Snohomish swimming dynasty continues

Panthers take third straight state championship

By BOB MORTENSON

Herald Writer

FEDERAL WAY — All along the way there were group hugs, a saucy hand jive routine and raucous chants galore. Then finally, at the trail’s end, they donned their broad-brimmed cowboy hats and delivered a kickin’ version of the school fight song to their legion of fans.

After a season of swimming their backsides off, the Snohomish Panthers culminated the year with a masterful performance at the King County Aquatic Center on Friday night to earn a third consecutive Class 4A state swimming and diving championship.

Snohomish rolled up 207 points to outdistance Gig Harbor, which had 178. Gig Harbor won the 1997 title before Snohomish started its streak in 1998.

Oak Harbor, a program on the rise, rode its strength in the freestyle sprints to a sixth place finish with 122 points.

The Panthers got two individual titles from Erica Chandler and another from Christine Neely, and finished no lower than second in each of the three relays.

Chandler, who fended off a cold earlier in the week, fought off the field for victories in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle races. With no one in her field of vision in the pool, Chandler chased the clock in the 200 free and her time of 1:50.94 was the fifth best in Washington high school history.

"I was really nervous before the 200," said Chandler, "but I put it all in perspective and felt a lot better."

In the 100 free Chandler held off a group that included Oak Harbor’s Kyla Meuer and Chauntelle Johnson, and took the race in 51.90.

Neely battled Sehome’s Gretchen Plank all the way to the wall in the backstroke and got the nod in 58.12. The Panther’s Ashley Boxman was fourth in 1:00.58.

Together with Katherine Cuevas’ victory in the consolation finals of the backstroke, the Snohomish swimmers rolled up 44 points towards the title. Cuevas was pumped after claiming the victory.

"There was no way in heck I was going out finishing my career slow," Cuevas said.

"More than the 44 points I was just pleased with the way those three seniors could finish off their careers," Pringle said.

Oak Harbor flexed its muscles in the 50 freestyle where Meuer and Johnson placed third and fifth. The Wildcats also placed third in the 400 free relay and fourth in the 200 medley relay.

The Snohomish foursome of Neely, Cuevas, Patricia Thrasher, and Boxman got things going in the opening event by finishing second in the 200 medley relay, spurred on by Boxman’s spectacular anchor leg.

In the 200 free relay the Panther contingent of Jo Blue, Jenni Duke, Katie Neely and Chandler powered their way to second place in a time of 1:41.57.

"This has to be the most fun I’ve had at a meet," Chandler said. "It was so exciting to have so many people here supporting us."

High-spirited and spurred on by their fans, this hardly classified as a paint-it-Panther red and black by the numbers kind of victory. This title was keyed by contributions by senior leaders like Blue, Boxman, Cuevas, Christine Neely and diver Mariah Berry.

"The seniors this year have been awesome," Chandler said. "Everybody looks to them for leadership and advice and they’ll be very hard to replace."

Pringle agreed with that assesment.

"I guess you just cry a little and smile a lot," Pringle said.

And if he’s said it once he’s said it a thousand times.

"That was a nice job ladies," Pringle shouted above the din after the 400 free relay.

And Pringle was right, a thousand times over.

Team scores — 1, Snohomish, 207; 2, Gig Harbor, 178; 3, Capital, 158; 4, Rogers, 132; 5, Decatur, 129; 6, Oak Harbor, 122; 7, Roosevelt, 116; 8, Peninsula, 110; 9, Juanita, 97; 10, Woodinville, 92; 11, Kentwood, 88; 12, Sehome, 66; 13, Kentridge, 61; 14 (tie), Auburn, Wilson, 59; 16, Kamiak, 54; 17, Thomas Jefferson, 51; 18, Garfield, 49; 19, Cascade, 46; 20, Bothell, 41; 21 (tie), Central Kitsap, Kamiakin 38; 23, Mountain View, 33; 24, Eisenhower, 32; 25, Edmonds-Woodway, 29; 26, Olympia, 29; 27 (tie), Kent Meridian, Curtis, 24; 29, Richland, 23; 30, Port Angeles, 17; 31, Lake Washington, 16; 32, Stadium, 15; 33 (tie), Auburn Riverside, Mountlake Terrace, Moses Lake, 11; 36, Shorewood 10; 37, Kentlake 9; 38 (tie), Puyallup, Tahoma, Kelso, 7; 41, Marysville-Pilchuck 5; 42, Wenatchee, 4; 43 (tie), Foss, Eastlake, 3.

