By Brenda Sexton | The Courier-Herald
Behind the district-qualifying times of Zane Gustafson and Connor Powers-Hubbard, the Sumner High boys swim team defeated Clover Park 131-36 in its first home meet of the season Dec. 15. The Spartans then turned around Thursday to drop a 105-80 nonleague contest to North Thurston at home.
“The boys are continually improving their skills off the block, out of the turns and finishing,” coach Dana Powers said. “We have added morning practices and will focus solely on these areas so they will improve even more. It’s amazing how tough these guys are and how hard they try.”
Gustfason raced to a 5-minute, 44.24-second finish in the 500-yard freestyle, while Powers-Hubbard sprinted to a 50 freestyle time of 24.87.
Gustafson, Powers-Hubbard, Brandon Richison and Joe Williams won the 200 medley relay with a time of 1.58.84. Evan Quaschnik, Cody Brennan, Shayd Breckenridge and Pietro Pitella were third in 2:26.38.
Tristan Hanon finished first in the 200 freestyle with a time of 2.32.38, while Tanner Harrison placed fourth in 3:16.80.
Richison won the 200 individual medley with a time of 2.35.51. Breckenridge was third in 3.00.21 and Pitella, fourth, in 4:03.17. Cory Mullender and Williams finished 2-3 in the 50 freestyle in 28.29 and 28.34, respectively.
Curtis Downing raced to a personal best time of 31.23 in the 50 freestyle. Michael Ulmer also posted a personal-best 50 freestyle time, 31.19. Shayd Anderson finished the event in a 33.88 and Josh Goodsell, 34.48.
Quaschnik was the Spartans’ top diver with a score of 168.65. Mullender was right behind in second with 135.60 and Curtis Downing placed third with 47.85.
Richison won the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:05.59. Brennan was third in a 2:29.46.
Williams won the 100 freestyle with a 1:04.74. Downing swam the 100 freestyle in a 1:11.81 and Mullender in 1:12.93. Sam Rigsby was fourth in a 1:13.09 and Severn Anderson was fifth in a 1:17.50. Goodsell posted a 1:16.65 and Harrison finished in a 1:22.19. Hanon was second in the 500 freestyle in a 7:17.57, while Breckenridge was third and close behind with a 7:29.70.
Quaschnik, Breckenridge, Hanon and Rigsby came in second in the 200 freestyle relay in 2:01.95. Ulmer, Pitella, Brennan and Anderson were right behind in third in 2:23.74.
Quaschnik turned around and swam the 100 backstroke, taking first in 1:27.26. Rigsby was fifth in a 1:31.35 and Pittella was sixth in a 1:52.57.
Powers-Hubbard, Gustafson and Ulmer swept the 100 breaststroke with Powers-Hubbard winning in 1:10.13. Gustafson second in 1:13.97 and Ulmer third in 1:51.60.
The 400 freestyle relay of Gustafson, Powers-Hubbard, Richison and Williams raced to a first-place finish in 4:08.49. Hanon, Goodsell, Anderson and Rigsby were second in 5:03.10.
Against North Thurston, the Spartans 200 medley relay captured first in 1:55.61. Powers-Hubbard won the 100 IM in 2:26.91 and the 500 freestyle in 5:50.57. Powers won the 50 free in 24.41 and the 100 butterfly in 1:01.27. SHS’s 200 freestyle relay won in 1:41.38. Gustafson finished first in the 100 breaststroke in 1:11.57.
