Bellevue repeats as 3A champions

Wolverines win state titles in four individual events

February 22, 2016 4:00 pm
The Bellevue Wolverines boys swim team celebrates after capturing the Class 3A state swim and dive championship for the second consecutive season.
The Bellevue Wolverines boys swim team celebrates after capturing the Class 3A state swim and dive championship for the second consecutive season.

BY JOE LIVARCHIK
REPORTER NEWSPAPERS

For the second year in a row, Bellevue reigned supreme at the 3A boys swim and dive state championships.

The Wolverines won their second-consecutive state crown with a team score of 349.5. Bainbridge was second with a score of 288, with Mercer Island rounding out the top three at 205.5.

Bellevue claimed individual titles in four of the day’s 12 events, and came extremely close to making it five, but saw their 400 free relay time waved off to a disqualification. Bellevue coach Andy Hay said Bellevue’s leadoff swimmer flinched just before the start of the race, causing the DQ. But in a day of solid performances across the board from his team, he wasn’t sweating the mishap.

“This is very rare. There’s always misses. You expect that an athlete can [swim] a certain time or make a certain cut and you just prepare yourself for the fact that they’re not going to do it. That’s why we compete and you don’t do it on paper and then just hand it in,” Hay said. “We only had one miss, which in my 26 season career of high school coaching, I’ve never seen that happen before. I’ve never seen a team be so prepared for a meet of this caliber. We were really prepared.”

Bellevue’s team of A.J. Rossman, Andrew Lee, Thomas Eggenberger and Zach Rossman won the state title in the 200 medley relay (1:35.26), while Andrew Boden, Daniel Prang, Nathan Shao and Zach Rossman won the 200 free relay (1:25.57).Bellevue’s disqualified time in the 400 free relay of 3:07.37 would’ve been a second off from the 3A state meet record of3:06.71, set by Mercer Island in 2009. A.J. Rossman was a state-title winner in the 200 IM (1:55.18) and placed second in the 100 back (51.76). Shao won a 3A title in the 500 free (4:44.13) and placed fourth in the 200 free (1:43.31).

Boden was runner-up in the 100 free (46.24) and 200 free (1:40.19). Thomas Eggenberger was second in the 200 IM(1:56.32) and fourth in the 100 fly (51.54). Zach Rossman was second in the 50 free (21.31) and third in the 100 free(47.09). Andrew Lee was second in the 100 breast (57.27) and fourth in the 200 IM (1:58.36). Daniel Prang placed third in the 50 free (21.42) and seventh in the 100 free (48.16), and Mitchell Eggenberger was fifth in the 100 back (53.44) and seventh in the 500 free (4:49.37).

Hay credited his swimmers and the competitive drive they each show for their success. With a second-straight title, the Bellevue swim program has emerged as quite the force in the state, and they don’t look to be finished just yet.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that we’re going to keep the ball rolling,” Hay said. “As we get more credibility in the swimming community, more club coaches will be willing to let their kids that train with them year-round come swim in our program.”

 

INTERLAKE’S LI WINS 100 FLY

Interlake’s Jeffrey Li won the 3A 100 fly state title with a winning time of 50.6. Li participated in five events for the Saints,who placed fourth overall at the 3A state championships with a score of 122. Li was also third in the 100 breast (57.64).

Interlake’s team of Todor Dimitrov, Li, Ethan Ling and Nate McDermott placed fifth in the 200 medley relay (1:40.57).McDermott, Grant Chen, Carter Blunden and Li also placed fifth in the 200 free relay (1:29.62), while McDermott, Chen, Isaac Wong and Dimitrov placed seventh in the 400 free relay (3:22.14).