by Jack Darnton
Freshman Katie Kaestner gets a hug from Anacortes teammate Hayley Rieger after setting a district record in the 50-yard freestyle Saturday at the Northwest 2A swim and dive championships. Kaestner also won the 100 breaststroke to help lead the Seahawks to the team title along with dive winner Mallorie Estenson.
The deep and talented Anacortes girls swim and dive team swamped the competition at the Northwest 2A District meet held over the weekend at Fidalgo Pool.
Led by freshman Katie Kaestner’s wins in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, the Seahawks pushed ahead of league rival Squalicum early in the meet and finished on top with 293 points. Squalicum was second with 267 points while Sehome, last year’s district and state champ, came in fourth with 183 points.
“We did very well,” said coach Leslie Mix. “Hopefully times will improve as we go to state.”
The Seahawks’ depth, evident all the season for the Northwest Conference champions, will be less of a factor at the state meet this weekend in Federal Way. Fewer girls move on for all teams, and points go to just the top eight finishers. The Seahawks racked up points in the consolation finals at the district meet, where points go to the top 12 finishers.
Mix is optimistic, though, and the team aims to improve on last year’s fifth-place finish.
“We have a chance at top three,” she said.
That’s just what Squalicum coach Steve Gibb is saying about the Storm.
He’s counting on more strong swims by senior Jessica Vlasic, who won the 200 and 500 freestyle events Saturday in district record times and won Swimmer of the Meet honors.
Waiting at state for Anacortes and Squalicum are two other heavyweights — Fife, which dominated the West Central 2A district meet and was third at state a year ago, and Aberdeen, which could be even stronger, and was fourth at state last year.
“They’ve got some very fast girls,” Mix said.
So do the Seahawks, who are now doing a lot of speed work and practicing fast starts.
“We’re just working on racing this week,” Mix said.
The trick as well is to be confident but not overconfident heading into state.
The Seahawks are pretty big fish in a small Northwest Washington pool, and they have had a lot of regular season success over the years. But as Mix and the older swimmers know, the statewide competition is stiff.
“There are some really fast kids,” Mix said. “We can’t forget that we’re a small part of a big world out there.”
Kaestner, for one, is up for the challenge.
“We just want to win and have fun and be optimistic about everything,” she said. “And get a lot of sleep.”
Kaestner grabbed the lead early in the 50 free, made a strong turn and couldn’t be caught, finishing in 24.97 seconds, a district record. Her 100 breaststroke swim (1:09.92) was dominating as well, but off her district record time (1:08.72) set in Friday’s preliminaries.
Those swims and her two relay legs added up to “fantastic performance,” Mix said, noting she was right behind Vlasic for Swimmer of the Meet consideration.
Hannah Brennan was third in the 200 freestyle with a state-qualifying time of 2:07.05. She was fifth in the 500 freestyle finals with another state-qualifying time of 5:51.51.
Anacortes won the 200 freestyle relay (1:46.13) and was second behind Squalicum in both the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay. All three teams will swim at state: Jenna Whitney, Sara Brennan, Stephanie Nelson and Hayley Rieger in the 200 medley; Rieger, Hannah Brennan, Rosie Jenssen and Kaestner in the 200 free and Hannah Brennan, Whitney, Nelson and Kaestner in the 400 free. Emily Akland will be the relay alternate.
Whitney was third in the 100 breaststroke finals (1:11.63) and will swim at state. Sara Brennan qualified for state in the same event in preliminaries. Nelson also earned a wild card entry in the 100 butterfly.
Anacortes also looks to get points from its divers at state. Sophomore Mallorie Estenson, who won the one-meter district event with 265.55 points Saturday, said she hopes to improve on her fifth-place state finish a year ago.
“She has a shot,” said dive coach Gilbert Ballow. “She’s doing much more difficult dives this year.”
He’s also impressed with the height Estenson is getting on her dives this year.
Teammate Emma Ochs took fifth in the diving (207.6) and earned a wild card entry to state. Lindsey Thomas was sixth (199.8). Kim Herrigstad was in the running for second but did not complete her final dive correctly and fell out of the competition.
“Overall the divers dove extremely well,” Ballow said. “They’re pushing themselves to higher levels.”
Northwest 2A District Meet
At Fidalgo Pool and Fitness Center, Anacortes
Team Scores: Anacortes 293, Squalicum 267, Archbishop Murphy 190, Sehome 183, Bellingham 179, Burlington-Edison 88, La Conner 23.
Event winners
200 medley relay: Squalicum, 1:58.48; 200 freestyle: Vlasic (Sq) 1:59.22; 200 individual medley: King (Sq) 2:20.47; 50 freestyle: Kaestner (Ana) 24.97; 1-meter diving: Estenson (Ana) 216.35; 100 butterfly: Renslo (AM) 1:03.05; 100 freestyle: Fisher (Seh) 55.42; 500 freestyle: Vlasic (Sq) 5:16.17; 200 freestyle relay: Anacortes 1:46.13; 100 backstroke: Martin (Sq) 1:02.98; 100 breaststroke: Kaestner (Ana) 1:09.92; 400 freestyle relay: Squalicum 3:49.29.
Other Anacortes finishes
200 free: 9. Megan Osborne (2:21.57) 10. Emily Akland (2:21.75).
200 IM: 5. Rosie Jenssen (2:31.06) 6. Stephanie Nelson (2:31.53) 12. Amber Paszkowski (2:58.27).
50 free: 6. Hayley Rieger (27.36) 10. Kylee Bowker (28.51).
100 butterfly: 3. Rosie Jenssen (1:07.15) 4. Stephanie Nelson (1:11.26) 6. Kylee Bowker (1:15.02) 9. Amber Paszkowski (1:26.06)
100 free: 10. Sara Brennan (1:03.37) 11. Anne Stoner (1:05.92) 12. Kelli Herrigstad (1:06.36).
500 free: 9. Megan Osborne (6:16.81) 10. Emily Akland, 10th (6:19.43)
100 backstroke: 9. Hayley Rieger (1:12.94) 11. Anne Stoner (1:14.92)
100 Breaststroke: 4. Sara Brennan (1:16.11) 11. Emma Ochs (1:27.35)
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