Auburn Mountainview boys swimming coach Justin Pritchard may have had an inkling of the glory that awaited junior Cameron Lindsay at the state 3A championships on Saturday.
After a second-place performance in the 100-yard backstroke in Friday’s preliminaries, Pritchard was anxious to see what his top swimmer could pull off in the finals at the King Country Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
“It was exciting. He was so close to getting that top time (Friday),” Pritchard said. “You just wonder how they’re going to swim in that situation, right in the middle with the second-fastest time. You just start wondering what they’re going to do next for you.”
In the prelims, Lindsay posted a 52.82-second finish, just behind Andrew Weiss of Mercer Island’s 52.44.
Lindsay, however, saved his best for Saturday, defeating his former King County Aquatics teammate Weiss 51.29 to 51.35, and grabbing the state 3A 100 back championship.
“I thought (the race) went pretty good,” Lindsay said. “I can see guys on either side of me, further than that it’s hard to see. The last 25 yards I started dropping behind. I pushed off in front of him (Weiss) and started dropping, but I didn’t want him to beat me. So that helped.”
Weiss and Lindsay’s efforts were All-America consideration times.
For Lindsay, who also finished sixth in the 200 individual medley with a 1:58.53 finals time, the title was the culmination of his work in the backstroke this year.
“I was better in the 100 back this year,” Lindsay said. “I was concentrated on it.”
“You always hope that Cameron is going to win state. He’s such a special swimmer,” Pritchard said. “For Mountainview, for not being open very long – seven years doesn’t seem like very long (for a program) – it’s nice having his name up there for us.”
As happy as Lindsay and Pritchard are about individual success, both are just as pleased at the potential the team has for next season.
“We were just all getting faster this year,” Lindsay said.
This season the Lions pushed two relay teams to state – the 200 medley team with Lindsay, Colin Lempert, Paul Whisman and Luke Lavine, as well as the 200 free relay team of Lavine, Lindsay, Lempert and Stephen Creed.
The 200 medley team finished 17th with a 1:46.18. The 200 free team was disqualified at the start of the prelim race.
“We’re going to be really good next year,” Pritchard said. “We’re pretty happy with where we were this year. But we’ve been talking about how good we’re going to be next year and what work are the kids going to do in the offseason to get better.”
ALSO: Auburn Riverside’s 200 free relay team of James Marshal, Mitch Bredl, Daniel Waller and Michael Baber, finished 19th with a 1:35.76. The 400 free relay team was disqualified.
