By John McDonald
Prep Editor
Can the former Class 3A teams now in the 4A classification have an immediate impact on the Western Conference division races?
Coaches for two of last year’s Wesco 4A teams say yes.
Jackson and Lake Stevens were the top two boys swimming teams in the Wesco 3A last season and both return large numbers of state meet qualifiers.
Scott Knowles, coach of the 2001 district champion Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks, said that means Lake Stevens will be a factor in the North Division, while Kamiak coach Chris Erickson expects Jackson to contend for the South title.
Erickson said there was little difference between the 4A and 3A state meet times last season and that the teams moving up ought to be able to compete right away.
“Especially with the guys,” Erickson said, “quality will take you a long ways.”
Erickson said Kamiak and Shorewood are probably the top returning 4A teams in the South, although he said the talent level on his team is sparser than last year.
“It’ll be interesting,” Erickson said. “The guys are always interesting. I always think we are weaker than we are and we end up doing better than I think.”
Wesco 4A dual-meet champion Snohomish returns a strong team and will be a contender in the North.
Knowles said M-P graduated 17 seniors, 13 of whom placed in the district meet.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Knowles said.
As with the girls this fall, the two divisions will not meet in the postseason. Some coaches have expressed disappointment about that, but Knowles pointed out that there is no venue in the area capable of handling the numbers of participants and patrons a 17-team meet would generate.
2000-2001 recap: Snohomish won the Wesco 4A dual meet championship, but finished four points behind Marysville-Pilchuck in the district meet. Jackson won the Wesco 3A dual meet and league championship as well as the Northwest District title.
Garfield won the 4A state championship. Snohomish, in 10th place, was the top Wesco finisher.
Mount Rainier won the 3A state title. Sixth-place Lynden was the top Northwest District finisher. Thirteenth-place Lake Stevens was the top Wesco finisher.
2000-2001 state placers: Andy Ferguson, Snohomish, 11th 500-yard freestyle, 10th 200 freestyle, eighth 400 freestyle relay, 13th 200 medley relay; Nick Tainter, Edmonds-Woodway, 15th 500 freestyle; Alex Fleet, Shorewood, eighth 200 individual medley, third 100 backstroke, ninth 200 medley relay; Jon Lau, Kamiak; 14th 100 breaststroke; Forest Elander, Snohomish, eighth diving; Cody Craig, Marysville-Pilchuck, 15th diving; Tyler Pepin, Marysville-Pilchuck, 16th 200 medley relay, seventh 200 freestyle relay; Alex MacMillian, Snohomish, 8th 400 freestyle relay; David Pedack, Snohomish, eighth 400 freestyle relay; Alex Stewart, Snohomish, 13th 200 medley relay; Joe Lindquist, Mount Vernon, 11th 200 freestyle, 13th 500 freestyle; Max Hinricksen, Lake Stevens, 11th 400 freestyle relay, third 50 freestyle, third 100 freestyle; Timo Strunck, Jackson, 11th 200 freestyle relay, 12th 400 freestyle relay, ninth 100 freestyle; Matt Warren, Jackson, 11th 100 freestyle, 12th 400 freestyle relay, 11th 200 freestyle relay, ninth 100 backstroke; Peter Mullins, Jackson, 16th 100 breaststroke; D.P. Stone, Lake Stevens, 11th 400 freestyle relay, 13th 200 individual medley; Tyler Byers, Lake Stevens, 15th diving; Chris Tracy, Jackson, 11th 200 freestyle relay; Jason Oliver, Lake Stevens, 11th 400 freestyle relay; Todd Owen, Lake Stevens, 11th 400 freestyle relay.
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