By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Cassie Tallman (Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) of Willamette University took second place in the women's 100-yard breaststroke and Mark Yuvienco (Jr., San Jose, CA/Bellarmine College Prep) finished in second place in the men's 200-yard butterfly during the Corvallis Senior Open on Friday, Dec. 2 at the Osborn Aquatic Center.
Tallman and Yuvienco were two of the three Willamette athletes who competed in the "A" finals on Friday. Alika Masei (Jr., Salem, OR/West Salem HS) reached the top flight of finals in the men's 100-yard breaststroke and the men's 200-yard individual medley. He placed third in the 100 breaststroke and was sixth in the 200 individual medley.
In addition, several Willamette swimmers competed in the "B" finals and the "C" finals.
The Bearcats will continue to compete at the Corvallis Senior Open on Saturday, Dec. 3. Preliminary heats will held in the morning, starting at 9 a.m. (PST). Finals will begin at 6 p.m. Also competing this weekend are swimmers from many area club teams.
Tallman's second place time in the "A" final of the women's 100-yard breaststroke was 1:08.10. It was the eighth fastest time in Willamette history, edging out her time of 1:08.18 from the prelims. The 100 breaststroke was won by Hannah Bodkin from the Corvallis Aquatic Team in 1:07.53.
Yuvienco recorded a time of 1:57.10 to take second in the "A" final of the men's 200-yard butterfly. His time is ninth on Willamette's all-time list. Nathan Cage from the MVA won the race in 1:55.12.
In the men's 100-yard breaststroke, Masei placed third in 1:00.22. Ian Shultz and Paul Lomax, both from MVA, took first and second, respectively, with Shultz earning a time of 59.29 seconds and Lomax finishing in 1:00.11.
Masei claimed sixth place in the men's 200-yard individual medley at 2:01.77.
Derek Ludwig (Fr., Moraga, CA/Campolindo HS) of Willamette took 15th place while competing in the "B" final of the men's 200-yard butterfly. His time was 2:03.17.
Jason Bayang (Sr., Wahiawa, HI/Hoala School) placed 16th for the Bearcats with a time of 1:03.80 in the "B" final of the men's 100-yard breaststroke. Mykah Fujiwara (So., Kaneohe, HI/Punahou School) earned 20th place in the "C" final of the 100 breaststroke in 1:03.57
In the women's 200-yard individual medley, Tallman finished 15th after racing in the "B" final. She registered a time of 2:19.17.
Ashlyn Witherwax (Jr., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) of WU claimed 11th place with a time of 1:09.70 in the "B" final of the women's 100-yard breaststroke.
Two Bearcats swam in the "C" final of the 100-yard freestyle. Reuben White (Jr., Portland, OR/Westview HS) placed 19th with a time of 49.26 seconds. Shelby Merrill (Sr., Thousand Oaks, CA/Westlake HS) was 24th in 51.38 seconds.
Yuvienco garnered 18th place for the Bearcats with his time of 2:03.94 in the "C" final of the men's 200-yard individual medley.
In the men's 1,000-yard freestyle and the women's 1,000-yard freestyle, there was only one round of races, with all swimmers competing against the clock.
Three Bearcats placed in the top 16 of the men's 1,000 freestyle. Merrill took ninth place in 10:21.97. Colin Hakeman (Fr., Bellingham, WA/Sehome HS) was 12th in 10:20.67, and Josh Bumgarner (Sr., Walla Walla, WA/Walla Walla HS) finished 16th in 10:45.56.
Anna Burdine (So., Seattle, WA/Mount Rainier HS) of Willamette was 22nd in the women's 1,000 freestyle. She completed the race in 11:35.80.
