FEDERAL WAY — Aberdeen swimmers earned two medals in a generally strong final-day performance at the state 2A boys swimming and diving championships Saturday at the King County Aquatics Center in Federal Way.
The Bobcat 200-yard medley relay team of Dillon Rowe, Joseph Bowley, Jairek Barre and Colton Sundstrom placed third with a time of 1:44.60. Sehome won the event in 1:39.90.
Bowley rebounded from an off day in Friday’s preliminaries by taking fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke. With a time of 1:01.87, he lowered his own school record in that event. Sehome’s Patrick Gregory won the 100 breast with a meet-record time of 58.69.
“Joe changed up his technique and came back and swam a great breaststroke,” AHS coach Keith Lile noted.
The top four in each event earned state medals.
In their only other appearance in Saturday’s championship finals, the Bobcats were seventh in the 400 free relay. Sundstrom, Kevin Stewart, Rowe and Bowley combined for a time of 3:27.14.
Despite having participants in only three finals, Aberdeen placed ninth in the team competition. Perennial power Sehome again captured the team title.
Lile expressed mild disappointment with the absence of consolation finals in the state meet, but was pleased with his team’s showing.
“To stay focused and race well in this meet is a little tougher,” he said. “But the relays are really fun and there’s a lot of camaraderie between these kids.”
