Jackson swims past Snohomish

Published 11:33 pm Thursday, September 27, 2007

MILL CREEK — If you can’t stand the heat, please stay clear of the pool.

That was not a problem for the Jackson Timberwolves and the Snohomish Panthers, who waged an epic battle for girls swimming bragging rights in a Wesco North meet Thursday at the West Coast Aquatics Center.

Jackson, powered by Stephanie Ha, Alana Pazevic, a pair of relay victories and a surprising one-two-three sweep in the 500-yard freestyle, finally emerged with a gritty 91-79 triumph.

“Snohomish is so talented,” Jackson coach Drew Whorley said. “This is a thrill … regardless of the outcome you know the kids are going to get fired up and have great performances.”

Indeed, the host Timberwolves posted six state meet qualifying times and needed them — along with a host of other key contributions — to overcome the Panthers who put up two state qualifying times of their own.

“There isn’t a girl who didn’t swim a season best time,” Whorley said. “The important thing is those third, fourth and fifth place finishes. In a meet like this it’s those swimmers on the outside edges (lanes) that make the difference.”

“All the girls worked hard and came through today,” said Ha, a senior who, despite being a little under the weather, won the 200 individual-medley and placed second in the 100 butterfly. “We’re versatile and showed it in the water.”

In a hotly contested meet featuring piercing screams of excitement sufficient to split the ears of one’s favorite dog, the tone was set in the opening event, the 200-yard medley relay. Pazevic, Vanessa Ramos, Ha and Marina Pomar-Enders swam a searing time of one minute, 56.39 seconds. That was just enough to edge the Panthers’ Sarah Shawback, Emily Ferreira, Tessa McCurdy and Meghan Blue who touched in 1:56.40. Both relay units put up state qualifying times.

“We picked up a state cut a couple weeks ago, but this was a second and a half faster,” Whorley said. “To drop that kind of time doesn’t really have as much to do with training as it does with the environment, the enthusiasm and how psyched the girls are in a meet that is extremely competitive.”

Freshman Melissa Randolph had individual victories for Snohomish in the 200 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. In the latter race Randolph swam 1:01.04 to hold off Jackson’s Ha (1:01.33) and help the Panthers to a 40-38 lead.

The Timberwolves nosed ahead with a one-two finish in the 100 freestyle by Pazevic (in a state qualifying time of 55.00) and Erin Holladay.

The Jackson lead ballooned to 62-48 after the 500 freestyle where Pomar-Enders, Katie Main and Veronica Luckey swept the top-three places.

“I wasn’t expecting it, but that put us in a good spot,” Whorley said.

When Ferreira won the 100 breaststroke shortly after jump-starting Jasmine Labitzke, Blue and Randolph to a triumph in the 200 freestyle relay the Panthers trimmed the deficit to 81-75 entering the final event.

With 14 points available in the 400 freestyle relay Snohomish needed a one-three finish to tie the score. Instead, Jackson’s Holladay, Ha, Pomar-Enders and Pazevic coasted to first in a state qualifying time of 3:49.10 and the Timberwolves second unit grabbed third for good measure.

“The back half of the meet is what I was nervous about,” Whorley said. “Our goal is always to keep it close and get to the (400 freestyle) relay and let our four best girls go against their best girls.”

Following the meet Snohomish coach Rob Serviss was not available for comment because he was assisting one of his athletes who required medical attention.

At West Coast Aquatics Center

200 medley relay—Jackson (Pazevic, Ramos, Ha, Pomar-Enders) 1:56.39*; 200 freestyle—Randolph (S) 2:01.31; 200 individual medley—Ha (J) 2:17.09; 50 freestyle—Blue (S) 26.64; 100 butterfly—Randolph (S) 1:01.04*; 100 freestyle—Pazevic (J) 55.00*; 500 freestyle—Pomar-Enders (J) 5:23.19*; 200 freestyle relay—Snohomish (Ferreira, Labitzke, Blue, Randolph) 1:48.00; 100 backstroke—Pazevic (J) 1:02.03*; 100 breaststroke—Ferreira (S) 1:12.07; 400 freestyle relay—Jackson (Holladay, Ha, Pomar-Enders, Pazevic) 3:49.16*. Records—Snohomish 2-1 league, 3-1 overall, Jackson 4-0, 6-0.