Dominating Skyline keeps state title | 4A Girls Swimming

FEDERAL WAY — Susan Simpkins is well acquainted with the massive Class 4A girls swimming state championship trophy.

As coach at Skyline High School, she's been lugging the trophy around a lot recently, from Sammamish to Federal Way. She was sizing up how to transport it back home again Saturday.

"It'll sit on my dining room table for the next few days," Simpkins said.

That trophy will serve as a reminder of how the Spartans had to deal with the weighty expectations of being heavy favorites to repeat as state champions.

The Spartans did that rather convincingly at the King County Aquatic Center, even though Simpkins felt like a nervous wreck until the last swimmer touched the wall.

"It's a relief," Simpkins said. "I always felt like people were chasing us."

Skyline left a huge wake after winning the state title behind Andie Taylor last year, and continued its pool mastery with newcomer Katie Kinnear this season. Kinnear, who transferred from nearby Eastlake, won two individual events and swam on two winning relays Saturday to account for most of the Spartans' 220 points.

KingCo rival Newport finished second with 157.5 points, followed by Jefferson (140) and Ballard (114).

"She's always felt like a member of our team," Skyline senior Nina Zook said of Kinnear, who swam for the same club team as many of her high-school teammates.

She started the day by leading off Skyline's winning 200 medley relay (1:48.87) and finished it by anchoring the winning 400 free relay (3:34.14). In between, she defeated childhood friend, rival and defending state champion Amber Cratsenberg of Jefferson in the race of the meet, the 50 free. Kinnear won in 23.50 to Cratsenberg's 23.57. Kinnear also defended her 100 butterfly title (53.95).

The 50 free title was bittersweet for Kinnear, who has been swimming against Cratsenberg since they were 12. Both are juniors.

"She's like the happiest person I know," Kinnear said. "I kind of felt bad (winning)."

Cratsenberg came back with a strong performance and a big smile. She defended her 100 free title (50.96) and was part of the Raiders' fourth-place 200 free relay.

"I think overall my day was great," Cratsenberg said. "I had my best time in the 50, close to my best time in the 100. I couldn't ask for anything better."

Two Stanford-bound swimmers capped decorated high school careers with more titles.

Garfield's Fiona Majeau won the 200 free (1:49.98) and 500 free (4:54.84) after finishing second in those events the past two years.

Majeau's pal, Annemarie Thayer of Ballard, won her fourth consecutive 100 backstroke title (53.82), also won the 200 individual medley (2:02.18) and led off two relays that finished in the top five.

Thayer's winning time in the 100 back, 53.82, broke her meet record of 53.95, set in 2008. Thayer was named the meet's outstanding swimmer.

"That was very exciting," she said. "It's something I can show my kids, I guess, that I had a successful high school career."

Majeau had tears in her eyes after finishing the 500 free, the second of her long sought-after titles.

"It just hurt really bad," Majeau said of pushing herself so hard.

But before long, she was standing poolside, cheering for her future college teammate to take another backstroke title.

"I was such a loser," Majeau joked. "I was kind of freaking out."

Redmond senior Heather Harper outswam top-seeded Emilie Pleger of Eisenhower for the 100 breaststroke title.

It was a big day for the KingCo, which had a winner in 10 of 12 swimming events. Kamiak senior Fiona Weeks took the diving championship, finishing ahead of Eastlake's Mackenzie Rands by less than a point.

Newport's shining moment came in the 200 free relay, where Jordan Lee, Sara Simpson, Maggie Pana and Lorea Gwo swam to first place in 1:39.73. Snohomish was second in 1:40.50.

But when the last ripple subsided, Skyline walked tallest again, carrying away a giant piece of hardware.

Nine Skyline swimmers came to the state meet, including three seniors.

"It's sad to see it end," said Zook, the only senior on the Spartans' champion 200 medley relay.

Skyline's title pursuit is expected to continue.

Everyone returns on the Spartans' winning 400 free relay — Maria Volodkevich, Meghan O'Keefe, Stephanie Munoz and Kinnear.

"They will definitely win next year, too," Majeau said.