4A girls swimming: Andie Taylor sets blistering pace for Skyline

FEDERAL WAY — It seems impossible, but Andie Taylor is outdoing herself once again.

The Skyline senior not only moved one step closer to her sixth and seventh state titles, but she could be in line for additional titles in the relays.

Taylor had All-American automatic-qualifying times in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events Friday in the prelims of the Class 4A girls swimming and diving state championships at the King County Aquatic Center. Taylor also was on Skyline's 200- and 400 free relays, which enter today with the top times.

"That's been one of the most exciting things this year," Taylor said. "It's the first time we've been able to put together, potentially, state-winning relays."

The 4A finals begin at 5:45 p.m. today.

In the Sea-King District prelims and finals last week, Taylor twice broke the state record in the 200 free, with a best of 1:47.19. Her time of 1:48.09 Friday was five seconds better than anyone else.

In the 500 free, her time of 4:50.87 was about a second off the meet record.

"I was happy with them [her times]," said Taylor, who won a state title in the 200 individual medley last season. "I'll put on something a little bit faster tomorrow other than my practice suit, so hopefully I can go faster."

Sammamish Plateau colleague Katie Kinnear, an Eastlake sophomore, will be the top seed in the 200 individual medley (2:05.37) and 100 butterfly (55.12). It was in the latter event, however, that she truly impressed, as her times were better than stars Alana Pazevic of Jackson (56.57) and Annemarie Thayer of Ballard (57.16).

"It gives you confidence going into the finals," said Kinnear, the defending state champion in the event.

In the 100 backstroke, Kentlake junior Chelsea Bailey (56.13 seconds) also staved off Thayer and Pazevic (the 2008 champion) for the top seed. But the narrow margin — Thayer was one one-hundredths of a second back and Pazevic was 16-hundredths of a second back — should make for an intriguing final.

Bailey, the 100 free champion last year, will also be the top seed in the 50 freestyle (23.95 seconds).

Notes

• Redmond junior Heather Harper tied for the sixth-fastest time in state history with a 1:03.79 in the 100 breaststroke.

• Jefferson sophomore Amber Cratsenberg had the fastest time by nearly a second in the 100 free, 51.96.

• Taylor's lone loss in six individual events at state came in the 100 free last year against Bailey, by 15-hundredths of a second. That was the race where both competitors broke the meet record and became the first Washington swimmers to crack the coveted 50-second barrier.