Bellingham sophomore Grace Sorensen captured two individual state titles and Whatcom County girls swimmers totaled 13 top-5 finishes at the 1A/2A state swim and dive meet Nov. 9–11 at the King County Aquatic Center.
Sorensen, who helped lead Bellingham to a fifth-place team finish, earned individual titles in the 200-yard freestyle (1:52.80) and the 100-yard butterfly (55.99 seconds) — the first championships of her career.
The sophomore swimmer was also a part of two Bayhawks relay teams that finished top 5. Bellingham’s 200-yard medley relay team of Sorensen, freshman Peyton Acord, senior Sierra Higgins and senior Lily Skoczen took fourth with a time of 1:59.67.
Skoczen and Sorensen joined junior June Wilson and sophomore Annika Holland on Bellingham’s fifth-place 200-yard freestyle relay team that posted a final time of 1:47.04.
Blaine’s Hailey Ferrell, who won the 500-yard freestyle at state last season as a freshman, finished second in the same event with a time of 5:25.95.
Sehome swimmers posted four top-5 finishes and tied for sixth as a team with Shelton. Senior Jordis Darroch took fourth in the 100-yard freestyle (54.72 seconds) and fifth in the 50-yard freestyle (25.01 seconds).
Don Helling, the Mariners’ longtime coach, was named the 2A Coach of the Year in his final state meet leading the team.
Senior Madi Ferrari finished third in the 1-meter dive for the Mariners (261.95) while their 400-yard freestyle relay team of Darroch, junior Priyanka Costanzo, junior Elsa Ethelbah and senior Kateryna Isakova finished fifth with a time of 3:57.72.
Squalicum was led by a third-place finish from senior Ariel Fuhrman in the 100-yard backstroke, posting a time of 1:01.91. Fuhrman also took fifth in the 200-yard individual medley (2:19.34), while senior Kenna Anderson finished fourth in the 1-meter dive (257.20).
Sehome’s Madi Ferrari twists during a dive Sept. 19. Ferrari took third in the 1-meter dive competition at the state swim meet.
(Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
The Storm finished 10th overall as a team.
Lynden’s lone top-5 finisher was senior Brenna Bogard, who took fifth in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:11.88).
Sammamish won the 1A/2A girls team state title, while Pullman came in second and North Kitsap finished third.
Full list of top-8 finishers:
Bellingham
200-yard freestyle: 1st, Grace Sorensen, sophomore, 1:52.80
100-yard butterfly: 1st, Grace Sorensen, sophomore, 55.99 seconds
500-yard freestyle: 7th, Peyton Acord, freshman, 5:39.87
200-yard medley relay: 4th, Grace Sorensen, sophomore; Peyton Acord, freshman; Sierra Higgins, senior; Lily Skoczen, senior. 1:59.67.
200-yard freestyle relay: 5th, Lily Skoczen, senior; June Wilson, junior; Grace Sorensen, sophomore; Annika Holland, sophomore. 1:47.04.
400-yard freestyle relay: 7th, Mandela Windrem, freshman; June Wilson, junior; Annika Holland, sophomore; Peyton Acord, freshman. 4:02.18.
Sehome
1-meter dive: 3rd, Madi Ferrari, senior, 261.95
100-yard freestyle: 4th, Jordis Darroch, senior, 54.72 seconds
50-yard freestyle: 5th, Jordis Darroch, senior, 25.01 seconds
1-meter dive: 8th, Samantha Toepper, senior, 240.00
400-yard freestyle relay: 5th, Priyanka Costanzo, junior; Elsa Ethelbah, freshman; Kateryna Isakova, senior; Jordis Darroch, senior. 3:57.72.
200-yard medley relay: 7th, Kateryna Isakova, senior; Priyanka Costanzo, junior; Jordis Darroch, senior; Mara Brogan, senior. 2:04.10.
Squalicum
100-yard backstroke: 3rd, Ariel Fuhrman, senior, 1:01.91
1-meter dive: 4th, Kenna Andersen, senior, 257.20
200-yard individual medley: 5th, Ariel Fuhrman, senior, 2:19.34
200-yard freestyle relay: 7th, Mackenzie Millican, senior; Mars Molina, junior; Kate Truemper, junior; Ariel Fuhrman, senior. 1:49.71.
Blaine
500-yard freestyle: 2nd, Hailey Ferrell, sophomore, 5:25.95
Lynden
100-yard breaststroke: 5th, Breanna Bogard, senior, 1:11.88
