The Wenatchee High School boys swim team competed at home on Jan. 18, beating Kentwood 90-85, and losing to Walla Walla 89-81. Two of the relays took first place– the 200 yard medley relay, made up of sophomore Jared Vargas, sophomore Austin Boese, senior Garrett Christensen, and senior Tommy Higley; and the 200 freestyle relay, made up of Vargas, Boese, Higley, and senior Drew Stillman.

Vargas also won the 200 freestyle and the 100 butterfly, Higley won the 50 freestyle, and Boese won the 100 breaststroke.

The boys also competed in a dual meet against Moses Lake in Moses Lake on Jan. 16, losing 119-64. However, Vargas won the 100 freestyle and all three relays placed second– the 200 medley relay, made up of Vargas, Boese, freshman Kaleb Pringle, and Higley; the 200 freestyle relay, made up of Vargas, Higley, Boese, and senior Josiah Anderson; and the 400 freestyle relay, made up of Anderson, senior Tucker Reid, Stillman, and Christensen.

The Panthers competed at the 42-team Kentridge Invitational on Jan. 11, placing 10th overall.

“[It was] a totally different style of meet,” said Coach James Elwyn. “It was a long day, and [for] spending so much time on a bus everyone swam really well.”

Standouts included Vargas, who placed second in the 200 individual medley and third in the 100 breaststroke; sophomore Jack Van Well, who placed 20th in the 500 freestyle; and Boese, who placed 22nd in the 100 breaststroke.

The boys swam against Eisenhower, Davis, and Sunnyside at the Lions Pool in Yakima on Jan. 7, beating all three teams.

“It was way too hot [and humid] at the pool,” said Elwyn. “Everyone there was exhausted at the end, even if they just stood there – like me.”

Vargas won both the 100 freestyle and the 100 backstroke. Higley won the 50 freestyle, sophomore Mitchell Thacker won the 1-meter dive, and Boese won the 100 breaststroke. Junior Justin Pringle won the 200 IM, and Van Well won the 500  freestyle and the 200 freestyle.

The boys swim team kicked off their Winter Break with a 106-80 win over the Wildcats at the Eastmont pool on Dec. 19. A highlight from the meet was Vargas beating a prominent swimmer from Eastmont, Hank Bergstrom, in one race and coming close to him in another.

The Panthers won two out of the three relays: the 200 medley relay, comprised of Vargas, Boese, Christensen, and Higley, and the 200 freestyle relay, made up of Boese, Higley, Anderson, and Vargas.
Vargas took first in the 200 freestyle, and Boese won the 50 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke. Higley won the 100 freestyle, and Pringle won the 100 backstroke.