The defending Washington Class 2A champion Pullman Greyhounds are fielding 11 athletes at the girls state swimming meet Friday and Saturday at King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way — the same number they compiled in claiming the team title last year.
Six of them — Poppy Edge, Bree Myers, Nelia Peng, Kiara Donolo, Estelle Uberuaga and Codi Thomas — are returners from that championship team. Five more — Abby Wu, Maile Sandberg, Keira Frichette, Kendra Lentz and Lynnlin Qiao — are making their first state trip.
“Happy to welcome some of those new faces, getting them to experience the state meet for the first time,” Pullman coach Eric Chung said.
Pullman’s 200 medley relay, which clocked a district record-breaking time of 1 minute, 54.33 seconds on Oct. 29, will be seeded second and looks to defend a state title in the opening event of the meet.
“We have a very good chance to get (the 200 medley title),” Chung said. “It’s going to be very competitive. The top three will most likely be the same two relays we were up against last year. (It’s) going to be a very fun first event of the meet; going to be some fireworks. It’s going to be exciting.”
The 200 freestyle relay is the only event in which Pullman is entering with the No. 1 seed this year, bringing an entry time of 1:44.48.
In individual competition, Edge, a junior, is seeded second in the 200 and 500 freestyle events, and is the defending champ in the latter. Sophomores Myers and Peng also enter with top-five seeds in their events.
“I think (Edge is) going to be great,” Chung said. “I think she’s going to be dominant this year.”
In overall team scoring, Chung does not expect the Greyhounds to dominate the way they did last year after losing “key swimmers” such as multiple-event champion Mya Reed, but estimates that they are in the running for the title alongside the likes of Sammamish and Anacortes.
While he already was familiar with many of the individual athletes as a coach for the Cougar Aquatics club swimming team, this is Chung’s first year coaching at Pullman High School and he expressed pleasure with the health of the program regardless of where the chips will fall at the state meet.
“The overall experience and team dynamic this year was really, really great, and I think the athletes themselves were the ones that truly were behind that,” he said.
Also representing the area is Clarkston sophomore Makayla Dougherty, who qualified in two individual events.
Class 2A meet
All events at King County Aquatic Center, Federal Way
Friday’s schedule
Noon — Facility opens
12:30 p.m. — Warm-up begins
1:30 p.m. — Preliminaries begin
Saturday’s schedule
11:45 a.m. — Facility opens
12:15 p.m. — Warm-up begins
1:15 p.m. — Finals beginQualifiers
Pullman
Bree Myers (200 medley relay, 200 IM, 100 backstroke, 200 free relay); Nelia Peng (200 medley relay, 100 butterfly, 500 freestyle); Codi Thomas (200 medley relay, 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke); Poppy Edge (200 medley relay, 500 free, 200 free, 200 free relay); Keira Frichette (200 free, 100 free, 400 free relay); Kiara Donolo (200 IM, 100 breast, 400 free relay); Estelle Uberuaga (500 free, 100 breast); Abby Wu (400 free relay), Maile Sandberg (400 free relay); Kendra Lentz (200 free relay), Lynnlin Qiao (200 free relay).
Clarkston
Makayla Dougherty (50 free, 100 back).
Wendt may be contacted at (208) 848-2268, or cwendt@lmtribune.com.
Class 2A meet
All events at King County Aquatic Center, Federal Way
Friday’s schedule
Noon — Facility opens
12:30 p.m. — Warm-up begins
1:30 p.m. — Preliminaries begin
Saturday’s schedule
11:45 a.m. — Facility opens
12:15 p.m. — Warm-up begins
1:15 p.m. — Finals begin
Qualifiers
Pullman
Bree Myers (200 medley relay, 200 IM, 100 backstroke, 200 free relay); Nelia Peng (200 medley relay, 100 butterfly, 500 freestyle); Codi Thomas (200 medley relay, 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke); Poppy Edge (200 medley relay, 500 free, 200 free, 200 free relay); Keira Frichette (200 free, 100 free, 400 free relay); Kiara Donolo (200 IM, 100 breast, 400 free relay); Estelle Uberuaga (500 free, 100 breast); Abby Wu (400 free relay), Maile Sandberg (400 free relay); Kendra Lentz (200 free relay), Lynnlin Qiao (200 free relay).
Clarkston
Makayla Dougherty (50 free, 100 back).
