Community Sports

Sports Beat | Swimming teams headed for a showdown

A highly anticipated boys swimming and diving season has arrived.

Several swimmers from Gig Harbor and Peninsula high schools have turned in impressive times that have propelled both teams to undefeated records after four conference matchups.

The two teams’ matchup on Jan. 9 at Peninsula could determine the Puget Sound League champion.

Hammer returns

Gig Harbor won the South Sound Conference championship last year. The Tides lost two-time state champion Grant Huston and district champion Emmett Scott to graduation, but don’t feel too sorry for the Tides just yet.

They return two-time state champion Aiden Hammer, a junior who took last season off from high school swimming to train for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. Hammer recently signed a letter of intent to swim for an NCAA swimming power, the California Golden Bears. He is ranked as the 15th-best swimmer in the nation in the class of 2026.

Gig Harbor’s Aiden Hammer has signed to swim for the Cal Bears in 2027. Photo Aiden Hammer

Hammer didn’t make the Olympic team, but he was only 16 at the time and was competing against some of the world’s best. He just finished up an impressive showing at the U.S. Junior Nationals and will be in the pool for the Tides this season at some point.

Records in his sights

He is expected to be swimming at the conference, district and state championships for Gig Harbor. He will look to defend his state titles and hammer the 200 freestyle state record held by five-time Olympic gold medalist Nathan Adrian of Bremerton until it breaks.

“I am very excited for a chance to swim in the high school season as I’ve been well under a couple of records,” Hammer said.

He is currently swimming a full second faster than Adrian did to set the state 200 freestyle record in 2006. He also seems likely to shatter the 500 freestyle record — he is currently swimming an unbelievable nine seconds faster than the current mark.

Hammer also confirmed he will be in the pool versus Peninsula.

“Our team is extremely confident heading into the dual meet against Peninsula and really looking forward to proving ourselves prior to the postseason,” he said.

Stacked lineup

The Tides haven’t needed Hammer yet. They opened their conference season by crushing Lakes, Central Kitsap and Capital by a combined score of 391-87.

Gig Harbor has a stacked lineup of other swimmers besides Hammer and will challenge for the Class 3A state team title again.

Gig Harbor swimmer Travis Scott. Photo by Mike Kelly

Standouts include Travis Scott (200 individual medley and 50 backstroke), Jace Garre (100 breaststroke), Michael Yevstifieiev (200 IM, 100 free), Joel Carpmail (200 free, 100 backstroke), Charlie Davis (500 free) and diver Max Ferrier.

Tides coach Mike Kelly doesn’t seem to rebuild his program, he just reloads. One wonders if he secretly goes under the Narrows Bridge at night to greet swimmers who emerge from the sound, needing directions to the Tides pool.

Gig Harbor swimmer Jace Garre. Photo by Mike Kelly

Wherever they come from, they get faster under Kelly’s watch. Talented freshmen Davis Horton and Raiden Nagata have already won races for Gig Harbor this season.

The Tides have a good balance of skill sets to cover all of the events. Yet Kelly said, “there remains plenty of work to be done in order for them to be ready for the challenges of the postseason.”

Peninsula poses a challenge

He said Peninsula likely will pose the greatest challenge in Gig Harbor’s quest for another conference title. The Seahawks “returned a lot of talented athletes,” Kelly said. “Our duel in the pool meet in early January should be a good one.”

Those sentiments are shared across town by Peninsula boys swim and dive coach Athena Petterson, who also returns a fine team. Petterson feels like her squad could dethrone the Tides if things go as she and her teams plan.

The Seahawks opened with wins against Silas (102-81), North Thurston (102-67) and Shelton (136-43). Lincoln saw those scores and decided to forfeit, allowing the Seahawks to cruise to a 4-0 league start.

Returning state placers

The Seahawks are lead by a couple of fourth-place finishers from last year’s Class 3A state championships.

One is backstroker Jonah Bergerson, who speeds through the water using his long, winding limbs that spin like the arms of a stop watch. Petterson feels Bergerson has improved and “could be up for multiple state titles.”

Peninsula swimmer Jonah Bergerson after placing fourth at the Class 3A swim meet in 2024. Photo courtesy Peninsula High swimming

“He’s a sprinter, so he needs to be able to maintain speed on the back half of his races more efficiently,” Petterson said. “Strengthening his weaknesses is what is going to set him apart and it’s his senior year now, so I know he’s all-in.”

Zach Ruckle is the other Seahawk who finished fourth at state last year, in the diving competition. Ruckle looks like he was born to dive with long, angular limbs and narrow hips that enter the water like a dart.

His work ethic sets him apart, according to Petterson.

“Zach is the first one on the diving board and the last one off at practice.” He and Tides diver Max Ferrier, last year’s conference champ, will be a matchup to watch when Gig Harbor travels to the Seahawks’ pool.

Peninsula diver Zach Ruckle accepts his fourth-place trophy at the Class 3A state meet. Photo courtesy of Peninsula swimming and diving

Medley relay

Seahawk senior captains Aidan Miller, Tyler Givot and Bergerson want to get the 200 medley relay school record in the worst way and have been close the last two years. Petterson is still deciding on who will emerge as the fourth swimmer to complete the team.

Petterson and her team are eying the Jan. 9 date with Gig Harbor.

“It will take everything and everyone to defeat the Tides,” she said. “This year, it is more likely than it has ever been that we will win, but I think the Tides are still slightly more favorable. It’s going to take my athletes buckling down these next few weeks and staying focused on our plan.”

Swim meets

The meet between Peninsula and Gig Harbor will include races in the 200 medley relay (four swimmers and four strokes); 200 freestyle; 200 individual medley (one swimmer, four strokes); 50 freestyle; 100 butterfly; 100 freestyle; 500 freestyle; 200 freestyle relay; 100 backstroke; 100 breaststroke; 400 freestyle relay; and diving.

Team points are awarded for individual and team placements in the races.

If local swimming fans want a seat for the upcoming matchup between these two schools, one better get there earlier than the 3:30 p.m. start time. Last season’s event between these two schools was standing room only well before the gun sounded to begin the first race. Both coaches expect the same to be true for this year’s showdown.