Darya Samiee won two individual title and help Mountain View to a pair of relay wins, including the meet-deciding 400 free relay as the Thunder edged Columbia River 337-329 at the Class 3A district swim meet Saturday in Kelso.
Mountain View coach Dave Shoup called the meet an “absolutely crazy, fun and competitive meet, unlike I’ve seen in over 45 seasons of coaching.”
Samiee won the 200 individual medley by almost 16 seconds in a time of 2 minutes, 13.82 seconds, and she set a pool record in the 500 freestyle of 5:14.93.
The Thunder set the tone for the meet by beating Columbia River in the 200 medley relay as freshman Emily Hain held off a fast-charging Monica Bottleberghe. Mountain View won the race in 1:59.81 ahead of River’s 2:00.84.
The meet was tied 305-305 heading into the 400 free relay, which Mountain View behind Samiee, Hain, Jenny Zheng and Emma Pickett in 3:57.03 to take the meet.
Pickett also won two individual races — the 50 free (27.09) and 100 breaststroke (1:11.07).
Bottelberghe, whose season got off to a late start after cancer surgery in August, is finishing the season in strong fashion, winning the 200 freestyle in 1:58.73 and the 100 freestyle in 54.01 seconds.
And Prairie’s Keiko Inouye was a two-event winner, taking the 100 butterfly (1:03.01) and 100 backstroke (1:04.03).
4A district — Anna Panebianco and Julianne Reed each won two individual district titles, propelling Camas to a 376-337 victory over Union.
Panebianco won the 200 freestyle in 2:02.09 and the 100 backstroke in 59.34 seconds. Reed took the 50 freestyle (24.50) and 100 freestyle (54.41). Both swimmers also led the Papermakers to wins in the 200 medley and 200 free relays.
Union’s Livi Cox also was a dual-event winner, taking the 200 individual medley in 2:14.68 and the 100 breaststroke in 1:10.72.
Others winning district crowns on Saturday were Union’s Alice Chang in the 100 butterfly (1:00.01) and Union’s Marissa Young in the 500 freestyle (5:37.09).
“The aquatic center at Kelso was absolutely electrified by so many incredible races, and the fans saw these girls pour out every last ounce of energy for their teams,” said Shoup, who also coaches programs at Union, Heritage and Evergreen.
