Jason Nordgren of Bainbridge Island is the fastest freestyle swimmer in the state.
He won both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races Feb. 18 at the 3A Swim and Dive Championships at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
Nordgren’s time in the 50 was 20.85 seconds, and in the 100 it was 45.75 seconds.
With a star like that, it’s easy to see how Bainbridge also won the 400 free relay with a time of 3 minutes, 10.4 seconds. Also on that team were Aidan Cole, Curtis Stewart and Finn Wenker.
As a team, the Spartans placed third with 209.5 points. Mercer Island won the team title with 285 points.
Spartans Carter Cox, Thomas Witty, Stewart and Nordgren started the championships with a fourth-place finish in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1 minute, 35.4 seconds.
The Spartans sent another team to compete in the 200-free relay. Elias Dean, Robbie Nakhuda, Wenker and Mathias Bang-Knudsen finished fifth with a 1:28.62 clocking.
Cole finished sixth in the 200 free in 1:43.78.
Cox returned to the pool with a seventh-place finish and time of 53.16 in the 100 backstroke.
Witty returned too, finishing ninth in the 100 backstroke with a time of 58.55.
Stewart followed with a 10th-place finish in the 100 butterfly with a 52.38 clocking.
Sota Inoue made his debut at state with an 11th-place finish in the 200-individual medley.
North Kitsap
The Vikings finished fourth in the 2A division with 188.5 points, nearly 100 points behind winner Pullman.
NK’s top showing was second place from the 400-yard freestyle relay team of Levi McClain, August Maberry, Mac MacKinnon and Ian Stefanski with a time of 3:20.08.
Gage Hendryx joined Henry Maxwell, McClain and MacKinnon to finish fourth in the 200-yard free relay with a 1:33.15. Stefanski remained in the pool and finished fifth in the 200 free with 1:49.38. Stefanski finished fifth in the 100-yard backstroke with 56.44, and Maberry finished ninth at 57.80.
MacKinnon also finished fifth in the 50 free with a 22.67. Shortly after, MacKinnon returned and finished sixth in the 100 free with 50.09. Maberry, Max Nolan, Hendryx and Stefanski finished ninth in the 200 medley relay with a 1:46.19.
Hendryx finished 10th in the 500-yard freestyle with a 5:16.20. McClain finished 11th in the 100 butterfly with 56.98.
NK’s divers started the scoring on the first day. Justin Anderson finished 14th with 193.10 points and Rydley Strong finished 16th with 172.05.
Kingston
Josh VanHuis scored the first six points for Kingston with an 11th-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle with a 5:17.99. Zachary Cummings scored another six after placing 11th in the 100-yard breaststroke with a 1:04.54.
Kingston ended the day with a 15th-place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Benji Eudeline, McLean Bowers, Tyler Chamberlain and Cummings finished with a 3:52.02.
Bremerton
Brandon Gill was the lone swimmer for the Knights. He finished seventh in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events with times of 22.96 and 50.20.
Olympic
Tavyn Shelton finished 10th in the 100-yard backstroke with a 57.93 second time. The Trojans ended the day 14th in the 400 freestyle relay. Miles Cole, Raphael Ocampo, Warrick Bottai and Matthew Morrey finished with a 3:48.85.
South Kitsap
SK only had a diver at state. Sophomore Karter Warner finished fourth in the 4A finals with 326.5 points, 118 behind the champion.
Benji Eudeline competes for Kingston’s medley team.
North Kitsap’s Max Nolan looks to place in the breaststroke event.
Bremerton’s Brandon Gill watches the board after finishing seventh in the freestyle events.
Olympic’s 400-yard freestyle relay team finished 14th.
