Class 4A girls swimming: Skyline takes first state title behind four titles from Andie Taylor

FEDERAL WAY — There's a first time for everything, but Skyline decided to make it several first times for a lot of things on Saturday at the Class 4A girls swimming and diving state championships at the King County Aquatic Center.

The Spartans won their first-ever state championship, defeating Garfield 234-176.

They had never won a relay of any kind at state, and yet won both the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays Saturday. (Their 200 relay time of 1:38.71 was the second-fastest 4A mark ever.)

Andie Taylor, a double winner and the anchor on both relays, won "Swimmer of the Meet" by the Washington Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association for a record-breaking third time.

All of the firsts were just a little too much for — get this — first-year head coach Susan Simpkins to take in: "This was a dream team and a dream season," said Simpkins, who was an assistant the previous seven seasons. "I'm pretty much overwhelmed, it's just a lot to process."

Taylor, who went 7-for-8 in her career in state individual events, broke her own state record for the third time in a week in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:46.55. Her 4:45.47 in the 500 freestyle was the second-fastest time ever by a Washington swimmer.

"It's a great way to end our season and a great way to end my four years," Taylor said. "I couldn't ask for anything better."

Fiona Majeau led Garfield, which was runner-up for the second straight year.

The junior had the misfortune of competing in the same races as Taylor. In almost any other year, Majeau would have won state titles — as evidenced by her times in the 200 freestyle (fourth-fastest ever) and 500 freestyle (fourth-fastest 4A mark ever).

"I'm glad to have raced her," Majeau said. "It was actually less stressful, because I could just worry about my times (and shoot for second)."

Her 400 freestyle relay team was, ironically, second to Skyline. But Majeau's lead leg in the 200 medley relay helped Garfield defeat Issaquah by 0.25 seconds in the opening event of the finals.

Sophomores Katie Kinnear of Eastlake and Jefferson's Amber Cratsenberg were double winners. Kinnear defended her state title in the 100 butterfly in a state-record time of 53.10 and won the 200 individual medley; Cratsenberg won the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle.

Notes

• Ballard junior Annmarie Thayer (second in the 100 butterfly) won the 100 backstroke for the second straight year, with a time of 54.07 seconds. Thayer, along with Jackson senior Alana Pazevic (54.94), Beamer junior Rachel Kim (56.88) and Bailey (57.27), all had All-American automatic times.

• Skyline freshman Maria Volodkevich beat Redmond junior Heather Harper by two-hundredths of a second in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:04.25. Harper had tied for the sixth-fastest time in state history with a 1:03.79 Friday.

• Auburn senior Shawna Jordan (422.80) won diving by nearly 38 points.

• Marysville-Pilchuck coach Jaci LeGore received WISCA's Coach of the Year award. The Tomahawks placed 13th overall.