ANACORTES — This year’s Anacortes swimming and diving team still has members who were on the 2006 state championship squad.

This year’s Seahawks are also looking for another competitive finish.

Anacortes may be among the top teams in this year’s Class 2A state swimming and diving meet, which opens Thursday at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.

Coach Leslie Mix said the Seahawks may land in the top three among a competitive group of teams that includes Fife, Squalicum and Aberdeen. Aberdeen has at least one swimmer in every event and is seeded first or second in six of them.

Mix said strong performances before last week’s district meet helped get the Seahawks in the right mind-set.

“It’s been a very good year. More people qualified for state before the district meet than usual. That was nice, because we weren’t dependent on districts to get us to state,” Mix said. “They didn’t have to wait and could just focus on getting faster.”

“We’ve improved as much as we can,” said senior Sara Brennan, who will be swimming in the 100 breaststroke and 200 medley relay. “If everyone performs at their best we have a shot at the top three.”

Brennan said the team will be helped by the experience that several of its swimmers and divers already have at the state meet.

“We know what it takes to achieve high goals, because we’ve lived it,” she said.

Another swimmer, Hannah Brennan, who will be competing in both freestyle races and the 100 breaststroke, said a strong district meet also will help prepare the team.

“It doesn’t matter if some (individual) wins — everyone has to,” she said.

One of the highest-seeded Seahawks is freshman Katie Kaestner, who is seeded first in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.72) and second in the 50 freestyle (24.97).

The 100 breaststroke is the Seahawks’ deepest event, with freshman Jenna Whitney seeded third (1:11) and Sara Brennan 10th (1:15.70) along with Kaestner.

The Seahawks also have more than one swimmer in the 200 individual medley, with Whitney and Jenssen both slated to compete.

Stephanie Nelson and Jenssen will both compete in the 100 butterfly.

The Seahawks bring two of their state divers back from last season — sophomore Mallorie Estenson and junior Emma Ochs.

Both say their prior experience will help.

“It’s such a major advantage,” Estenson said. “I’ll know what to expect and it won’t be foreign to me.”

Ochs said: “It’ll help. You’re used to a big pool and a different board.”

The Seahawks will also swim in the three relays: the 200 medley relay (seeded fifth) with a team of Whitney, Sara Brennan, Nelson and Hayley Rieger; the 200 freestyle relay (seeded second) with a team of Rieger, Jenssen, Hannah Brennan and Kaestner) and the 400 freestyle relay (seeded third) with a team of Whitney, Nelson, Hannah Brennan and Kaestner.

Isabel Sible, who swims for La Conner but, as the only Braves swimmer, trains with Anacortes, will swim in the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley.

Jenssen, who was on the 2006 championship squad, said this year’s team has been great to work with — and she looks forward to more of it at state.

“Swimming is supposed to be an individual sport. It’s unique to have a team that’s together (like ours),” she said. “Our state team is one of the best we’ve had.”

Trevor Pyle can be reached at 360-416-2156 or by e-mail at

State Swimming and Diving Meet
Thursday-Saturday
King County Aquatic Center, Federal Way

Schedule
Thursday

2A dive prelims, 3:30 p.m.
4A dive prelims, 7 p.m.

Friday

2A swim prelims, 10 a.m.
4A swim prelims, 1:45 p.m.
3A swim prelims, 5:45 p.m.
3A dive prelims, 7:45 p.m.

Saturday

4A, 2A swim and dive finals, 10:15 a.m.
3A swim and dive finals, 5:45 p.m.

Cost: One day ($9 adults, $7 students/ages 5-12, $7 seniors, under-5 free), All three days ($15 adults, $10 students/ages 5-12, $10 seniors, under-5 free)