200 medley relay — 1, Capital, 1:50.46; 2, Snohomish, 1:53.01; 3, Juanita, 1:53.53; 4, Oak Harbor, 1:54.64; 5, Rogers, 1:54.85; 6, Wilson, 1:55.06; 7, Gig Harbor, 1:55.35; 8, Sehome, 1:55.26.

9, Auburn, 1:55.85; 10, Kamiakin, 1:56.20; 11, Kentridge, 1:56.30; 12, Bothell, 1:56.54; 13, Kamiak, 1:56.66; 14, Central Kitsap, 1:57.03; 15, Decatur, 1:57.71; 16, Moses Lake, 1:58.08.

200 freestyle — 1, Erica Chandler, Snohomish, 1:50.94; 2, Jamie Tannhauser, Juanita, 1:52.45; 3, Lisa Fong, Olympia, 1:54.85; 4, Emily Schmied, Woodinville, 1:55.66; 5, Rachel Walker, Garfield, 1:56.21; 6, Sandy Hong, Decatur, 1:56.48; 7, Madeline Klobuchar, Gig Harbor, 1:58.62; 8, Sarah Spillman, Edmonds-Woodway, 1:58.64.

9, Megan Woodworth, Kent Meridian, 1:57.57; 10, Whitney Warman, Lake Washington, 1:58.68; 11, Amy Foss, Peninsula, 1:59.60, 1:59.60; 12, Katie Hathaway, Roosevelt, 1:59.74; 13, Jerrah Holth, Port Angeles, 1:59.91; 14, Lindzey Killoran, Peninsula, 2:00.65; 15, Casey Sherfey, Kamiakin, 2:01.07; 16, Jacklene, Salwei, North Kitsap, 2:01.11.

200 individual medley — 1, Hannah Jo, Decatur, 2:05.22; 2, Emily Kukors, Auburn, 2:05.78; 3, Shelbi Settlage, Bothell, 2:09.19; 4, Katie Peterson, Kentwood, 2:10.66; 5, Brienne Kelson, Eisenhower, 2:10.75; 6, Chelsea Freeman, Rogers, 2:11.55; 7, Shiloh Brice, Peninsula, 2:11.72; 8, Rachel MacNeil, Cascade, 2:12.15.

9, Jen Haley, Kentlake, 2:13.55; 10, Lisa Fry, Rogers, 2:13.93; 11, Corie Beth Freeman, Rogers, 2:14.12; 12, Ashley Boxman, Snohomish, 2:14.20; 13, Jo Blue, Snohomish, 2:15.33; 14, Kristin Okazaki, Thomas Jefferson, 2:15.79; 15, Erin Matthew, Central Kitsap, 2:15.95; 16, Gretchen Plank, 2:13.41.

50 freestyle — 1, Jill Kripps, Roosevelt,24.23; 2, Caitlin Friedhoff, Thomas Jefferson, 24.24; 3, Kyla Meuer, Oak Harbor, 24.61; 4, Liya Liu, 24.57; 5, Chauntelle Johnson, Oak Harbor, 24.69; 6, Joanna Donehower, Gig Harbor, 24.70; 7, Erin Tomaszewski, Richland, 25.14; 8, Andria Giovanni, Central Kitsap, 25.22.

