LYNNWOOD — Everything went according to plan.

Heading into what was Edmonds-Woodway’s toughest dual swim meet of the season to date, senior Sarah Spillman mapped out a strategy with one of her coaches that she hoped would result in a pair of state qualifying times.

The Warriors ended up losing to Shorewood 96-74 in a Western Conference 4A South Division meet Sept. 25 at Lynnwood Pool, but Spillman achieved her objectives with state times in both the 200- and 500-yard freestyles.

“The times I was aiming for were right on,” Spillman said. “I felt pretty strong. I’m just playing around with different methods of how I can get down under five minutes in my 500.”

Spillman clocked in with a 5:17.57 in the 500 and a 1:59.87 in the 200. She also swam on the winning 200 freestyle relay team

“She always qualifies eventually, but usually it’s a battle from week to week,” said Warriors coach Tracy Rudhe. “Today she just came in here set to do it and she did.”

Spillman’s club coach wrote out a plan that broke up each of her races into different sections and involved her using her whole body instead of just her arms and legs.

“It worked,” Spillman said. “I got the times I was planning on getting.”

At last year’s Class 4A state meet, Spillman had what she would describe as a disappointing effort, even though she advanced to the consolation finals of both the 200 and 500 freestyles.

“I’ve put the last couple of years behind me,” Spillman said. “This year is my final year to show the colleges what I have and I think I can do it this year … I feel this year is going to be my best year in high school.”

Spillman’s younger sister, Mary Beth, won the 50 and 100 freestyles and also was on the winning 200 freestyle relay team.

The dual meet loss to Shorewood was Edmonds-Woodway’s first of the season but Rudhe saw many solid times from her swimmers.

“Everyone swam so well on my team today,” she said. “I think maybe only two girls added time … every other girls that swam today dropped time.”

Rudhe has spent much of the early part of the season trying to figure out who will be replacing Nora Vlasic, the lone missing member of the 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams that advanced to state last season.

“We have a couple of girls that could fit into her place,” Rudhe said.

Sharing the pool with the Warriors and the Thunderbirds were crosstown rivals Lynnwood and Meadowdale.

Led by state returner Katie Atkinson, the Mavericks soaked the outmanned Royals 135-33.

The senior standout, who placed 11th in the Class 3A 100 backstroke, won the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke and swam on the winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams.

Atkinson finished the season a mere 3/10 of a second off the school record in the 100 backstroke, which is held by Shelby Hill, a former teammate of hers.

“I got to swim with her my first two years. She helped me work on my backstroke,” Atkinson said. “That class … were just a really awesome group. They’re always something to aspire to.”

Atkinson’s time of 1:07.23 is about three seconds off from where she wants to be by the end of the season. At this point of the season last year, Atkinson was five seconds off her desired time.

“I’m putting in a lot of extra practice in the morning,” she said. “Hopefully, I’ll get it by the end of the year.”

The Mavericks have seen an influx of freshmen along with new coach Meagan Ackerman. The Shorecrest graduate has brought some fire to Meadowdale.

“She’s hard but we really need that,” Atkinson said “Once people start to complain, you know the coach is doing something right.”

Meadowdale freshman Lisa Keane won the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly and swam on the winning 200 and 400 freestyle relay squads.

“She can do everything,” Ackerman said of Keane. “She’s a good sprinter.”

Sophomore Mackensie Storey took first in the 500 freestyle and also swam on the winning 400 freestyle relay team. Other individual winners for Meadowdale included Kathryn Mataya in the 50 freestyle and Ivayla Dermendjieva in the 100 freestyle.

Ackerman sees a lot of potential in her team.

“They’re improving their times quickly and they’re just working hard,” she said.

Though Lynnwood was no match for their 3A counterparts, the Royals also have steadily improved their times.

Senior Amanda Chomos took first place in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:24.16, two seconds off her best time.

“She qualified for districts in last week’s meet,” said Lynnwood coach Cari Wieben. “She bettered that time.

“Everybody is working on improving their own person times. Every meet, I’m not seeing times getting worse. They’re always getting better.”