Though unable to stay stroke-for-stroke with the top stars from juggernauts Bellevue, Mercer Island and Lakeside, swimmers from the Edmonds School District competed strong on Friday during the first day of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association 3A State Boys Swimming and Diving Championships in Federal Way.
A dozen swimmers from Edmonds-Woodway, Meadowdale and Mountlake Terrace High Schools qualified for the state meet, being held this weekend at the King County Aquatics Center. Three swimmers — Alex and Sean Nguyenle of Edmonds-Woodway and Carson VanFarowe of Meadowdale — earned their way into Saturday consolation heats as a result of their finishes on Friday.
The Nguyenle brothers will represent the Warriors in three events on Saturday. Alex, a senior, will compete in the consolation heats of the 100 yard butterfly and the 100 yard breaststroke on Saturday after grabbing the final qualification spots in each event on Friday. Sean, a freshman, will swim in the 200 yard individual medley consolation heat on Saturday after his 14th place in Friday’s prelims.
VanFarowe, a sophomore at Meadowdale, had the 13th best time in the 100 yard backstroke on Friday and will swim Saturday in that event’s consolation heat.
Edmonds-Woodway and Mountlake Terrace boys swim teams coach Kate Trettevik was pleased with the effort of the Warrior swimmers to qualify so many for the state meet. “It was the first time we had two relays at state,” she said. “I’ve had one relay in before, but never two. They did a really good job.”
The Warriors swam in both the 200 yard medley relay and the 400 yard freestyle relay in Friday’s prelims.
Trettevik has also enjoyed watching the relationship of the Nguyenle brothers during the 2014-2015 season. “(Alex) is really good with his little brother; he gives him little pep talks,” Trettevick said.
Meadowdale qualified five swimmers for the state meet, four in individual events, with VanFarowe getting the best finish in Friday’s results. The Maverick’s 200 yard freestyle relay team finished 20th out of 24 teams in its preliminary heat.
Mountlake Terrace’s only qualifier for the state meet, senior Sam Armentrout, finished 18th in the 200 yard individual medley prelims, just .43 seconds from the final consolation heat qualification spot.
The WIAA 3A State Boys Swimming and Diving Championships resumes with its second day of competition on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 10 a.m.
— Story and photos by Doug Petrowski
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