Garren Riechel | Sr.
Snohomish
As a sophomore, Riechel broke a 17-year-old Class 4A state meet record in the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing in a time of 56.06. Last year, he obliterated that mark with a time of 54.49.
Riechel also won the state title in the 50-yard freestyle and swam on the Panthers’ 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams last year.
After committing to Stanford University and undergoing offseason elbow surgery to remove loose material from his elbow, Riechel is set for his senior campaign.
“I’m ready to go,” he said.
Logan Goodman | Sr.
Snohomish
Goodman grabbed the state title in the 100-yard freestyle last year by a fingernail, outstretching the runner-up to win by less than a tenth of a second.
Goodman also teamed with Riechel on the Panthers’ 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams. He is the favorite to repeat in the 100 freestyle because his three closest rivals from last season graduated.
“He trained with me over the summer on a club team,” Riechel said of Goodman. “The training over the summer will really help him.”
Oliver Durand | Sr.
Marysville-Pilchuck
A freestyle swimmer last season, M-P’s Durand took fifth place in the 500-yard freestyle at the state meet. He also earned sixth place in the 200 freestyle and was part of Marysville-Pilchuck’s seventh-place 400 freestyle relay team.
Durand could find himself back in those events, but it depends on the development of the rest of the team, M-P head coach Scott Knowles said.
Durand, a year-round swimmer, specializes in long distance races.
“I think mentally he’s ready to go and physically he’s ready to go,” Knowles said. “He’s capable of probably making state qualifying (times) in every event.”
Bramon Yotty | Jr.
Cascade
Yotty’s sophomore season saw him earn a fourth-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke at the state meet. Now a junior, Yotty once again will challenge Snohomish’s Riechel for breaststroke supremacy in the Western Conference.
Last season, Yotty helped the Bruins to an eighth-place finish at state in the 200 medley relay and placed 15th in the 100 butterfly.
“He’s been training like a mad man,” Cascade coach Eric Smith said. “He’s really been coming on in all of his strokes. I’m expecting him to have an improved 100 breaststroke.”
Yotty also could replace former Bruin Sean Nesheim in the 200 freestyle.
Philip Walczak | Soph.
Archbishop Murphy
Walczak’s freshman campaign last season yielded strong results. He took second place in the 500-yard freestyle at the 2A District 1 meet and captured third in the same event at the state meet. He also swam in the consolation finals of the 200 freestyle and was part of Archbishop Murphy’s eighth-place 400-yard freestyle relay team at the state meet.
The sophomore took up rowing during the offseason, which improved his strength.
“He came in this year, the guy looks like Arnold Schwarzenagger up in his shoulders and chest,” Wildcats coach Mike McCloskey said.
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