It has been a long time since there was a relay team representing the Auburn School District at the Washington State 4A swimming championship meet.
For Auburn High School – which is sending the 200-yard freestyle relay squad of Jesse Butterfield, Matt Nordlie, Bryan Diebag and Jeremy Call – it’s been about eight years.
For Auburn Riverside, this year’s 200 free team of Kyle Rogers, Ryan Atwood, Brandon Hand and Devin Cramer is the first in the school’s 14-year history.
For the Riverside boys, who qualified for state at this past weekend’s district meet with a fifth-place 1:35.13 time, the trip to state is not unexpected.
“I knew that we had a shot at making state,” coach Patrick McKeehan said. “I knew that we’d have to really swim well. We’d been dropping time, but I knew that we’d have to keep dropping time to do it. But I knew that if we swam like we had the potential to that we could do it.”
“I expected us to place pretty high,” Atwood added. “This is the best relay team we’ve had since I’ve been at the school.”
For Auburn, however, which grabbed the sixth and final allocation into the state meet with a 1:35.64, just .21 seconds ahead of Kentridge, the trip comes as a complete surprise.
“It was amazing. I never would have predicted them going to state at the beginning of the season,” said Auburn coach Scott McLaughlin. “At districts on Friday, they did a 1:38, which was a two-second drop (from the league meet), and the next night they did a 1:35 for a three-second drop.”
“I didn’t expect to make state,” Butterfield added. “That was a pretty big surprise. We just got together and swam our fastest. It just happened to be at the same time.”
For both teams, just punching the ticket to the state meet is a significant achievement. But what makes it even nicer, is the close relationship both teams enjoy with each other.
During the season both teams practice at the Auburn Pool.
“At the beginning of the season we weren’t very close, we’d just cross each others path in the locker room,” Butterfield said.
Over time, the relationship between the two teams has grown, largely due to the close relationships between their coaches.
“I think it reflects our relationship, because we’re friendly with each other, they’re friendly with each other,” McLaughlin said.
“A lot of teams in the area, including the Kent schools and us, only get a limited amount of time in the pool,” McKeehan said. “So we only get about an hour and 20 minutes of pool time. So we’ve got to be there as they’re finishing their practice. As soon as they’re out of the pool we’re in. So the guys get a lot of time with each other. So it’s kind of developed a rivalry and friendship where they like to compare their times with each other.”
According to McLaughlin, the relationship between the two teams really paid off at the district meet.
“We had five guys at district,” he said. “And everybody does a cheer for their team. The Auburn Riverside guys asked our guys if they wanted to join. And we did their cheer, but in the middle we did ‘Trojans, Ravens, Go, Go, Go!’ And that was just great. So it was a combined cheer for both teams. It was really cool.”
“At all the meets we’re always sitting together,” Atwood said. “And at districts we all did one cheer instead of separate ones. It’s nice having them there. It’s more people to hang out with at the meet and more people to cheer you on.”
“We’re almost like teammates now,” Butterfield agreed.
McKeehan credits the individual nature of swimming for helping to get past the competition between the two teams and building a true friendship.
“I think it’s because of the individual nature of the sport,” he said. “We’re a team sport, in that we get scores for the team, but a lot of it is based on your individual performance. While you may be competing against another team, you’re actually competing more against yourself.”
For now, it’s back to the pool for both teams, as they prepare for the Washington State 4A swimming championships, Feb. 19 to 21 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
“I’d definitely love to place at state, and that’s a distinct possibility for us,” McKeehan said. “This is the first boys relay team that’s qualified for state from Auburn Riverside, ever. So the guys really want to go out and cut more time and place.”
“I just hope they can drop time again,” McLaughlin said of the Trojans. “I’m not looking at where we’re going to place or where we’re going to finish. I just want them to get another time drop.”
====
STATE SHOWDOWN
The Washington State 4A Swimming and Diving Championships get underway Feb. 19 to 21 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. Diving preliminaries begin at 7 p.m. Feb. 19. Swimming prelims begin at 1:45 p.m. Feb. 20. Finals for both swimming and diving begins at 10:15 a.m. on Feb. 21. Tickets are $9 for adults, $7 for students with ASB and senior citizens for one day. Passes for the entire tournament are $15 for adults, $10 for students with ASB and senior citizens. For more information visit the Washington State Interscholastic Activities Association at http://www.wiaa.com/athletics/swim/4atourn.asp
