MILL CREEK
The one-two punch of Stephanie Ha and Alana Pazevic should give the Jackson girls swim team a leg up on the competition this season.
Ha and Pazevic, both of whom advanced to the finals of two events at last year’s Class 4A state swimming and diving championship, have started out the 2007 season strong. Coupled with the return of Marina Pomar- Enders, a standout junior who focused on club swimming her sophomore year, the Timberwolves have some high expectations for 2007.
“This is probably one of the more talented and deep groups that we’ve ever had,” said Jackson’s Drew Whorley, who is entering his 10th season as head coach. “This is truly a versatile group of girls. I really don’t think we’ve scratched the surface of what we’re capable of doing.”
Ha is only one of two seniors for the Wolfpack. The Jackson standout already has swam state cuts in the 200-meter individual medley, the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke as well as the 200 medley relay.
“I want to keep on getting state cuts and I really want to make it again in the 200 IM,” said Ha, who finished fifth in the 200 individual medley and third in the 100 butterfly in the state finals. “I’m going to try and work on that and get more in shape.”
The summer usually is a busy time for Ha with meets and training, but a mishap on a trampoline resulted in an ankle injury which sidelined her for most of the summer. Ha resumed training in August.
“I wasn’t able to swim all summer,” she said. “I’m just trying to get back. Hopefully, I’m going to do as well as I have been.”
Whorley doesn’t need to do much to motivate Ha, who he said is an extremely driven swimmer.
“Everything you ask her to do in the water she does,” Whorley added. “She’s here all the time. She doesn’t miss a thing.”
Pazevic has state times in the 100 backstroke and the 50 and 100 freestyles.
“I’m really trying to take first in state in my 100 freestyle,” Pazevic said. “I know that there are a lot of club swimmers swimming for high school this year. So there’s going to be a lot of good competition. I’m just really looking forward to that.”
Pazevic’s freshman season ended with a third-place finish in the 100 freestyle and a fifth-place finish in the 100 backstroke. She came into the state meet with the fastest time in the 100 freestyle and the second fastest in the 100 backstroke. Both times are school records.
“Alana is aware that she’s a talented swimmer,” Whorley said. “I don’t think Alana knew how good she could be until after last year.”
In the first couple of dual meets last year, Whorley threw out challenges to Pazevic, who then would jump up on the blocks and proceed to meet those challenges.
“She’s extremely easy to motivate,” Whorley added. “She just seems to have so much fun along the way.”
Pazevic spent a lot of time training over the summer.
“It’s a lot of work,” she said. “It’s probably the most training that I do.”
Pomer-Enders has recorded a state cut in the 500 freestyle and was a member of the state-qualifying 200 medley relay along with Ha, Pazevic and Vanessa Ramos.
“She already has made some great contributions,” Whorley said of Pomer-Enders. “She really helps fill us out depth wise and gives us some leadership in the distance freestyle events.”
In addition to all the state times, the Timberwolves have won their first four dual meets.
“They seem to be clicking on all cylinders and getting cuts out of the way pretty quickly, which is fun to watch happen,” Whorley said.
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