One of the fastest growing swimming programs in Oregon flexed its collective muscle on December 8, winning the Junction City Invitational in the process.

The Phoenix boys' and girls' teams combined to score an impressive 690 points in the meet at Echo Hollow Pool in Eugene. The PHS won five individual events and two relays on the way to team honors while the girls won an individual event in the first of a two-day agenda which also took them to Newport for an invitational the following day.

With one of the state's biggest teams, the Pirate boys amassed 494 points in Eugene, more than twice that of runner-up Junction City. The Pirates won the 200 medley relay (Makaio Potts, River Delco, Quin Davis and Eli Cruise). Four other PHS relay teams also took part in the event, including a second-place finish by Orlando Contreras, Nathan Faulkner, Sean Donohue and Cody Martin.

The Pirates finished 1-2 in the 200-yard IM (Delco and Cruise), grabbed 14 of the 15 top spots in the 50 free style (led by Cody Martin in first), finished 2-3 in the 200 freestyle (Davis and Contreras), got a win from Davis in the 500 freestyle, a win from Makaio Potts in the 100 backstroke, a win from Delco on the 100 breaststroke, a 2-3 finish from Cail Decker and Derek Mark in the 100 freestyle and won the 400 freestyle relay (Davis, Cruise, Potts and Delco) to close the meet.

Ariah Potts paced the Pirate girls, winning the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke in Eugene.

A day later, Phoenix got a second-place finish from Davis in the 200 freestyle, second from Delco in the 100 breast and third from Delco in the 50 freestyle to highlight the effort in Newport.

The Pirates have been busy practicing at the Daniel Meyer Pool in Ashland over the holiday break. They will return to competitive action on January 5 at North Bend, the same site that will be used for the OSAA District Meet in February.