Olympic defeats Kingston to move within one win of capturing its first league championship

EAST BREMERTON — The Olympic boys swim team is one step closer to doing something they have never done before — win a league championship.

Despite winning the first state championship in program history last year, it was actually the Kingston Buccaneers who bested the Trojans, 95-75, in a mid-season dual meet.

They haven’t clinched yet, but Olympic is now one win away from sweeping their league schedule thanks to a 102-78 victory over the Bucs on Thursday at Olympic Aquatic Center. The Trojans swim against Klahowya on Jan. 28 in their regular season finale.

“This was kind of our goal,” said Olympic head coach Paul Henderson. “We still have Klahowya on Tuesday.”

The Trojans won nine events against Kingston, including all three relays. Rainer and Dietrich Meyer each won two individual events — Rainier finished first in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.25 and completed the 100-yard butterfly in 57.83. Dietrich Meyer took home top honors in the 100-yard freestyle (49.76) and 100-yard backstroke (58.00).

But, as is necessary at a dual meet, Olympic needed more than just its top three guys to pick up secondary points.

Stefan Anthony won the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:04.74 and finished third in the 100-yard butterfly. Stanley Leong (1:22.64) and Atlee Ferris (1:22.75) helped Dietrich Meyer sweep the top three spots in the 100-yard backstroke and Matt Morey and Warrick Bottai were able to nab second and third place in the 500-yard freestyle.

“It’s not just my three state guys, it was my guys getting fourth and fifths,” Henderson said.

Kingston kept the meet close throughout. Their two divers, Evan Yamane and McLean Bowers, gave the Bucs ten extra points as the only two diving competitors. Sophomore Rocco Velie won his two individual events — he posted state-qualifying times in the 200-yard individual medley (2:01.51) and the 500-yard freestyle (4:59.01).

But thanks to a sweep of the three relays, the Trojans were able to pull away and end a couple of Kingston’s impressive streaks.

The Buccaneers had won four consecutive Olympic League championships, but unless Olympic falters in their final meet, that streak will come to an end. It was also the first time Kingston had lost a league meet in five years — an 89-81 loss to North Kitsap on Jan. 22, 2015.

“It’s one of those good rivalries that is absolutely respectful,” said Kingston head coach Mark VanHuis.

Kingston finishes up its league slate against Port Angeles on Jan. 28 and North Kitsap on Jan. 30. The Last Chance Meet will take place at the Olympic Aquatic Center on Jan. 31.

Olympic 102, Kingston 78

Individual results (top 3 times)

200-yard medley relay — Olympic “A” (H. Meyer, Burchell, Morey, R. Meyer), 1:46.20, first; Kingston “A” (Near, Eudeline, Velie, Leon), 1:54.09, second; Kingston “B” (Langland, McCallum, Smith, Jensen), 2:19.70, third.

200-yard freestyle — Stefan Anthony, Olympic, 2:04.74, first; Charlie Near, Kingston, 2:07.07, second; Taliesin Shelton, Olympic, 2:22.33, third.

200-yard individual medley — Rocco Velie, Kingston, 2:01.51, first; Ryan Burchell, Olympic, 2:06.04, second; Miles Cole, Olympic, 2:40.87, third.

50-yard freestyle — Rainier Meyer, Olympic, 22.25, first; Zawadi Leon, Kingston, 25.56, second; Matt Morey, Olympic, 26.09, third.

1-meter diving — Evan Yamane, Kingston, 184.20, first; McLean Bowers, Kingston, 62.80, second.

100-yard butterfly — Rainier Meyer, Olympic, 57.82, first; Zawadi Leon, Kingston, 1:06.67, second; Stefan Anthony, Olympic, 1:09.56, third.

100-yard freestyle — Dietrich Meyer, Olympic, 49.76, first; Evan Yamane, Kingston, 53.87, second; Taliesin Shelton, Olympic, 1:04.19, third.

500-yard freestyle — Rocco Velie, Kingston, 4:59.01, first; Matt Morey, Olympic, 6:01.31, second; Warrick Bottai, Olympic, 6:24.04, third.

200-yard freestyle relay — Olympic “A” (Burchell, Shelton, Anthony, R. Meyer), 1:38.04, first; Kingston “A” Near, Leon, Longbons, Yamane), 1:43.09, second; Olympic “B” (Cole, Gonzales, Eash, Macazo), 1:56.93, third.

100-yard backstroke — Dietrich Meyer, Olympic, 58.00, first; Stanley Leong, Olympic, 1:22.64, second; Atlee Ferris, Olympic, 1:22.75, third.

100-yard breaststroke — Ryan Burchell, Olympic, 1:07.13, first; Charlie Near, Kingston, 1:15.05, second; Benji Eudeline, Kingston, 1:20.02, third.

400-yard freestyle relay — Olympic “A” (Anthony, Morey, Shelton, D. Meyer), 3:49.17, first; Kingston “A” (Yamane, Smith, Longbons, Velie), 3:51.15, second; Olympic “B” (Macazo, Eash, Leong, Bottai), 4:27.48, third.