MARYSVILLE Districts are a time to elevate ones game, but you dont have to tell that to the swimmers who competed at the M-P pool Feb. 7-9.
The results show that every swimmer put forth his best effort.
In the district finals on Feb. 9, four individuals and a relay set times worthy of All-American consideration, while state times went as far as eight places into several events.
In the midst of all the competition, M-P emerged with four more state entries and finished just behind Shorewood in the team standings for fourth place.
During preliminaries on the first day of districts, sophomore Oliver Durand surpassed the state time in the 200 freestyle for the first time, finishing in 1:50.49. On Saturday, he added another state event to his resume, finishing fourth in the 500 freestyle finals. The top four finishers in each event are automatically awarded a berth to state.
A strong placing in the 100 freestyle earned junior Gabe Lopez his second individual berth to state, following his state time in the 100 backstroke.
Three Tomahawks swam such a strong 500 freestyle during preliminaries, that Durand, freshman Spencer Girard and junior Trevor LeValley all ended up in the event finals fastest heat.
LeValley and Durand earned outright state berths in the event. Later in the weekend, Girard learned that his time in the 500 freestyle had also earned him a wild card berth to state.
The Tomahawks lone district champion was senior Taylor Gibson, who handily topped the diving category with a score of 382.15 for 11 dives. Kamiaks Andrew Wells was the only other diver to break 300 points, finishing in second place with a score of 308.25.
The Tomahawks grew stronger through Saturdays finals, and by the nights final event the 400 freestyle relay M-P was within a half a point of Shorewood in the team standings for third place. If M-P topped Shorewood in the relay, theyd climb to third place behind Kamiak and defending state champs Snohomish.
While M-P shaved more than a second off their time from prelims, Shorewood improved by nine seconds, and the two teams finished the event the way they finished the meet third and fourth.
Still, it was the best race of the day for junior Brody Coleman, who anchored the relay and swam a speedy 100-yard split of 52.22. Coleman will be going to state as part of the relay with teammates LeValley, Lopez and Durand.
Another swimmer enjoying a personal best meet was senior Colin Kreiger. When asked his favorite moment of the district meet, he had trouble picking just one.
It was kind of series of moments, he said.
Competing for the 200 (freestyle) relay, and, he added, the personal bests he set in each of his events on both Thursday and Saturday.
Kreigers competition earned the notice of his coach, as well.
Colin Kreiger, for some reason, whenever he gets to this meet, he elevates it to a whole new level, said M-P coach Scott Knowles.
Several other Tomahawks showed improvement in their last individual swims of the season. By shedding four seconds from his previous best time, sophomore Riley Drabb dropped under a minute in the 100 butterfly during Thursdays preliminaries, for a time of 59.91. Another, junior Chris Henninger, qualified for the Saturday finals with a 1:03.42 in the backstroke. In the finals, he dropped almost a full second to win his heat in a time of 1:02.49.
The Tomahawks will travel next to the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way for the state swim meet Feb. 15-16.