MUKILTEO — When a top-notch swim team loses 12 talented seniors, even its most optimistic supporters couldn’t be blamed for expecting a dropoff.
But the Kamiak girls program is special. Despite losing a dozen girls, including five participants from last year’s team that finished fifth at the Class 4A state meet, the Knights keep leaving the competition in their wake.
After recently wrapping up their third-straight undefeated Western Conference South regular season, the Knights dominated their final tuneup for the state meet in front of plenty of appreciative fans Nov. 8 at Kamiak High School.
Kamiak won the south half of the Class 4A Northwest District swimming and diving meet, racking up 418 points while Jackson (259) and Shorewood (214) finished a distant second and third, respectively.
Beyond Kamiak’s dominance, plenty of swimmers from other schools came up with sweet swims of their own. Jackson’s Amber Pleasant took first in the 50 freestyle, winning by a sizable 0.55-second margin, and also claimed second in the 100 freestyle, behind Brunner.
Pleasant also aided two of Jackson’s three state-qualifying relay teams. Emily Rogers was second in the 200 individual medley for the Timberwolves with a state-meet qualifying time of 2:12.53.
All together, Jackson, which finished 25th at state last year, accumulated four state times in individual events. The Timberwolves will improve on last year’s state performance, Pleasant said. “(The team) is definitely stronger, more depth.”
“Our coaches prepared us really well,” Pleasant added. “They pumped us up.”
In the latter stages of the day, Jackson coach Drew Whorley was pretty pumped up in his own right. “Everyone has swam faster today,” he said. “We’ve been swimming great. We followed up good (preliminary) swimming Thursday with even better swimming today.”
Sarah Spillman led Edmonds-Woodway, taking first place in both the 200 freestyle and the marathon 500 freestyle.
Jackie Benson, Leanne Dull and Laura Hill propelled Shorewood with one individual state time each. All three athletes swam on the Thunderbirds two state-qualifying relay teams (200 medley, 400 freestyle).
So did the meet go as well as Kamiak coach Chris Erickson had hoped? “Never,” he said, smiling, “but it was good.”
Erickson had plenty to cheer about Saturday, as the Knights won eight of 12 events. More importantly, Kamiak racked up 12 state-meet qualifying times in individual events and qualified a team in all three relay events for the state meet, set for Nov. 14-15 at the King Country Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
“We had new kids qualify,” Erickson said. “Kids stepped up and stepped in.”
How about the Knights’ chances at state? “We’d like to be top five,” he added.
Kamiak junior Rikka Brunner led the way Saturday, winning two individual events (100-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke) and boosting two first-place relays (200 medley and 200 freestyle).
“Competition-wise, I was confident I could win both (individual) events,” said Brunner, who added that her times could have been better but that overall she was pleased.
Even with the pressure of a district meet, Brunner tried to maintain her normal focus. “I just try to take care of myself, and the rest is just cheering for everyone else.”
Kamiak senior Ashley Best also won two individual events – the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke – and swam on two winning relays with Brunner.
Erickson expected success Saturday, but he also received a pleasant surprise when senior Laura Brade chopped three seconds off of her previous best to earn a state-meet qualifying time (2:01.23) while taking third in the 200 freestyle. “It was a sweet swim,” Erickson said of Brade’s personal-best performance.
But the meet belonged to Kamiak, which already had a head start coming in when Emily Martens and Tasha Lavelle became the Wesco South’s only two state diving qualifiers Friday.
With their stressful dives out of the way, Martens, Lavelle and the rest of the top 10 Wesco South divers put on a lighthearted exhibition midway through Saturday’s event.
Martens, who finished sixth at the state meet last year, pulled out an unusual but crowd-pleasing “703 side one-half somersault tuck” for her final exhibition attempt. The panel of student judges flashed smiles and 10s across the board. Another diver intentionally performed a wince-inducing back flop, while another donned a cape and did her best Superman impression.
After the aquatic comic relief, Kamiak got right back to business. That’s how the best remain the best.
“I definitely think we can improve,” said Brunner, who roared for the Knights 400 freestyle relay team, which finished third in the day’s final event. “I think we’re more comfortable … but we gotta step up.”
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