the 100 backstroke. McLennan had a time of 1:31.28 for a close win of 0.69 of a second over a Cascade athlete.
Weeber swam against a teammate only and turned in a winning time of 3:00.42 in the 200 IM. She also had a second-place finish in the 100 breaststroke in 1:30.03.
Freshman Kate Burriel was second in the 100 butterfly (1:35.88), junior Natalee Barton was third in the 400 freestyle (7:45.01) and junior Kateri Pindell placed third in the 100 breaststroke (1:42.68).
PHS had a pair of runner-up finishes in the relays. The 200 medley relay of McLennan, Pindell, Weeber and sophomore Maggie King swam the event in 2:39.05. In the 200 freestyle, PHS had a time of 2:20.94 with freshman Emma Mecham, sophomore Lucy King, Pindell and Weeber.
The final standings showed Cascade with 154 and Philomath second with 114. Kennedy was a distant third followed by Rainier and North Marion.
The Warriors are scheduled to host a home meet at 4 p.m. Monday with Blanchet Catholic, Cascade, Kennedy and Sisters.
