RENTON--It’s not hard to see who was the top team nor who was the top finisher, and the “love” was spread out well in those two categories, as Normandy Park was the top team of the local summer swim clubs, and Olympic View’s Chase Onstot was the top swimmer at the annual Southern Division SSSL Championships at the Lakeride Pool in Renton Thursday.

“Our kids swam best times, that’s all you can ask for,” said NP coach Alex Beyer of this Seattle Summer Swim League event that pits best swimmers from all the eight teams in the SSSL. Top swimmers, those that have a time that is top six of the Northern and Southern combined times go on to All City, which happened after press time Aug. 5.

“We have a pretty deep group. We have a stud in each age group,” said Beyer.

Make that, “studs,” for the 9-10 age group, for NP, as relay swimmers Sam Johnson, Jeff Kasahara, Alyx Hastings and Eric Reiff won the 100-yard Medley in 1:11.46 and the 100 Yard Free Relay in 2:16.05.

Johnson is the youngest on the team, 9, along with Hastings, which tells anyone in the know that this group is tops this season despite two of its swimmers in the “off” year age-wise.

Johnson spoke about his peformance after he spoke about his team.

“We have a good swim team,” said Johnson. “We beat every team except Kent.”

Although Kent is good and has dominated the SSSL, Southerns, and All City the last 10 years, it was Olympic View that beat Kent last year in the closest finish ever at Southerns -- a half-point.

So this year was good, too. NP took second to Kent, and it was especially good for Johnson and company, winning both relays.

Johnson and Hastings, the two youngest on the team, were on the 8 and Under relay team champions at All City, so they know all about winning against the very best competition the SSSL has to offer.

So, what about this year, when the two swimmers, Hastings and Johnson, are in their “off” years.

“We have a good chance,” said Johnson.

In swimming individually, Johnson lost to teammate Hastings in the 9-10 50 back. He says that is OK to lose to his teammates a lot in races this last year.

“It gives me something to go after,” he said.

Speaking of “go after,” everyone chases Chase Onstot, a 12-year-old superstar of Olympic View, the most super performances of all swimmers at Southerns. He’s second to none in the water, as in, getting first in all his events, which included the 100 Individual Medley, the purest swim event where a swimmer has to do all the strokes -- butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle well, 1:04.82, and, the 50 free in 25.37 and the 50 back in 30.05. He also anchored the 200-yard free relay of he and Ean VanBramer, Ryan Alfrejd and Riley McCoy in 2:00.52.

What’s the key to his success?

“Practice,” said Onstot, the word coming out faster than his strokes through the water, which, by the way, are lightning-fast. “I swim five hours per day during the summer and I’m in the pool 2-3 hours during the school year.

Onstot swims for year-round club team Whitewater Aquatics.

This should be Chase’s year. He was in his “off” year last year, being an 11-year-old going against 12 year olds in the 11-12 division, and, he still flashed through the water for second in the 100 IM and first in the 50 back.

Chase is amazing?

“No doubt,” said coach Haley Ballast (formerly Thompson before she got married this summer). “He already set an all-city record at the boys prelims (prelims precede the Southerns meet).”

That’s pretty fast?

“Yeah, he’s amazing,” said Ballast.

There were a lot of amazingly good swims, not exactly to the accolade quality of Onstot, but good nonetheless, like 10 & Under division swimmer Emily Marchel.

“She’s dropped so much time this year,” said Ballast. “At the beginning of the year, she swam a 53 in the 50 breast. Tonight she swam a 43. Her family came to home meets because they didn’t realize how good she really was.”

And now, barring five better times from the Northern Division Championships that are combined with the top times from the Southern meet. Marchel will be going on to All City individually and her relay team should go, too, in the 100 Medley. They were second.

Gregory Seahurst’s little swimmer, Reva Zacharias, 10, had a good meet, and, don’t forget her sister, Emily, 7, too.

“We are very proud of them,” said Mica Bailey, their GS coach. “They have dedication. They come out ready to race.”

Reva really came out ready to race. She won two events, including the same pure swimming one Onstot won, the 100 IM, in 1:17.18, just beating a Kent Swim Club competitor’s time of 1:17.44. Time was really dropped in that one by Reva, too. Her preliminary swim time was 1:20.15.

“They train hard throughout the season,” said Bailey. “Bottom line is they listen and try to do anything and everything you say.”

Reva also won the 50 back in 34.99. She went from a 37.62 prelim time - a drop in that one. She also beat her nearest competitor by over three seconds. Her sister, Emily, took second in the 8 and Under 25 free, almost first. Her time was 21.32 to Arbor Heights’ first place Naomi Williams’ 16.21.

Bailey also mentioned Angela Galiardo.

“She had some great swims, she made it here in four events,” said Bailey. “We are crossing our fingers that she will move on (to All City).”