Loaded Curtis team eyes 4A title at this weekend’s state swim meet
The last time the Curtis High School boys swim team got into the pools at the King County Aquatic Center, things looked a little different.
Their stud senior swimmers — Patrick Keough, and Logan and Eric Kwon — were only sophomores. But they still held their own and even won a few state events. After scoring points and coming from behind, they finished second overall to Tahoma.
But after a year where the swim season was six weeks long and done virtually, the Vikings are back and are ready to face some serious competition at the King County Aquatic Center. They come into state with a new crop of impressive underclassmen looking for their first taste of championship experience, while the stud seniors are looking to go out on top.
“I feel great, we are super excited to get a chance to swim in the state meet again,” said coach Dennis Piccolotto. “Last year during the pandemic, we were able to carve out a really short high school swim season [where] all the meets were virtual meets. So, we never got to race against another team face to face. We are pretty jacked up and excited to get back to the KCAC and finish the season the way it is supposed to be.”
Curtis enters the state swim meet with an impressive resume for the 2021-22 season.
They are the 4A South Puget Sound League champions for both dual meets and the league tournament. On top of that, they ride into the finals as the West Central District 3 champions.
This could be the year where the Vikings win their first state championship in swimming since 1992.
“The kids know what’s on the line. They are polished swimmers who have been in really big moments throughout their swim career,” Piccolotto said. “So, I fully expect them to step up and swim well at the state meet. I think the most important thing is to have fun. We’ve seen time and time again where these kids get to the big meet and the nerves come out a bit. We try to do a good job of not putting any extra pressure on them.”
If there is one swimmer on the Vikings that will be immune to the nerves of competing at state, it is probably Keough. Having swum in big moments, including Olympic trials, he still holds reverence for the state championships.
Keough has the most impressive times heading into the competition. In his two solo events, the 200-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly, his pre-qualifying times are at the top of the heat sheets.
In the 200 free, his qualifying time is one minute and 42.02 seconds. However, his 100-fly time is 48.64 seconds and that has netted All-American consideration. That’s not even scratching the surface of how dominant of a swimmer he is for the Vikings.
As a member of the various relay teams, Keough has helped put their qualifying times at the top of the heat sheets and All-American considerations as well.
“I’m feeling pretty confident [heading into state]. I’m not sweating too much over it,” the senior said. “I’m really excited, not necessarily on the individual level because I’ve had big meet experiences countless times. I’m more excited to be at one of these with such a large team, see these guys get really excited, and find that love of swimming. It’s really exciting to see everyone hyped up and ready to do their best.”
As much success as Keough has earned on an individual level, he still sees himself as a member of the Vikings’ swim team first. In fact, he’s more excited to be competing in relays with the other guys than his solo events.
However, which relays he will be running is still up in the air. Piccolotto must carefully select which races each of his swimmers have the best shot in. Each swimmer can only participate in four races: two individual and two relays, or three relays and one individual race.
“Curtis swimming is built on the relays, specifically the 400m free,” Piccolotto said. “That’s the last event in high school swimming and we are just built. When it comes down to that final relay, all the guys have already swum three swims. Everybody is tired, but that’s when Curtis gets tough. We have guys fighting to get in that, we have four boys able to swim that relay with eight guys listed. We are still figuring it out, right now.”
Enter the senior Kwon siblings, Logan and Eric. Both swimmers have been a part of the relay teams and have logged excellent individual times as well.
Eric in fact was on the 400m free relay team in 2020 that won the event for the Vikings along with Keough. So, he knows a thing or two about what it takes to win at state.
Along with experienced seniors like the Kwon siblings, talented underclassmen are making their debut at the state swim meet. Swimmers like sophomores Adam Kwon, younger sibling to Logan and Eric, and Tolu Young are producing great qualifying times.
“I think the message to the seniors is to take a moment and reflect on the last four years and the growth they’ve made,” Piccolotto said. “Not only as athletes in the pool but as leaders. They always step up when we need someone to step up… This is the finale. The rest of the group, none of them have been at the state meet before, so here they are for the first time. We are so fortunate to have the senior leaders that we have.”
Expect the younger swimmers to put up a great effort as they get used to the KCAC waters. Adam Kwon enters with the third-best 200m free time at 1:44.50, and the third-best 500m free time at 4:48.76. Meanwhile, Young comes in with the fourth-best 50m free time at 21.72 seconds.
Altogether, it is the Vikings’ hope to capture first place as a team, and send seniors like Keough, Logan, and Eric Kwon out as the best 4A swimmers in the state.
The 4A state swimming championships will be held on Friday, February 18, and on Saturday, February 19. Warm-ups will begin at 4:45 p.m. on Friday, and 5 p.m. on Saturday at the King County Aquatic Center.