FEDERAL WAY – Beneath the seemingly tranquil waters of the King County Aquatics Center bubbles a furious cauldron of potentialities.
Mastering the possibilities at the Class 4A boys swimming and diving state championships were the Snohomish Panthers, who, off of their performance in Friday’s preliminaries, will make a bid for a repeat top-four finish in today’s finals.
Fourth a year ago, on paper the young Panthers looked to be perhaps a very solid top-10 squad coming into this year’s state meet.
But, led by strong relay efforts and the individual exploits of Chris Fulton and Dan Ferguson, Snohomish stepped up.
While Inglemoor and Decatur appear primed for a one-two finish, Snohomish hopes to push some of the other perennial powerhouses, including Stadium, Wilson and Garfield, in the battle for one of the trophies awarded to the top four teams.
“We definitely gained ground today,” Snohomish coach Rob Serviss said. “Everything about prelims is setting yourself up to score as many points as possible in the finals.”
Towards that end the Panthers went to work quickly in the 200-yard medley relay.
Seeded ninth, the contingent of Fulton, Jonathan MacMillan, Eric Pedack and Michael Turner swam a time of 1:41.74, hacking nearly two seconds off of their seed time, and qualified fifth behind Decatur, Garfield, Curtis and Stadium.
“We wanted to make the finals in the medley and we did that,” Serviss said.
The medley relay seemed to set a positive tone for Snohomish, which saw Fulton qualify for the 50- and 100- freestyle finals and Ferguson make the final cut in the 200 freestyle.
In the 50 Fulton, who finished third last year and came in seeded fourth, swam a 21.82 to tie his longtime Western Conference foe Stephen Garka of Marysville-Pilchuck for the No. 2 seed in the finals.
M-P coach Scott Knowles pumped his fist and shouted enthusiastically when Garka’s time posted on the scoreboard. Garka was second in his heat behind the searing 21.16 put up by Brian Jack of Wilson.
One fan hollered at the smiling Garka above the din: “Take it to ‘em Garka, you’re there buddy.”
Meanwhile, Fulton had apparently hoped for a faster prelim.
“I thought he did just fine, but he’s not too happy,” Serviss said. “I think he’ll use that as incentive for the finals.”
Knowles acknowledged that running down Jack will be a difficult challenge for anyone.
“He’s quick and he just blows off of the wall,” Knowles said. “It’s gonna be tough but he’s (Garka) there.”
Garka, who surprised Fulton at the Wesco North Sectional meet last Saturday sounded ready.
“That’s why I love it (the 50 freestyle),” Garka said. “It’s up for grabs.”
In the 200 freestyle relay the Snohomish foursome of Turner, MacMillan, Ferguson and Fulton (1:28.88) was edged by Wilson (1:28.79) for the top seed. Lurking just behind are Inglemoor, Garfield, Curtis and Stadium. The latter two are the only teams to have qualfied for the championship finals in all three of the point-rich relays.
Seeded fourth going into the 100 freestyle, Fulton held his ground, earning that spot in the finals with his 47.63. Meadowdale’s Jonathan Keane (48.18) is seeded seventh.
Keane, a senior, is also seeded seventh in the 200 freestyle. Ferguson, a freshman, is eighth.
“Dan is fierce,” Serviss said of Ferguson, whose older brother Andy led the Panthers to fourth place last year as a senior. “On prelim day that is as good as first.”
Snohomish enjoyed an additional lift from Pedack, also a freshman, who along with swimming on two relays qualified for the consolation finals in the 200 individual medley (14th) and the 100 butterfly (16th). This, after being seeded 19th and 22nd, respectively, in those events.
In the grueling 500 freestyle, Edmonds-Woodway’s Tony Dennis qualified seventh with a 4:44.68. Bothell’s Ethan Cramer (4:45.19) is No. 8. Ferguson (13th), Bothell’s Chris Winchell (11th) and Kamiak’s Thayer Trotter (14th) are in the consolation finals.
Dennis (12th) and Trotter (13th) are also in the consolation finals of the 200 freestyle.
Shorewood’s Garrett Gentling (fifth) and Winchell (seventh) are in the 100 backstroke finals. Consolation finalists include Garka (11th), Everett’s Matt Kaftanski (11th) and M-P’s TJ Henninger (16th).
Henninger, a senior, was all smiles after earning his spot in a rare tie-breaking swim-off. “It was great,” Henninger said. “I really wanted it.”
In the 3A prelims, Shorecrest’s Tyler Hayden qualified for the championship final in the 200 freestyle, finishing sixth in 1:48.40. He was also 11th in the 500 freestyle and anchored the 200 freestyle relay team, which placed 15th, and the 400 freestyle relay team, which placed 13th.
Notes
A call from the Hall: The Washington Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (WISCA) will induct 20 men into the WISCA Hall of Fame during today’s championship finals. Included in the group of inductees is Ed Kasey, who won three consecutive state titles in the 100-yard breaststroke for Everett from 1958-1960 and helped the Seagulls to consecutive state titles in 1958-59 under coach Pete Lee. Also being inducted is former longtime Snohomish assistant coach Bruce Richards, who was a three-time 100-yard backstroke champion at Wilson from 1964-1966. Richards is currently an age group coach with the Snohomish County-based Stingray Swim Club.
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