The 2019 Washington Girls 4A State Swimming & Diving Championships took place on Nov. 16 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash.
After winning two relays and two individual events, Newport used their impressive depth to secure their third-straight team title with 325.5 points, well ahead of runner-up Curtis (229) and third-place finisher Issaquah (206).
Click HERE for full results.
Top 5 Team Scores:
1. Newport – 325.5
2. Curtis – 229
3. Issaquah – 206
4. Wenatchee – 179
5. Jackson – 164
The meet began as Curtis’ Maisy Barbosa (27.82), Emily van Zonneveld (30.18), Leigh Lopez-Silvers (24.68), and Molly Hickey (23.20) combined to win the opening 4×50 medley relay in 1:45.88. For the second-consecutive season, Heather Hopkins of Rogers Puyallup dove to first on the 1-meter board with a final score of 426.40, well ahead of runner-up Elizabeth McKnight (389.10) of Kentridge.
Future Arizona State Sun Devil Elli Straume of Kamiak, who finished second in the 200 free last season, found herself on top of the podium this year after stopping the clock in 1:50.96 for the win ahead of Lopez-Silvers (1:51.49). Last year’s silver medalist Jaime Chen of Newport sprinted to first in the 100 free, clocking in at 50.12 ahead of Straume (50.29).
It was a close battle in the 200 IM as the top two swimmers both snuck under the two-minute barrier. Jackson’s Mia Chang got to the wall first in 1:59.71, only two-tenths ahead of defending champion Samantha Baron of Newport who took second in 1:59.98.
Baron, the UCLA commit who took second in the 100 fly in 2018, later redeemed herself this year by flying to the top of the podium in 54.00. Chang later picked up another victory in the 100 back, winning by nearly two seconds in 54.54 after placing third in the event last year.
Issaquah’s Isabelle Huynh sprinted to the gold medal in the 50 free, splashing and dashing her way to the wall in a quick 23.65 to out-touch runner-up Rae Ann Dressel (23.77) of Wenatchee. Regan Geldmacher of Hanford dominated the 500 free, winning by seven seconds in 4:58.18 as the only swimmer in the field to crack the five-minute marker.
Redmond’s Catherine Yu, who raced to third just a year ago, swam away with the state title in the 100 breast this year. The sophomore’s winning time of 1:01.61 was just inches off the 4A and overall state mark of 1:01.33 set back in 2013. Mount Vernon’s Alexis Means won the 50 free in 35.01 as well as the 50 back in 43.87.
Newport’s Gracie Wang (23.94), Alexi Barashkoff (25.51), Chen (23.11), and Baron (23.74) won the 4×50 free relay in 1:36.30, six-tenths ahead of runner-up Jackson (1:36.90). Baron (51.06), Amelia Girotto (53.27), Sandy Li (53.22), and Chen (51.11) concluded the meet as 4×100 free relay champions in 3:28.66.