In their four years together, a whole lot of depth has added up to a whole lot of nothing for the seniors on the Kentridge girls swim team.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s a good nothing:<\/p>\n
Because this group has nothing in the loss column.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s true. While the Charger seniors haven\u2019t won every individual race, they have won every South Puget Sound League North Division dual meet — 23 of them to be precise, heading into their final seasons in KR colors.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s kind of the neat thing about Kentridge: We really have depth,\u201d said co-captain Kari Keller. Added Rachel Soley, a junior co-captain who\u2019d love nothing more than to help her senior teammates go out undefeated, \u201cEven if we don\u2019t get first, we can still get 2-3-4 (and the 9-7 scoring edge that goes along with it).\u201d<\/p>\n
Kentridge, with co-coaches Brittney Jones and Erin Shultze at the helm this year after Ted Rychlik stepped down, heads into the 2008 season as the North Division favorite.<\/p>\n
But along with traditional rival Kentwood, Jefferson is the team on which the Chargers were keeping a wary eye on coming into the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur toughest meet is going to be TJ. We\u2019re all going to have to step it up,\u201d Keller said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know for sure TJ is going to be hard,\u201d added Stephanie Giralmo, the other senior co-captain.<\/p>\n
But this past Tuesday when the two teams squared off, Kentridge prevailed, 111-74.<\/p>\n
In addition to the solid senior corps — Mallary Flatley, Megan Sandall, Jessica Shinn and Megan Vermillion also have made key, consistent contributions to the string of dual-meet titles — Kentridge gets plenty of help from elsewhere. Jacqueline Do, a junior, swam in three West Central District finals last year — the 100 free and two relays. And a handful of ninth-graders figure to bolster that depth even further.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a lot of new freshmen this year. A lot of them are very experienced (from club swimming) and very good,\u201d Giralmo said.<\/p>\n
Keller is eager — and a bit anxious, at the same time — to see how it all plays out.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re still a little bit unsure of what our full capabilities are,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have a lot of potential, but we need some good competition to pull it out. We\u2019re hoping that once the girls see what it\u2019s going to take to beat these teams, not only will our work ethic go up, but our drive to be the best will go up, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
KL\u2019s Bailey back from hiatus<\/p>\n
Chelsea Bailey is a lot like J.J. Putz \u2014 only different.<\/p>\n
The Kentlake High sophomore swim star and the Seattle Mariners relief pitcher both missed some action in their respective sports this summer with a similar kind of injured muscle. But that\u2019s where the similarities end.<\/p>\n
Even when Putz returned, he and the Mariners have had a hard time winning much of anything on the diamond. And Bailey?<\/p>\n
Now that she\u2019s back, Bailey has every intention of winning at least one state championship in the pool.<\/p>\n
Back from a forced hiatus \u2014 albeit a brief one \u2014 that most swimmers find more aggravating than the injury from which they\u2019re trying to heal, Bailey is primed to move from freshman phenom to sophomore sensation.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust that short three weeks (out of the water) was enough for me,\u201d Bailey said. \u201cI was supposed to be out for a little longer. But I went to physical therapy, and that allowed me to get in a little sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was in an effort to make herself faster that Bailey wound up getting slowed down for a while.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was trying to strengthen my left side because it\u2019s a little bit of my weaker side, and I did something wrong and tweaked a muscle. I injured an ab muscle,\u201d Bailey explained. \u201cI had to spend the night in ER.\u201d<\/p>\n
All healed up now?<\/p>\n
\u201cSwimwise, I\u2019d like to think I\u2019m 100 percent,\u201d Bailey said. \u201cBut I can\u2019t do pull-ups or weightlifting things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Swimwise is ultimately what matters most.<\/p>\n
Bailey, whom some might mistake for a basketball player with her athletic 6-foot-2 frame (\u201cI think I\u2019ve stopped growing,\u201d she said with a laugh) made a significant splash in 2007. She snared the silver medal in the 100-yard backstroke with an automatic All-American time of 56.94 \u2014 just 14 hundredths of a second behind another freshman Annemarie Thayer of Ballard.<\/p>\n
