WALLA WALLA — Hanford, Richland and Walla Walla were locked in a three-way battle all season for CBBN 4A-3A boys swimming supremacy.
On Saturday, when the title race reached the final stretch, it was Hanford that made it through unscathed.
The Falcons claimed their first 4A-3A league championship, defeating Walla Walla 91-79 at Whitman College's Harvey Pool to finish the season 8-0.
Walla Walla (7-1) beat Richland (6-2) 91-79 for sole possession of second place.
"We knew that (the Blue Devils) wanted to take us down. Both teams were undefeated," said Hanford's Will Wertz. "We just decided to stay calm and cheer, and it all came together."
Wertz swam a state-qualifying time of 1 minute, 49.66 seconds to win the 200-yard freestyle. He also was a part of the state-qualifying 200 free relay with Andrew Peacock, Cameron Sullivan and Cody Quinton, finishing in 1:33.64.
"It's usually the hardest of the three relays to get, and the boys put together an awesome swim," said Hanford/Richland coach Kathy Piper, who is proud of the Falcons' crowning league achievement.
"It's big for a 3A school," Piper said. "Those boys have just outshined the league this year."
Richland had four state-qualifying times (Nick Connors, 200 individual medley; Andrew Blanchard, 100 butterfly; Ashton Pollick, 100 backstroke; 400 free relay). But the Bombers lost their lead for good in the 200 free relay, when the Blue Devils picked up 10 points to go ahead 64-60.
Walla Walla coach Katharine Curles, in her first year as head coach, has been amazed by her team's rapid growth since the start of the season.
The Blue Devils more than held their own Saturday against perennial area powerhouses, thanks to victories by Austin Garrett (50 and 100 free) and Russell Skorina (100 breaststroke).
"To be able to step up and split the difference (against Richland and Hanford) and get second in league, it really says Walla Walla has power, and we have a lot of depth and a lot of spirit," she said.
"It's fun to just see a new step in the right direction for the Walla Walla program."
At Harvey Pool
Team scores--Hanford 91, Walla Walla 79; Walla Walla 91, Richland 79.
200 medley relay--1, Richland (Nick Connors, Ryan Francis, Andrew Blanchard, Taylor Armstrong) 1:45.93; 2, Hanford 1:46.68; 3, Walla Walla 1:50.91. 200 free--1, Will Wertz (Han) 1:49.66 (SQ); 2, Patrick Giedeman (WW) 1:51.15; 3, Corey Bradshaw (Rich) 1:54.78. 200 IM--1, Connors (Rich) 2:01.94 (SQ); 2, Jonathon Klem (WW) 2:05.18; 3, Jeevan Philip (Han) 2:08.55. 50 free--1, Austin Garrett (WW) 23.25; 2, Armstrong (Rich) 23.74; 3, Cody Quinton (Han) 24.15. 100 fly--1, Blanchard (Rich) 54.82 (SQ); 2, Jake Douglas (Han) 56.48; 3, Ashton Pollick (Rich) 57.08. 100 free--1, Garrett (WW) 51.27; T2, Armstrong (Rich) 54.52, Sullivan (Han) 54.52. 500 free--1, Connors (Rich) 5:01.93; 2, Bradshaw (Rich) 5:12.08; 3, Philip (Han) 5:14.27. 200 free relay--1, Hanford (Andrew Peacock, Cameron Sullivan, Quinton, Wertz) 1:33.64 (SQ); 2, Walla Walla (Klem, Zach Staudenmaier, Giedeman, Garrett) 1:34.85; 3, Richland 1:36.27. 100 back--1, Pollick (Rich) 57.09 (SQ); 2, Giedeman (WW) 58.30; 3, Wertz (Han) 59.41. 100 breast--1, Russell Skorina (WW) 1:04.80; 2, Tanner Collins (Han) 1:06.36; 3, Peacock (Han) 1:06.38. 400 free relay--1, Richland (Blanchard, Bradshaw, Pollick, Connors) 3:23.89 (SQ); 2, Walla Walla 3:28.90; 3, Richland 3:36.74.
PROSSER 74, SELAH 74: Nolan Saam and Will Burgett finished 1-2 in the 100 breaststroke to help the Mustangs tie with the Vikings at Lions Pool.
Saam won in a state-qualifying time of 1:03.04, nearly a second off his previous season best of 1:04.00, and Burgett was second in 1:03.24.
Saam and Burgett also were on two winning relay teams. The Mustangs took the 200 free relay in 1:35.35 and the 400 free in 3:47.49.
AT LIONS POOL
Team scores--Prosser 74, Selah 74.
200 medley relay--1, Selah (Nolan Frampton, Garret Borchart, Carson Petrea, Scott Smith) 1:48.95; 2, Selah 2:06.38; 3, Prosser 2:07.84. 200 free--1, Petrea (S) 2:12.29; 2, Collin Hudson (S) 2:18.01; 3, Chase Baker (P) 2:22.38. 200 IM--1, Frampton (S) 2:25.70; 2, Sam Kawakami (P) 2:29.24. 50 free--1, Smith (S) 23.18; 2, Tim Bowen (P) 25.01; 3, Mack Bickel (S) 29.52. 100 fly--1, Will Burgett (P) 59.06; 2, Nolan Saam (P) 1:01.07; 3, Borchart (S) 1:05.38. 100 free--1, Smith (S) 51.10 (SQ); 2, James Wildman (P) 54.46; 3, Petrea (S) 57.31. 500 free--1, Pat Burnett (P) 6:55.51. 200 free relay--1, Prosser (Wildman, Bowen, Saam, Burgett) 1:35.35; 2, Selah 1:36.88. 100 back--1, Frampton (S) 1:02.99; 2, Bailey Perez (S) 1:09.24; 3, Bowen (P) 1:09.81. 100 breast--1, Saam (P) 1:03.04 (SQ); 2, Burgett (P) 1:03.24 (SQ); 3, Borchart (S) 1:10.87. 400 free relay--1, Prosser (Wildman, Baker, Saam, Burgett) 3:47.49; 2, Selah 4:34.79; 3, Prosser 4:36.66.
