SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — South Tahoe’s boys’ and girls’ swim teams had strong seasons and are sending the most swimmers to the regional meet than ever before.

Between the Vikings girls’ and boys’ teams, a record 33 swimmers will compete in the regional meet this week, more than any other school in 3A and 5A in the northern Nevada.

The Viking boys finished the season at 7-1, with their only loss coming to rival and defending state champion Truckee, and will send 16 swimmers into the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Northern Region championships on Friday and Saturday, May 13-14, at the Carson Aquatic Center.

The girls finished in third place with a 6-2 record and will have 17 participate at regionals.

“I am very pleased with the performance of both the boys and girls teams,” said vikings head coach Will Davenport. “The 33 swimmers are the most South Tahoe has qualified for the regional meet. We are looking to put as many swimmers as we can into the final races on Saturday. Many of our top swimmers have a chance to finish in the top four in their events and qualify for the State Meet the following weekend.”

Davenport said the boys A relay team of Westin Terpening, Zachary Bellairs, Jerry Guebard and Omar Manzano have been strong all season and should be seeded in the top four in the medley and 200 freestyle relays.

He added that the girls A relay team of Nicole Whisnant, Madden Casto, Alexis Haven and Katherine Hitchcock have been gelling the last couple of weeks and are hoping to finish strong on Saturday.

“We have a young team and I am very proud of the less experienced swimmers who worked hard in practice all year and qualified in multiple events for their first Regional Championship Meet,” Davenport said. “I expect good results this weekend and a bright future for South Tahoe Swimming.”

The Vikings finished the regular season on Friday, May 6, with victories over Incline Village Alf Sorenson Community Center in Sparks. The boys won 185-27 and the girls prevailed 166-77.

The South Tahoe boys mostly swam against themselves and personal bests as Incline had just two swimmers.

In the one contested event, the 100-yard breaststroke, Incline’s Andrew Bilotti dominated with a time of 1 minute, 7.86 seconds, about 19 seconds faster than his nearest competitor South Tahoe’s Jacob Lewis. Incline’s William Arrison finished third.

The Viking girls had more of a challenge but still had much more depth than the Highlanders.

Of the nine contested events, the Vikings won six.

The 200 medley relay team of Whisnant, Casto, Haven and Hitchcock edged Incline’s Ava Winter, Shannon Hugar, Sequoia Denton and Ava Hane by about five seconds.

In the 50 free, Whisnant claimed first in 28.33 seconds with Incline’s Winter in second (30.46).

Haven topped Hugar in the 100 butterfly by more than eight seconds.

South Tahoe claimed the top three spots in the 100 free with Katherine Hitchcock taking first, Maia Edmonds was second and Jazz Quincy was third.

Incline’s Hane won the 500 free beating South Tahoe’s Maya Burkett by seven seconds.

Casto, Hitchcock, Haven and Whisnant teamed to win the 200 relay.

Haven also topped Hugar in the 100 backstroke by more than four seconds.

Hane collected her second victory of the day in the 100 breast, but she had to share the victory with South Tahoe’s Casto who finished with the exact same time, 1:21.60.

Hugar, Sama Martinez Urzu, Hane and Winter teamed to win the 400 relay by more than 10 seconds.