Skyline swimmers use deep roster, blow past Eastlake
September 20, 2011
By Christopher Huber
Skyline’s Andi Scarcello and Eastlake’s Kara Beauchamp got their 2011 100-yard breaststroke racing off to a competitive start Sept. 13 at Redmond Pool.
Both girls, who have swam together on club teams since age eight, made their 50-yard turn simultaneously and held the pace all the way through. But in the final meter, Scarcello pulled off a Michael Phelps-like stretch in place of an extra stroke that helped her inch past Beauchamp.
Skyline swimmer Stephanie Munoz does the butterfly portion of the 200-individual medley. Photo by Christopher Huber
“I was not expecting to do well,” said Scarcello, who took a year off from club swimming before this season. “I just wanted to have a good race with Kara. Usually she’s always the one to beat me.”
The decision wasn’t a game-changer by any means, but Scarcello’s win provided some extra excitement for her teammates watching and may have set the pace for the event among KingCo swimmers this fall.
In the end, the Spartans out-swam the Wolves 131-55 in the second meet of the new season.
“It felt good. It was fun to race Andi again,” Beauchamp said after the meet. “I could have started out a little faster.”
Skyline brings back all but one member of last year’s state-champ — 2011 graduate Nina Zook. With 86 swimmers and divers on the roster, it also looks as deep as the 2010 team that dominated the competition at all levels. The Spartans look especially capable in the relay events, said head coach Susan Simpkins.
“We’re as strong as ever,” she said. “Fortunately, we have a really good group of captains.”
Katie Kinnear, who competes internationally, will team up with Delaney Boyer, Lindsey Lee and Jessie Dart as Skyline’s captains.
Among the team’s top swimmers will be Kinnear, the 2010 state champ in the 50-free, 100-butterfly, the 200-medley relay and the 400-freestyle relay. Seniors Dart and Meghan O’Keefe, juniors Maria Volodkevich, Scarcello, Sarah Elderkin and Shanley Miller and sophomores Stephanie Munoz and Yui Umezawa were all state qualifiers and will do some damage in the pool for Skyline. The team’s 200-medley relay and 400-freestyle relays look to be Skyline’s fastest events.
Against Eastlake, Skyline took first in 11 of 12 swimming events. It won the 200-medley relay (1 minute, 57.42 seconds), the 200-freestyle relay (1:50.74), and the 400-freestyle relay (3:55.29). Munoz won the 200 IM in 2:22.27 and the 100-freestyle in 1:00.36. Courtney Lo took first in the 100 IM with a time of 1:15.02 and Kinnear won the 50-freestyle event in 24.98, 1.19 seconds slower than her state-winning time last year. Kinnear also won the 100-backstroke with a time of 59.94 seconds. Teammate O’Keefe won two events, as well. She swam the 100-butterfly in 59.54 seconds and the 500-freestyle in 5:27.94. Sarah Elderkin, of Skyline, earned the top score in the diving competition, tallying a 152.05.
Eastlake’s Beauchamp took first place in the 200-freestyle event, finishing in 2:02.56.
While not as deep as Skyline, Eastlake brought on about 40 members, compared to last year’s 25 swimmers and divers. The Wolves lost diver Mackenzie Rands, who placed second at the state meet, but has a handful of key standouts who should help the team achieve its goal of sending half of the team to the KingCo championship meet.
Beauchamp, a senior, will compete among the best in the 100-breaststroke, the 200-individual medley and the 500-freestyle events. Captain Becca Fabian, also a senior, will look to lead in the 50- and 100-freestyle events. Sophomore Lily Newton should help Eastlake in the 100-butterfly race throughout the season, and sophomore Erin Alleva will lead Eastlake in the 200-individual medley and the 100-breaststroke. Captains Kelsey Maki and Sharada Rayan, both seniors, should provide strong support in various events for the Wolves.
“We’re really just trying to get off to a good start,” said head coach Kate McCary.
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