Sea-King 3A Swimming | Taylor cracks state record

There was Skyline swimmer Andie Taylor front and center with really only herself to beat.

Everyone else was left in her wake, and the gap was considerable. Throw in a run at state history, and opposing coaches could only stop and stare.

Taylor, a 16-year-old sophomore who already has qualified for two events in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, wiped out a long-standing state record in the 200-yard freestyle and bettered her district mark in the 500 free Friday night in the Sea-King 3A District girls championships at UW's Edmundson Pool.

"Right now, she's on pace to be one of the best," said longtime Mercer Island coach Jeff Lowell. "She's broke a record set by [1991 Mercer Island graduate]Megan Oesting, who's kind of a legend in high-school swimming. She's right there with anyone in the Hall of Fame.

"She just has tremendous technique. To go 1:48.5 as a sophomore when she's not rested, that's a pretty special athlete. She's thinking six months down the road to the Trials and getting ready for that."

The top four finishers in each event, plus anyone who met state-qualifying times during the season, advance to the Class 3A/2A state meet next Friday and Saturday at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.

First, Taylor smashed an 18-year-old state record in the 200 freestyle held by Oesting. Taylor, who considered quitting high school to focus on Olympic training, won in 1 minute, 48.51 seconds to better Oesting's 1989 record of 1:48.52.

"It was fun last year and the whole state thing was really exciting, so I thought I'd try again," said Taylor of her reason for coming back to high-school swimming. "This is way louder [than club swimming], and there's a lot more cheers."

Taylor, who won 3A/2A state titles in the 200 free and 500 free last season, also cruised to victory in the 500 free, topping her district mark of 4:55.20 set in Thursday's preliminaries with a record time of 4:51.64.

"I swam with Megan Oesting," said Skyline coach Susie Miller. "Andie's phenomenal and just wonderful to watch. Andie's stroke is just so flawless and effortless."

Notes

• Mercer Island captured the team title with 278 points to Bainbridge's 211.

• Mercer Island junior Rachel Godfred edged defending state champ Isabel Williams of Bainbridge in the 100 butterfly. Williams bounced back after her close defeat in the 100 butterfly to claim the 100 backstroke.

Godfred also figured in relay victories in the 200 free relay and 400 free relay. The Islanders swept all three relays.