Everything’s Jake at Metro swim tourney

The Bainbridge boys swim team finished in seventh place overall at the Metro League Championships, held Friday and Saturday at Helene Madison Pool.

Jake Santelli’s Metro title in the 100 backstroke, and third-place finish in the 200 individual medley, along with Jake Christensen’s third in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free bolstered the Spartan point totals to hold off Ingraham, Chief Sealth and West Seattle.

Santelli churned out a speedy 54.51 in the 100 back, besting second-place swimmer Andrew Fleming of Blanchet by nearly three full seconds.

In the 200 IM, Santelli finished almost four seconds out of first, but his 2:03.51 still qualified him for state, and was good for a third-place finish on the day.

Christensen had stiff competition in the 50 free, an event he dominated throughout the regular season. The difference between first, and Christensen’s fourth-place finish, was a slight .43 seconds.

The 100 free was a close race as well, and Christensen’s third-place state-qualifying time of 49.79 was only .6 seconds off O’Dea swimmer Tim Hummel’s 49.19.

The Spartan relay teams had a more difficult time than usual, with Santelli, Kyle Helm, Craig Rosler and Christensen finishing fourth in the 400 free.

The 200 medley team of Caelin Ball, Stuart Stringer, Aaron Smith and Josh Johnson placed fifth in the finals with a time of 1:57.62.

Stringer competed in the 100 breaststroke consolation finals, and Smith and Helm also swam consol finals in the 100 fly and 100 free, respectively.

O’Dea-Holy Names took the overall Metro League team title with 638 points, Seattle Prep had 476, Bishop Blanchet 263, Eastside Catholic 247, Lakeside 238, Nathan Hale 217, Bainbridge 110, Ingraham 102, Chief Sealth 79 and West Seattle rounded out the teams with 14 points.

The Spartans will compete next at the District preliminaries and finals, held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 13-14 at University of Washington’s Hec Ed pool.

The diving portion of the district meet will be held at Hazen High School.

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