Rams really roll at relays

Despite competing without Solveson, who sat out the meet because of a fractured left elbow, North Thurston dominated the second annual South Sound Relays, winning eight of the meet’s 11 events to capture the team title for a second consecutive year at The Evergreen State College.

“I thought we’d do well, but wasn’t sure if we’d have enough to win the team title without Erik swimming,” North Thurston coach Jak Ayres said. “Everyone did incredible today, from the top guys to the new swimmers. We were able to showcase the whole team today.”

North Thurston, undefeated at meets the past two seasons, posted 680 total points.

Olympia repeated its second-place finish, registering 578.5 points, while Central Kitsap, the ninth-place finisher at the Class 4A state meet last year, was third with 445.

Capital (398 points), Shelton (391), Lakes (317), Aberdeen (316) and River Ridge (144.5) completed the order of finish.

Solveson, one of seven North Thurston swimmers who participated in the Class 2A state championships last year, was reduced to a spectator after hyperextending his elbow last week.

The Rams didn’t seem to miss a beat.

The team of John Anderson, Scott Harn, Brady Neeley and Tyler Ridgeway opened the meet by claiming the 400-yard medley relay in 3 minutes, 14.72 seconds.

Luis Hernandez and Cameron Peterson followed by winning the 2x200 freestyle in 4:01.53.

Olympia’s 2x100 medley team of Tim Ward and Garrett Carson briefly halted the Rams’ onslaught by winning the event in 2:03.42 before North Thurston reeled off victories in the next two events – taking the 800 yard freestyle (8:08.23) and the 2x50 freestyle (47.17).

“The entire team is just pushing each other to improve every day,” said Harn, a junior. “You’re always trying to get faster and lower times. It’s easier to accomplish goals when everyone on the team is pushing you and helping you improve. That’s definitely been the case here.”

Harn teamed with Tyler Ridgeway to win the 2x50 freestyle, Connor Ridgeway to take the 2x100 breaststroke (2:16.86) and Matt Brickey to finish first in the 2x100 freestyle (1:46.95).

The Rams won the 200-yard freestyle (1:38.61) and capped the meet by winning the 400-yard freestyle (3:32.21) with the quartet of Tyler Ridgeway, Neeley, Nathan Anderson and Peterson.

“It’s amazing how far we have come as a team,” said Solveson, who plans to return at the district meet. “When I was a freshman, we won three of 12 meets and had 15 swimmers out. Now we’ve doubled our turnout and haven’t lost a meet in two years.”

Ayres credits the latter to hard work more than talent.

“The depth and the talent is obviously something you want to have, but it’s the team’s hard work that makes me compare them to the 1975 North Thurston team,” said Ayres, who guided the Rams to the 3A state championship 37 years ago. “We still have a lot of swimming left before we start thinking about that.”

Central Kitsap won the other two events – the 2x100 butterfly (1:52.03) and the 2x100 backstroke (2:03.44).

A total of 240 swimmers from the eight schools participated in the relays.