Prior to winter break, the Oakton Cougars were in the water for the final meet of 2019 competing in a double dual meet against the Annandale Atoms and Lee Lancers. The boys cruised to easy wins, 237 to 78 (Annandale) and 240 to 60, in both meets, while the girls got back on track after last week’s narrow loss and turned in near perfect performances, winning both meets by a score of 245 to 63.

With every girl racing an individual event, the meet provided a great opportunity for best times and many rose to the occasion. The girls got off to a hot start, with Danielle Evinger dropping three seconds in 200 free, Haily Wang dropping 4 seconds in 200 IM, and both Cate Yurko and Olivia Williams turning in lifetime bests in 50 free. In the second half of the meet, Angela Cai swam a gorgeous 100 fly, dropped one second from her best, and placed first, while Catherine Lim and Riley Beeman, took off 3 seconds from their bests in 500 freestyle. 

The boys dominance was punctuated by an impressive run of best times by the freshman class of 2023. Michael Kenny (100 butterfly), Tyler Aukema (100 backstroke), Ben Szeto (100 breast) all dropped two or more seconds in their events, Bill Lam knocked off over half a second in 50 freestyle, and Nico Shuster crushed his personal best on the diving board by over 33 points.  Sophomore Cameron Dearman and senior Will Stein turned in beautiful swims in the 500 freestyle to place first and second in both meets. Carl Blakney dominated 100 butterfly, dropping over a second to place first, and senior captain Kyle McCleskey turned in his best 100 freestyle as a Cougar to lead a first through fourth sweep in the event.