No Scott, but swimmers won’t worry about it

Published 4:00 pm Wednesday, September 6, 2006

Several seniors ready to lead a good team back to the KCAC in November.

While the Spartans must deal with the loss of All-Star Anne Scott, senior co-captain Maren Swanson believes they have many talented swimmers that can help lead the team back to a state title.

“I see a lot more dedication,” she said. “(There) are a lot more people working a lot harder than last year because we don’t have Anne and we don’t have (diver) Stephanie (Whalen). So we really need to add in to what we lost this last year.”

Last year the Spartans went undefeated in dual meets for the first time since the 1994 season, including two wins over Mercer Island.

They finished second in districts behind Holy Names with 238 points, then finished third at State behind Holy Names and Bellevue with 175 points.

It was their 20th straight trip to state as a team and the 20th straight year they’ve finished in the top five.

Bainbridge accumulated many of their points behind Scott’s wins in the 50 and 100 freestyle and Whalen, who finished fourth in the 1-meter diving competition.

As both move on to college (Whalen to the University of California, Scott to American River) the Spartans have several swimmers ready to make some waves in the pool.

Seniors and co-captains Swanson, Mary Masla and April Isa lead the way. Isa was part of the 200 medley relay team that finished fifth at state and participated in the 50 and 100 free.

“That’s a great combination of girls to lead our team,” head coach Greg Colby said. “But I also expect the group as a whole to not really need to be led. Anne’s presence and Molly (Carroll’s) presence and Stephanie’s presence were so strong last year, it was easy for them to follow.

“Now as a group, they need to step up and all be leaders in one way or another.”

Junior Tessa Griffin also returns as she finished third to Scott and Bellevue’s Ashley MacLean in the 50 free at State, just missing out on an All-American time.

Junior Isabel Williams, who placed sixth in the 100 butterfly, also returns as does junior Keziah Beall and sophomores Julie Pendleton, India Wade and Kristine Valdez.

Beall, Williams and Wade were part of the 400 free relay that placed third at state last year while Pendleton participated in the 200 individual medley race.

Valdez was a participant in the 100 backstroke at State.

Junior Shelby Mann returns to the diving board, but sophomore Emma Scheffer has switched to swimming.

“All those guys scored or on relays that scored at state,” Colby said, who feels all of the returning swimmers have a good chance to be a top five swimmer at State.

Colby also feels that juniors Cassey Charyn and Colleen Carroll will help the team as well.

“They’ve trained the entire offseason and have come back in incredibly good shape,” Colby said.

He also feels sophomores Margaret Huzinga, Keisha Brownell and Mary Kirk along with junior Gabby Arens will earn points in the dual meets.

Some of the new swimmers include junior Mary Boyce, sophomore Katy Darling, senior C.C. Giles, sophomore Lacey Kuhn and freshmen Liv MacDonald, Eliza Silvermann and Alex Miggins, who attends West Sound Academy in Poulsbo.

Junior Cate Yalung is another newcomer who moved from Arizona to Bainbridge last spring.

Sophomore Kate McKenzie will join Giles and Mann on the diving board.

McKenzie is a member of the dive club while Giles is a former gymnast.

“She’s (Giles) is learning dives at an incredible rate,” Colby said.

While the season will be tough, Colby said they have a chance at any individual title, but also earn a state title.

“Last year it was a little too easy to watch Anne win everything,” he said. “This year I don’t anticipate anyone winning anything very easily, but as a group, they could be very successful.

“When I look back at the past, one of my favorite teams was the ‘96 team,” Colby continued. “They won State and that was because we didn’t have an individual winner, but we won all three relays, and we scored in every event.

“That’s what I would like to see.”

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Spartan swim and dive

9/7 – Kamiak, 3:30 p.m.

9/12 – at Newport, 5 p.m.

9/15 – Camas, 3:30 p.m.

9/16 – 21st annual Spartan Relays vs. Sehome, Marysville/Pilchuck, Mount Rainier, Camas, Bellevue, noon

9/19 – Dual Meet Championship Series vs. Snohomish at Mary Wayte Pool, 3:45 p.m.

9/26 – Port Angeles, 3:30 p.m.

9/30 – Mukilteo Invite at King County Aquatic Center, 9 a.m.

10/3 – Sequim, 3:30 p.m.

10/6 – at Mount Rainier, 5 p.m.

10/7 – Eastmont, 3:30 p.m.

10/14 – Dual Meet Championship Series at Mary Wayte Pool, opponent TBA, 3:45 p.m.

10/24 – Holy Names, 3:30 p.m.

10/27 – Metro Qualifying Meet at Helene Madison Pool, 3:30 p.m.

11/2 – 3 – Sea-King District 2 championship meet at Hec-Ed Pool, 5 p.m.

11/10-11, 2A/3A State Championship Meet at King County Aquatic Center, times TBA.