The White Caps of the Greenville Area Swim League won its home opener last week at the Washington Swim Club over Cherry Oaks Recreation Center, 740-530.

After dropping a shorthanded contest to Greenville earlier this month, the team’s top swimmers returned to form, picking up where they left off last season.

“It was a great meet. We had some really good swims to start the season,” said coach Spencer Pake. “We have a little bit of work to do to get ourselves ready for a run at another championship, but I’m real pleased how everyone is looking right now.”

Cayden Pake, one of the younger returning standouts for the White Caps, had solid performances in the 8U 100-yard IM, the 8U 25-yard breaststroke and the 25-yard butterfly. Pake dominated 100 IM with a time of 1:25.87 and edged his teammate Victor Hill in the 25-yard breaststroke by less than a second (23.18). Pake also easily took the 8U 25-yard butterfly with a time of 18 seconds flat.

In the boys’ 9-10-yard-old events, Austin Waters notched two first-place finishes and a second-place finish, individually. Waters excelled in the 100-yard IM, winning by more than two seconds over teammate Ty Cole (1:39.12), and locked up a photo finish in the 50-yard backstroke over WSC’s David Wallace (53.19). Waters also took second in the 50-yard backstroke and contributed to the victory in the 200-yard medley relay.

“A lot of kids took first place in all of the events. It was truly a team effort,” coach Pake said.

Few athletes had a better all around day than WSC’s Mary Scott Sheppard, a returning top-notch swimmer competing in the 11-12-year-old age group. Sheppard took the 100-yard IM by over four seconds with a time of 1:23.91, easily won the 50-yard backstroke (41.41), finished first in the 50-yard butterfly (42.66) and contributed to the mixed 200-yard medley relay team’s top finish.

Tristan Pake, competing in the 11-12-year-old age group, won two individual events — the 100-yard IM (1:14.56) and 50-yard breaststroke (40.41). He also finished second in the 50-yard butterfly, two seconds behind teammate Danny Hoppenthaler, who won with a time of 32.88.

It was a day to remember for Washington’s veteran swimmers, who outperformed the competition across the board. Patrick Lovenberg won the 13-14 100-yard IM (1:06.03), 50-yard backstroke (33.43) and 50-yard breaststroke (33.25), all impressive marks.

Pam Pack graduate Megan Baldwin won all three events she competed in, taking first in the 100-yard IM (1:10.19), 50-yard backstroke (32.90) and 50-yard breaststroke (34.94).

For Washington’s top talent Kevin Andrews, it was business as usual. Andrews finished first in the 100-yard IM, edging Cherry Oak’s Brad Downs by one-tenth of a second. After the close call, Andrews finished first in the 50-yard backstroke, beating teammate A.J. Howard by about two seconds. Andrews, Eric Lovenberg, Howard and Tony Lovenberg also took first place in the 200-yard medley relay.

Other notable swims for Washington: Lily Holloman in the girls’ 6U 25-yard freestyle (22.65); Samuel Boltes in the boys’ 6U 25-yard freestyle (37.88); Wayland Mitchell in the 7-8 25-yard freestyle (17.94) and the 25-yard backstroke (23.81); Delta Cole in the 9-10 50-yard freestyle (35.81); Kasey Alligood in the 9-10 50-yard freestyle (39.32) and 50-yard backstroke (49.06); Taylor Baxter in the 11-12 50-yard freestyle (33.77); Amy Arnold in the 15-18 50-yard freestyle (28.47); Mackenzie Mirra in the 7-8 25-yard backstroke (28.51); and Taylor Mitchell in the 9-10 50-yard backstroke (51.39).

The White Caps will be back in action on July 7 at the Washington Swim Club when they face the Windsor Waves.