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After the boys took a week off and the girls battled to victory over St. Mary’s, the two Cougar swim teams returned to the pool together for two dual meets on the week. In both meets, Canby reigned victorious as the Cougars used depth and health to outlast both Lake Oswego and Oregon City.
In their first matchup of the week at Lake Oswego on Wednesday, the Cougar swim team dominated, with the girls winning 115.5-54.5, while the boys finished ahead, 106-59.
“Lake Oswego was not at full strength for a variety of reasons,” said Cougar swim coach Eric Laitinen, “but Canby swam well and was happy with the win.”
The Canby boys finished second in the 200-yard medley relay, with Jack Hayhurst, Kai Laitinen, Connor DeRisio and Hunter DeRisio. In the 200 freestyle, Isaac Beck took first while Alyk House was short behind.
Jack Hayhurst took first in the 200 IM, but the real show was the battle for second — Kai Laitinen edged out the third-place finisher by fifteen one-hundredths in a thriller.
DeRisio was the final victor in a solo event, taking the 100 fly, while their relay teams performed well. In the 200 free relay, the team of Isaac Beck, Jamison Chard, Zack Peck and Kai Laitinen were first, while Brandon Slater, House, Thor Laitinen and Matthew Solem finished in second place.
In the final event, the 400 freestyle relay, Connor DeRisio, Hayhurst, Beck and Hunter DeRisio also finished in first place.
The Canby girls also had an impressive win, as the relay team of Allison Yancey, Amanda Yancey, Avery Keinonen and Kali Mull got things going with a first-place win. Mull and Allison Yancey won each of their respective meets, while Kathryn Taggart won the 500 free.
Taggert and Mull continued their winning ways, taking the 100 and 500 free. The Cougar girls finished out with a relay victory to boot.
After a strong victory, the Cougar swimmers didn’t have to wait long to follow up their win — Canby returned to their home pool the day after their Lake Oswego meet to face the Oregon City Pioneers. Once again, Canby continued to roll on all fronts, as the girls won 107-63, while the boys won 108-51.
The Canby girls started the meet with a close win in the 200 Medley Relay, as Allison Yancey, Amanda Yancey, Keinonen and Mull finished in first by six-tenths of a second. Kali Mull once again won in the 200 freestyle, her third straight in the event, while Kathryn Taggart finished in third.
Canby finished one-two-three three times on the day, taking the 200 IM with Keinonen in first, Amanda Yancey in second, and Karina Sawatsky in third. The 100 free followed suit with Allison Yancey winning, with Ali Parsons and Taggart close behind. Mull once again took first in the 500 free with Mikayla Knowles in third.
In the 100 backstroke, Canby once again went one-two-three with Allison Yancey, Parsons, and Faith Mason to wind out another successful day for the Cougar girls.
The Cougar boys also had a good showing, beginning their showdown with the Pioneers with a victory in the 200 Medley relay. The team of Jack Hayhurst, Kai Laitinen, Connor DeRisio and Hunter DeRisio took first for the Cougars.
Isaac Beck, Jack Hayhurst, Connor DeRisio, Hunter DeRisio, and Kai Laitinen were all victorious on the day for the boys. The boys rounded out the win with another win, this time in the 400 free relay, with Beck, Conner DeRisio, Hayhurst and Hunter DeRisio.
After another successful week for the Cougars, Canby will host West Linn on Thursday, February 3 at 4 p.m.