Bailey also won the consolation finals of the 200 free, officially taking ninth place, but posting a time of 1:55.89 that would have been fifth in the finals. She preceded her state performance with a West Central District championship in the 100 back, and could have swum any event she wanted during the postseason, since she qualified for state in all eight, earning ironwoman status.<\/p>\n
Bailey probably will take another shot at the backstroke, saying, \u201cI\u2019d like to bring home a first from state.\u201d<\/p>\n
But she indicated that her second event is in flux right now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to take a look at my choices,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve been working a little bit on my IM, and I hope to bring that along, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the time off wasn\u2019t particularly fun for her, Bailey has, for the most part, put it in the past \u2014 thanks to some early-season success in the fast lane.<\/p>\n
\u201cBased off the first meet (the South Puget Sound League North Division opener against Kentwood on Sept. 11), I was able to improve a few of my times,\u201d Bailey said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely was feeling good.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
SPSL NORTH GIRLS SWIMMING: AT A GLANCE<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2022 FAVORITE: Pick \u2019em.<\/p>\n
\u2022 CONTENDERS: Kentridge, Jefferson.<\/p>\n
\u2022 WATCH OUT FOR: Tahoma, Auburn Riverside, Kentwood.<\/p>\n
\u2022 OUTLOOK: No one team \u2022 OUTLOOK: No one team seems to be particularly loaded, but there\u2019s some genuine state-title talent in a couple of places, and some potential state qualifiers at several schools. Kentridge is always a contender because \u2026 well, it\u2019s Kentridge, where depth is typically a strong suit. It figures to be again for the Chargers this year, with four swimmers who factored into the team\u2019s state points last year \u2014 Jacqueline Do, Stephanie Giralmo, Kari Keller and Megan Sandall \u2014 all returning. Kentwood lost two-time state 200 IM champion Marley Prothero to graduation (she\u2019s on scholarship at Nevada-Las Vegas) and head coach Mark Prothero to retirement. But the Conquerors are always knocking on the penthouse door, and more often than not, the dual-meet title comes down to them and KR. Kentlake starts off with state championship contender Chelsea Bailey, and that\u2019s a great place to start, although the Falcons will need points from plenty of others to hang with that upper echelon of teams. Coach Dave Wright, who helped build the Kentridge juggernaut, is in his second year at Tahoma, so don\u2019t be surprised if the Bears start to take on a similar trademark of finding success with depth. Auburn Riverside shared the SPSL 3A title with Enumclaw last year, the first aquatic crown of any kind \u2014 girls or boys \u2014 in the school\u2019s 12-year history. Most of that Ravens team is returning.<\/p>\n
\u2022 CIRCLE ON THE CALENDAR: Sept. 23 \u2014 Kentridge at Jefferson. Considered the prime contenders for the division title. Sept. 30 \u2014 Tahoma at Auburn Riverside. Up-and-coming Bears take on last year\u2019s SPSL 3A co-champion. Oct. 2 \u2014 Kentwood at Kentridge. Usually the most anticipated dual of the season \u2014 and usually with title implications, too. Oct. 2 \u2014 Auburn at Kentlake. No guarantees it\u2019ll happen, but wouldn\u2019t it be fun if Auburn senior Trisha Averill and Kentlake sophomore Chelsea Bailey got to swim at least one high school race \u2014 any race \u2014 against each other?<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u2014 Mark Moschetti\/For the Reporter<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
SWIMMERS TO WATCH<\/p>\n
SWIMMER \tSCHOOL<\/p>\n
Sr. Trisha Averill \tAuburn<\/p>\n
NOTABLE: Back in high school waters after taking junior year off; second in Class 3A 100 breaststroke as sophomore.<\/p>\n
So. Chelsea Bailey \tKentlake<\/p>\n
NOTABLE: Took second at state in 100 back last year, made ironwoman, owns five school records.<\/p>\n
Jr. Jacqueline Do \tKentridge<\/p>\n
NOTABLE: Swam in three district finals last year: the 100 free and two relays.<\/p>\n
Jr. Shawna Jordan \tAuburn<\/p>\n
NOTABLE: Won the Class 3A state diving title last year; formerly a high-level club gymnast.<\/p>\n
Sr. Elizabeth Molloy \tKentwood<\/p>\n
NOTABLE: One of those solid, dependable types that every team needs; 15th at state in 100 back in 2007.<\/p>\n
So. Rachel Reese \tTahoma<\/p>\n
NOTABLE: Made a nice splash as a freshman, taking 11th at state in the 100 back.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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