Stadium High’s Felicity Cann needed a new challenge.
The Class 4A 100-yard freestyle defending champion decided to switch things up a bit and swim the longer distances this year at the girls state swimming and diving championships.
It turned out to be a wise choice, as the senior is now poised to add another title to her collection. Cann swam the fastest times in the 500 (5 minutes, 2.76 seconds) and 200 freestyles (1:50.52, All-American consideration) preliminaries on Friday night at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
“I’ve done the 100 every year and I’m better at the 500, so it doesn’t make sense why I’m doing the 100 every year,” she said. “So I just wanted to give it a shot.”
Cann will also have a chance for redemption in the 200, after losing last year to Thomas Jefferson’s Amber Cratsenberg.
“I really want to break the state record,” said Cann, noting the state mark of 1:46.55, set by Skyline’s Andie Taylor in 2010. “So for the past couple weeks I’ve been training on the 200 free. There is a lot I could have done different (Friday) as far as technique. On my 200, my turns weren’t very good ... same thing with my 500. But I think I was just trying to survive today.”
Gig Harbor junior Carolyn McCann – in her state debut – just missed top qualifying times in her two events. Richland’s Lisa Bratton (2:06.29) edged McCann (2:07.91) in the 200 individual medley to take the top qualifying spot for today’s final. But McCann, who competed this summer at the Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb., bounced back and swam a 1:03.63 (automatic All-American) in the 100 breaststroke.
“It was so much fun to be here, supporting the team and being part of the team,” McCann said. “It felt very smooth. It makes me excited for (today). I’m excited to see what I can do.”
McCann’s best time this season is a 1:03.50, set at the West Central District meet.
After clocking the third-fastest time in the 50 free (23.83, All-American consideration), Federal Way junior Kenna Ramey bounced back to swim the fastest time in the 100 butterfly (56.54).
“I’m really excited about that,” she said of her butterfly swim. “That’s my best time overall, ever. I was happy about that. That’s been my (best) stroke.”
Emerald Ridge sophomore Alana Pries (52.69) swam the second-fastest time in the 100 free, and the Gig Harbor 200-medley relay team (1:53.25, seventh) will compete in today’s final.
In Class 3A, Foss High junior Emma Chard clocked a 1:06.48 in the 100 breaststroke, the second fastest of the day, just behind Bellevue’s Kim Williams (1:05.32). She also earned a spot in the 100-free final, clocking a 52.32, the third fastest of the day.
Chard was battling a viral infection during districts two weeks ago but has worked hard to get healthy.
“Health-wise, this is the best she’s felt in a month,” Foss coach Matt Wood said.
Foss’ Sarah Sachs (1:00.56) will also swim in a final today, as she qualified with the eighth-fastest time in the 100 backstroke.
In 2A, Tumwater’s Abby Sullivan swam the fastest times in the 100 free (53.40) and the 100 backstroke (59.78). The T-Birds’ 200- (1:41.77) and 400-free (3:43.91) relay teams also clocked the fastest times.
Sumner’s Ashley Huynh turned in the fastest time in the 100 breast, a 1:08.71, while the Spartans’ 200-medley relay team (1:55.60) also took the top spot. Junior Madison Munger will swim in today’s 100 fly (59.48, second fastest) and 200 IM (2:11.27, second fastest) finals.
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