The Kitimat Marlins invited the Prince Rupert Amateur Swim Club (PRASC) Rapids to their annual Spring Regional Meet and the Rapids nearly took the crown in the Marlins' own facility.
The Rapids scored 833 points, good enough for second-place out of the four teams that attended (Terrace and Bulkley Valley being the others), as Kitimat took the meet with 1,143 points earlier in May.
The youngest representatives from the Rapids, Josh Leighton and Hyla McQuaid (9) swam an excellent meet, with Leighton posting a second-place finish in 50 backstroke and a third-place finish in 200 backstroke. McQuaid took third in 25 free and third in 25 back.
A slew of 10-year-olds represented the Rapids as well. Leading the way was Emma Movold and Isaac Mastroianni who both obtained gold aggregates in their division. Mastroianni had seven first-place races including 50, 100, 200, 500 and 800 free, and 100 and 200 back. He also scored new "AA" times in 800 free and 400 free.
Movold scored first in 100, 200, 400 and 800 free, 100 and 200 back and 400 IM and had a first "AAA" time in 800 free.
Isaac Dolan took home the silver aggregate in 10-and-under boys with first-place in 200 IM and 100 backstroke, second in 50, 100 and 200 freestyle, 100 and 200 backstroke and a new "A" time in 100 breaststroke.
Fellow 10-year-old Jake Morse took the bronze aggregate with a first in 50 backstroke, a second in 50 butterfly, and a third in 50, 100 and 200 freestyle, 200 IM and 100 backstroke and a first "A" time in 100 backstroke.
Liam Pikola and Landen Franes rounded out the 10-year-old youngsters. Franes scored third in 50 butterfly and 100 breaststroke and Pikola scored second in 50 breaststroke.
Marlee McDonald was the lone 11-year old to make top-three and she took third in 50 breaststroke.
Zach Dolan had an outstanding day, winning the gold aggregate in 12-and-under boys with a first in 1500 freestyle, 200 and 400 IM, 100 and 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, a second in 100 breaststroke and a new "AA" time in 400 IM.
Araya Bartlett, Kobi Franes and Kate Morse also competed in 12-and-under and they shone.
Bartlett took second in 50 and 200 breaststroke and third in 100 IM, Franes claimed first in 50 backstroke and second in 50 breaststroke and 100 backstroke, and Morse had second in 50 butterfly and third in 50 backstroke.
The teens also had a strong showing in Kitimat. Amy Leighton claimed the bronze aggregate for 13-and-under girls with second-places in 200 and 1500 free, 100 and 200 back, 100 breast, third in 50 free and had a new "AAA" time in 50 freestyle.
Raine Evans took third in 100 IM in his first regional swim meet.
The 14-year-olds didn't forget to dazzle either as Avery Movold claimed another gold aggregate for the Rapids, taking first in 100 and 200 back, 50 and 100 fly and 100 breast, second in 50 and 100 free and had her first age group national times in 50 butterfly, 200 backstroke and club records in 50 and 100 fly, 50 free, and 100 and 200 back.
Following Avery was Trey Kish who had a silver aggregate in 14-and-under boys with a first-place finish in 50, 100 and 200 free, 50 breast and 100 back, second in 200 back and 100 breast and a new "AA" time in 100 breaststroke.
Robert Warren took first-place in 200 IM and third in 1500 free.
Brandan Hagen led the way with a silver-aggregate in 15-and-over boys scoring first in 50 and 100 freestyle, 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke, second-place in 50 and 100 butterfly and club records in 50 and 100 breaststroke.
Next up for the Rapids is a qualifying meet at Canyons Aquatic swim meet all the way in Santa Clarita, California.