9, Rachel DiPasquale, Kentridge, 24.96; 10, Kelly Corcoran, Kentwood, 25.10; 11, Megan Schuyler, Capital, 25.18; 12, Kelsey Withrow, Woodinville, 25.25; 13, Heidi Gustafson, Juanita, 25.34; 14, Elizabeth Hansen, Port Angeles, 25.41; 15, Brittany Martenic, Wilson, 25.51; 16, Kayla Littlefield, 25.80.

100 butterfly — 1, Hannah Jo, Decatur, 56.80; 2, Mallory Schuyler, Capital, 57.81; 3, Jill Kripps, Roosevelt, 57.87; 4, Emily Kukors, Auburn, 58.21; 5, Chelsea Freeman, Rogers, 58.52; 6, Shiloh Brice, Peninsula, 58.78; 7, Emily Schmied, Woodinville, 59.21; 8, Rachel MacNeil, Cascade 59.77.

9, Shala VanGerpen, Kamiak, 1:00.09; 10, Brittany Martenic, Wilson, 1:00.52; 11, Suzanne Nye, Kamiakin, 1:00.66; 12, Casey Sherfey, Kamiakin, 1:00.84; 13, Meika Weiner, Sehome, 1:00.91; 14, Kayla Littlefield, Moses Lake, 1:01.21; 15, Kristin Okazaki, Thomas Jefferson, 1:01.40; 16, Katherine Cuevas, Snohomish, 1:01.72.

100 freestyle — 1, Erica Chandler, Snohomish, 51.90; 2, Caitlin Friedhoff, Thomas Jefferson, 52.62; 3, Liya Liu, Mountain View, 52.93; 4, Kyla Meuer, Oak Harbor, 53.01; 5, Chauntelle Johnson, Oak Harbor, 53.69; 6, Lisa Fong, Olympia, 53.73; 7, Joanna Donehower, Gig Harbor, 54.15; 8, Rachel Owen, Capital, 54.51.

9, Whitney Warman, Lake Washington, 54.70; 10, Rachel DisPasquale, Kentridge, 55.20; 11, Elizabeth Hansen, Port Angeles, 54.88; 12, Megan Schuyler, Capital, 55.03; 13, Christine Neely, Snohomish, 55.10; 14, Andria Giovanni, Central Kitsap, 55.32; 15, Heidi Gustafson, Juanita, 55.68; 16, Jo Blue, Snohomish, 55.90.

500 freestyle — 1, Jamie Tannhauser, Juanita, 4:51.69; 2, Rachel Walker, Garfield, 5:00.62; 3, Sandy Hong, Decatur, 5:03.92; 4, Megan Woodworth, Kent Meridian, 5:09.79; 5, Kelsey Withrow, Woodinville, 5:11.46; 6, Madeline Klobuchar, Gig Harbor, 5:11.09; 7, Sarah Spillman, Edmonds-Woodway, 5:12.05; 8, Amy Foss, Peninsula, 5:25.17.

9, Katie Hathaway, Roosevelt, 5:15.03; 10, Becky Matz, Puyallup, 5:15.79; 11, Bergen Beck, Roosevelt, 5:16.22; 12, Lauren Molnar, Kentridge, 5:19.62; 13, Courtney Parks, Rogers, 5:20.75; 14, Stephanie Lasby, Foss, 5:21.21; 15, Katie Warner, Mountain View, 5:29.21; 16, Lucy Bogus, Southridge, 5:30.36.

200 freestyle relay — 1, Gig Harbor, 1:40.71; 2, Snohomish, 1:41.57; 3, Roosevelt, 1:42.16; 4, Rogers, 1:42.82; 5, Woodinville, 1:42.93; 6, Peninsula, 1:43.50; 7, Cascade, 1:43.59; 8, Kentwood, 1:44.08.

