Bainbridge swim shoots for top six

Published 10:44 am Friday, December 11, 2009

After a record-breaking 2008-2009 season, the boys swim team is looking to surpass last year’s sixth-place state finish.

“They’ve got a good core group of guys,” coach Greg Colby said. “I’d say sixth — if you ask them — that’d be the lowest they want to place.”

Colby, who has coached the girls swim team for nearly two decades, is filling in for head coach Kaycee Taylor, who will return from an Australian teaching exchange in January.

“Turnout’s great — we’ve got 32 guys, which is a bigger team than last year,” Colby said. “They’re working really hard in the pool. I anticipate having a great season with these guys.”

Bainbridge, which is 1-2 this season, returns seven swimmers from last year’s varsity squad that recorded two top-10 finishes.

“They’ve been on a steady climb of improving each year,” Colby said.

After just three dual meets this season, the Spartans have already recorded eight state qualifying times.

In their first meet against Central Kitsap Dec. 1, the Spartans qualified in seven events, then recorded another state time in their 126-33 win over Eastside Catholic last week.

Senior David Ortyn, who set two school records at the state meet last year in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke, has already qualified in the same events this year, as well as in the 100-yard butterfly.

Sophomore Colin Chupik qualified for the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. Chupik placed 17th in the 200-yard individual medley and 11th in the 100-yard fly at state last year.

Sophomore Andrew McCarthy, who placed second at state in the 500-yard freestyle last year, also qualified in his event.

The Spartans have also qualified their 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relays.

By recording state qualifying times in their first few meets, the Spartans can focus on long-term training, Colby said.

“It’s good when they get their qualifying times – in my opinion – early, we can just focus on the training,” Colby said. “I want them to learn how to race tired and compete when they’re tired, so at the end of the year when we rest them, they’ll go crazy.”

Even though the state meet is more than two months away, the Spartans will have already competed against several of the teams they’ll likely see at the state meet.

Bainbridge’s schedule boasts four teams that finished in the top 20 at last year’s state championship, including defending 3A champion Mercer Island on Jan. 21.

“O’Dea has been a powerhouse for a long time,” Colby said. “For the last few years they’ve had a bit of a dip but I think they’re getting better,” Colby said.