FEDERAL WAY — Jacklene Salwei and Jeffrey Reeves are the first two NK Piranhas Club swimmers to qualify for Sectionals next March, thanks to strong finishes last weekend at the Pacific Northwest Short Course Championships.

Salwei qualified in the age 17 and over 50-yard freestyle with a 25.95 time in the preliminary race and then a 26.12 in the finals, placing eighth overall. Reeves qualified for five different events in the 15-16 age group: the 100- and 200-yard backstroke, the 200- and 400-yard individual medley and the 500-yard freestyle.

The highlight of the meet, according to Piranhas Coach Mark VanHuis, was Reeves’ 500-yard freestyle race, coming in at 5:06.68 to place 16th overall.

“(Reeves) swam like a wild man,” VanHuis said, adding that the Piranhas swimmer cut nine seconds off of his previous 500 free time as well as cut time off of every race in which he competed.

Salwei is coming off a shoulder tendonitis injury and VanHuis said the NKHS senior is pacing herself back into things.

“We’re still leery about pushing her too hard,” VanHuis commented. “But this is her first championship meet back in a couple of years.”

Two other Piranha swimmers also competed over the weekend, but did not qualify for the March sectionals at the event.

Ingrid Reeves, swimming in the 11-12 age 400-yard individual medley, came in at 5:52.16, placing 20th overall and shaving over six seconds off her previous best time. She also swam a 6:33.00 in the 11-12 age 500-freestyle and a 3:17.12 in the 11-12 age 200-yard breaststroke.

“Her 400 (IM) was a great swim but she had to turn around and swim the 500 free in five minutes,” VanHuis said. “(But) she swam with all her heart.”

Mikal Reeves, swimming in-season for the North Kitsap Viking boys’ swim and dive team, also competed in the championships. He swam a 19:13.19 in the age 17 and over 1,650-yard freestyle and a 2:39.39 in the age 17 and over 200-yard breaststroke.

“(Mikal Reeves) wasn’t well rested — he was a little off,” commented VanHuis. “But his swims were fairly decent.” By JOSH FARLEY

Staff Writer

FEDERAL WAY — Jacklene Salwei and Jeffrey Reeves are the first two NK Piranhas Club swimmers to qualify for Sectionals next March, thanks to strong finishes last weekend at the Pacific Northwest Short Course Championships.

Salwei qualified in the age 17 and over 50-yard freestyle with a 25.95 time in the preliminary race and then a 26.12 in the finals, placing eighth overall. Reeves qualified for five different events in the 15-16 age group: the 100- and 200-yard backstroke, the 200- and 400-yard individual medley and the 500-yard freestyle.

The highlight of the meet, according to Piranhas Coach Mark VanHuis, was Reeves’ 500-yard freestyle race, coming in at 5:06.68 to place 16th overall.

“(Reeves) swam like a wild man,” VanHuis said, adding that the Piranhas swimmer cut nine seconds off of his previous 500 free time as well as cut time off of every race in which he competed.

Salwei is coming off a shoulder tendonitis injury and VanHuis said the NKHS senior is pacing herself back into things.

“We’re still leery about pushing her too hard,” VanHuis commented. “But this is her first championship meet back in a couple of years.”

Two other Piranha swimmers also competed over the weekend, but did not qualify for the March sectionals at the event.

Ingrid Reeves, swimming in the 11-12 age 400-yard individual medley, came in at 5:52.16, placing 20th overall and shaving over six seconds off her previous best time. She also swam a 6:33.00 in the 11-12 age 500-freestyle and a 3:17.12 in the 11-12 age 200-yard breaststroke.

“Her 400 (IM) was a great swim but she had to turn around and swim the 500 free in five minutes,” VanHuis said. “(But) she swam with all her heart.”

Mikal Reeves, swimming in-season for the North Kitsap Viking boys’ swim and dive team, also competed in the championships. He swam a 19:13.19 in the age 17 and over 1,650-yard freestyle and a 2:39.39 in the age 17 and over 200-yard breaststroke.

“(Mikal Reeves) wasn’t well rested — he was a little off,” commented VanHuis. “But his swims were fairly decent.”