Girls Swim and Dive leave State Championship with mixed feelings
FEDERAL WAY, WA- It was 11:00 on a Saturday evening as the 2A Girls Swim And Dive State Championship wrapped up with the Anacortes girls team ending their season 16th overall finish.
“We did okay,” head coach Leslie Mix said. “Things definitely could have gone a lot better.”
The girls came in with a relatively even playing field and mixed expectations. The stakes were high. After placing 3rd for the last two years and having already placed second at districts, Anacortes High School posed a small threat. It soon turned out to be a rough day.
Prelims was definitely not the best. “Going into prelims, I was pretty nervous because I knew it was going to be hard to replicate my time,” said freshman Ellie Snowman. Almost all of the girls fell from their seedings and many added time. “After prelims I knew I wasn’t going to make finals,” Snowman said. Not to be kept down, Anacortes came back ready for finals, with a strong finish to come home to.
The Freshman included Lauren McClintock, who placed 17th in the 200 IM (2:27:98, Personal Best) and 12th in 100 Backstroke (1:04:02, PB). Ellie Snowman placed 21st in the 200 IM (2:29:32), and Savannah Sparks placed 24th in the 100 breastroke (1:18:45). The team had a strong case of what can be described as Freshmanitis. It happens to many freshmen when they swim at state prelims, most likely adding time or not making finals, as it’s easy to get caught up in the stress of representing your high school or swimming at such a large facility.
Junior Brenna Palmer-Perry placed 18th in the 200 Freestyle (2:07:03) and 10th in the 500 Freestyle (5:37:31). Emma Bakke, Junior, placed 16th in the 50 Free (26:35) and 23rd in the 100 Free (59:67).
The Seniors included Tenley Nelsen, who placed 15th in the 200 Free (2:05:37), as well as 12th in the 500 (5:39:38). Jocelyn Roberts placed 18th in the 100 Butterfly (1:04:75). Hope Evans placed 12th in the 100 Fly (1:03:60, PB) and 11th in the IM (2:21:90). “ In my opinion, Hope had the best meet,” stated Mix.
The relays did relatively good, the Medley of McClintock, Sparks, Roberts, and Bakke placing 13th (2:01:65), the 200 Free of Bakke, Evans, Sparks, and Nelsen which took 12th (1:49:63), and the 400 of Nelsen, McClintock, Palmer-Perry, and Evans placing 14th (4:00:20).
Anacortes also took 2 divers to state. Caitie O’Connor placed 11th with 235.5 points and Madison Berris placed 21st with 87.8 points.
“It think part of it was definitely the time frame.” Mix stated, as both prelims and finals began After 6pm. “The girls felt that they could have used a bit more support from the crowd as well.”
At the end of the day, the girls took the results with a pinch of salt, still gaining much, even if they didn’t come home with a medal. “State was amazing,” said Snowman. “I can’t wait for next year. I’m hoping more of us can go and that more of us will make finals.”