9, Garfield, 1:44.06; 10, Kentridge, 1:44.08; 11, Sehome, 1:44.66; 12, Richland, 1:44.79; 13, Edmonds-Woodway, 1:44.81; 14, Decatur, 1:45.02; 15, Port Angeles, 1:45.69; 16, Central Kitsap, 1:45.79.

100 backstroke — 1, Christine Neely, Snohomish, 58.12; 2, Gretchen Plank, Sehome, 58.75; 3, Brianne Nelson, Eisenhower, 59.53; 4, Ashley Boxman, Snohomish, 1:00.58; 5, Mallory Schuyler, Capital, 1:01.01; 6, Corie Beth Freeman, Rogers, 1:01.10; 7, Kate Clarke, Gig Harbor, 1:01.99; 8, Stephanie Johnson, Kamiakin, 1:03.16.

9, Katherine Cuevas, Snohomish, 1:01.76; 10, Laura Hight, Kelso, 1:02.84; 11, Jessica Lee, Thomas Jefferson, 1:03.16; 12, Jessie Rima, Marysville-Pilchuck, 1:03.30; 13, Ashley Heaslip, Central Kitsap, 1:03.61; 14, Alexis Undi, Eastlake, 1:03.65; 15, Hillary Jensen, Wilson, 1:04.07; 16, Rokeda Brownell, Central Kitsap, 1:04.47.

100 breaststroke — 1, Katie Peterson, Kentwood, 1:05.91; 2, Rachel Owen, Capital, 1:06.99; 3, Lisa Fry, Rogers, 1:07.47; 4, Shelbi Settlage, Bothell, 1:07.48; 5, Katie Fitzgerald, Capital, 1:07.91; 6, Ashley Best, Kamiak, 1:08.75; 7, Jill Spencer, Kamiak, 1:09.06; 8, Bonna Pak, Mountlake Terrace, 1:09.62.

9, Erin Matthew, Central Kitsap, 1:09.95; 10, Jackie Benson, Shorewood, 1:10.03; 11, Kristen Landers, Gig Harbor, 1:10.08; 12, Melanie Grant, Moses Lake, 1:10.50; 13, Amanda Jensen, Wilson, 1:10.57; 14, Chris Heydon, Decatur, 1:10.95; 15, Amanda Birr, Oak Harbor, 1:10.95; 16, Julia Carier, Richland, 1:11.78.

400 freestyle relay — 1, Snohomish, 2:38.04; 2, Capital, 2:39.24; 3 (tie), Decatur, Oak Harbor 3:42.49; 5, Roosevelt, 3:43.33; 6, Gig Harbor, 3:44.89; 7, Kentwood, 3:46.69; 8, Peninsula, 3:47.40.

9, Wilson, 3:45.31; 10, Kentridge, 3:45.57; 11, Kamiak, 3:47.22; 12, Sehome, 3:47.39; 13, Juanita, 3:47.64; 14, Thomas Jefferson, 3:47.81; 15, Woodinville, 3:48.14; 16, Eisenhower, 3:50.04.

Diving — 1, Michelle Hager, Gig Harbor, 433.70; 2, Hali Saucier, Peninsula, 383.35; 3, Christina Hussong, Decatur, 378.70; 4, Laura Schuur, Stadium, 361.70; 5, Lindsey Draper, Woodinville, 360.65; 6, Collin Cunningham, Curtis, 331.20; 7, Alyson Carlyon, Juanita, 326.45; 8, Libby Cope, Curtis, 314.45.

9, Katie Ryckman, Auburn, 312.95; 10, Danielle Magnusson, Tahoma, 302.95; 11, Robin Mikesh, Auburn-Riverside, 291.05; 12, K.C. Alcock, Auburn-Riverside, 283.05; 13, Rose Cook, Wenatchee, 282.00; 14, Monica Bernhard, Shorewood, 275.90; 15, Marion Elliot, Juanita, 274.55; 16, Jenna Larson, Rogers, 270.60.