The water and the Hornets are running deep at the Enumclaw Aquatic Center this winter.

“There’s a lot of talent right now,” Enumclaw High boys swim coach Ann Bettencourt said. “There’s a lot of depth, I’m expecting a good year.”

Depth begins on the swimming side with the return of sophomore Bennon VanHoof, who set the school 100-yard breaststroke record last season and finished sixth at state.

VanHoof also raced the breaststroke leg of the Hornets’ state 200 medley relay. Sophomores Thomas Petersen, backstroke, and Will Cooper, freestyle, return from that team. The Hornets just need someone to fill the butterfly hole left by Shane Jackson, who graduated.

With 29 swimmers in the water and many returning veterans, Bettencourt won’t have to look far.

EHS returns seniors Zach Petersen, Cory Larsen, Travis Culp, Sam Horn and Ryan McGrath. Juniors Braden Dedrick, Riley Scott, Gabe Sales and Logan Ross also return.

The sophomore class is strong; joining VanHoof, Thomas Petersen and Cooper are Nik Stopsak, Thomas Horn, Mason Culp and Shay Larsen.

The Hornets also have a handful of freshman turning out, many with club experience.

An addition the past couple years will be four White River High swimmers. Pierce DeHan, Seth Rickard and River and Elijah Cory will train with the Hornets and compete at the 2A level.

On the diving side, coach Steve Bannerot’s group is fairly inexperienced but learning quickly.

Senior Ben Schimming returns and will be joined by sophomore David Kingman and gymnast Jesse Skipworth. Swimmers Culp and Thomas Petersen plan to dive part time.

So far, Bannerot has been most impressed with Kingman, who switched from EHS’s wrestling program.

“It’s only the fourth day and he’s learned 10 dives. You only need 11,” Bannerot said.