The Blair Family YMCA Swim Team always looks forward to its home competition.
“I was feeling really excited for this meet,” coach Skylar Tatreau said Saturday morning. “The kids have been working really hard in practice and this is what we prepare for.”
Halfway through the four-team event, she'd seen enough to call it a success.
“The kids have swam really great,” Tatreau explained. “I'm proud of the work they've put into it as well as the team spirit they've shown throughout the meet as well. It's a lot of fun when everyone is excited and cheering each other on.”
In the end, three Barracuda relay teams earned first-place finishes to go with multiple gold-medal individual performances. The girls age 11-12 200-yard medley relay team of LeLah Filows, Addison Woehl, Avery Drew and Emma Hernandez clocked in at 3:02.18 just ahead of their teammates — the second-place lineup of Addison Greenwood, Isabel Chrans, Bryher Gassman and Audrey Brathel.
Gassman, Brogan Boerma, Chrans and William Filows won the mixed ages 9-10 200 freestyle relay, too. They touched the wall in 2:43.37, while Blair's age 15-18 team won in 2:14.96. Members of the older lineup were Hunter Moore, Declan Tanner, Filows and Lily Moore.
Barracudas have consistently cut seconds off of their times as their season has picked up steam this fall and into the winter.
“The time drops are always really great signs of the development,” Tatreau said. “Each week that we go into practice, we kind of look at the little pieces about what we need to focus on — faster dives, faster turns and, you know, better stroke development.”
Hunter Moore, 15, was the most successful Blair individual Saturday. He won the 50-yard freestyle in 28.75, the 100 backstroke in 1:31.58 and the 100 freestyle in 1:10.23
Gassman, 10, and Malachi Chrans, 6, won two races apiece, too. Gassman won her 50 freestyle (38.2) and the 100 backstroke (1:44.23), while Malachi was victorious in the 25 butterfly (45.3) and the 25 back stroke (32.82).
Tanner, 13, added a 50 freestyle win in 36.09, while Lily Moore, 13, touched the wall first in the 100 backstroke. She finished in 1:22.65.
Isabel Chrans, 9, added an individual win in the 200 freestyle (3:14.37) and Drew, 12, won the 200-yard IM in 3:37.96.
Connor Leehy, 11, claimed first in his age group's 50 backstroke as well. It took him 53.62 to finish.
“We're building that endurance and that speed, and everyone is doing really great, improving throughout,” Tatreau said.
A number of Fremont Area Swim Team (FAST) athletes with Washington County ties also won individual events Saturday in the Blair Family YMCA pool, including Hannah Huenink, Miranda Morrison, Dominic Morrison, Kate Faue, Jacob Hanson and Riley Batenhorst.
The Barracudas' season, though, continues into the new year and early spring 2023.
