Washington Girls 2A-4A State Championships

By Lauren Sampl, Swimming World intern

FEDERAL WAY, Washington, November 27. SQUALICUM High School scored 226 points on its way to winning the 1A state championship, held Nov. 11th-13th at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. Interlake finished just 10 points behind with 216 points, and Sumner tallied 177 points to finish third. In the 3A meet, Mercer Island ran away with the team championship, amassing 278 points to beat out Bainbridge (220 points) and Hanford (203 points). Skyline was the victor in the 4A meet with 220 points to its credit. Newport finished runner-up with 157.50 points, and Thomas Jefferson earned third place with 140 points.

In the 2A meet, a handful of swimmers took home multiple state championship titles apiece. Othello's Natilee Ruiz crushed the competition on her way to wins in both the 200 and 500 frees. Ruiz stopped the clock in 1:51.43 to win the 200 free by more than five seconds. Her time of 5:00.84 in the 500 free was more than 12 seconds faster than her next closest competitor.

Julia Sanders of Hockinson was another double-event winner, picking up titles in the 50 free and 100 fly. Sanders won by more than half a second in the 50 free, cracking the 24-second barrier with a time of 23.90. Her time of 56.73 in the 100 fly was a meet record.

Anacortes' Katie Kaestner showed off her versatility, taking first place in the 100 free and 100 breast. She posted winning times of 52.92 in the 100 free and 1:04.43 in the 100 breast, a meet record.

Other state champions crowned at the meet included Madison Munger of Sumner in the 200 IM (2:09.57), Fife's Delaney Peugh (one-meter diving, 317.50 points) and Squalicum's Carlee Bock in the 100 back (59.45).

Three separate schools earned relay wins at the meet, with the team of Maddie Hagen, CC Hagen, Anna Kimura and Larissa Nakatsu of Interlake taking the opening medley relay in 1:53.55. Sumner's squad of Madison Munger, Ashley Huynh, Emma Thompson and Sami Hendricks joined forces to win the 200 free relay in 1:41.91. Squalicum closed out its run to the team title with a victory in the final relay, as Camorah King, Rylie Martin, Leah Strickling and Carlee Bock touched in 3:42.41.

The 3A meet also featured several double-event winners. Shorewood's Dana Michaels picked up wins in the 200 free (1:50.63) and 500 free (4:57.78), winning by more than 10 seconds in the 500.

Grace Wold of Mercer Island captured first place finishes in the 200 IM (2:04.75) and 100 fly (56.22), just missing Automatic All-American times in both events.

Hazen's Lauren Kaufman also picked up two state championships. She earned wins in the sprint freestyles, swimming the 50 free in a time of 23.31 and the 100 free in 51.26.

Juanita's Celi Pinczower (one-meter diving, 404.30 points), Hudson Bay's Nikki Cannon (100 back, 56.65), and Mercer Island's Lauren Poli (100 breast, 1:05.34) were also crowned champions at the meet in their respective events.

Similar to the 2A meet, three separate teams came away with relay wins in the 3A meet. Grace Wold (27.48), Lauren Poli (29.66), Madeleine Chandless (27.69) and Christina Williamson (25.51) of Mercer Island won the 200 medley relay in 1:50.34, while Hanford's 200 free relay team of Melissa Merrill (24.96), Stephanie Tixier (24.07), Christine Tixier (24.46) and Kristen Bennett (24.96) touched in 1:38.45. Shorewood, represented by Annika Stenfjord (55.53), Anni Hecker (54.02), Alicia Hoverson (56.68) and Dana Michaels (51.12) won the meet's final event, the 400 free relay, in 3:37.35.

Skyline's Katie Kinnear, Ballard's Annemarie Thayer, and Garfield's Fiona Majeau each earned victories in two events apiece at the 4A meet. Kinnear took home titles in the 50 free (23.50) and 100 fly (53.95), while Thayer won the 200 IM (2:02.18) and 100 back (53.82). Majeau picked up wins in the 200 free (1:49.98) and 500 free (4:54.84).

Kamiak's Fiona Weeks (one-meter diving, 383.05 points), Thomas Jefferson's Amber Cratsenberg (100 free, 50.96) and Redmond's Heather Harper (100 breast, 1:03.92) also won state titles at the meet.

Skyline picked up wins in both the 200 medley and 400 free relays to fuel its run to the team title. Katie Kinnear, Jessie Dart, Nina Zook and Maria Volodkevich touched in 1:48.87 in the 200 medley relay, while Maria Volodkevich (53.68), Meghan O'Keefe (54.04), Stephanie Munoz (55.58) and Katie Kinnear (50.84) made up the victorious 400 free relay, which won in 3:34.14. Newport, represented by Jordan Lee (25.20), Sara Simpson (25.38), Maggie Pana (25.21) and Lorea Gwo (23.94), won the 200 free relay in 1:39.73.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x