Two area teams head into the high school state weekend hoping to make some noise at the highest level.
The Port Angeles girls swimming and diving team take perhaps its strongest team in the past 10 years with several high seeds into the 2A championships in Federal Way while No. 9-ranked Sequim will be competing at the 2A volleyball championships in Lakewood.
Both teams open state play today with the finals scheduled for Saturday.
The Roughriders are top heavy with one relay team seeded No. 1 in state and two others seeded in the top four while Tracie Macias and Ashlee Reid both are seeded in the top four in a couple events.
Port Angeles is sending 12 athletes to state, all three relay teams and eight individual events.
Macias, a senior, appears to be ending her high school career with a bang, seeded No. 2 in the 100-yard backstroke and No. 6 in the 200 freestyle.
Reid, a junior, meanwhile is seeded right behind Macias in the backstroke at No. 4, and is seeded No. 6 in the 100 free.
Swimmers who finish in the top eight in today’s preliminaries advance to the finals to battle for the top spots in state Saturday.
Macias had a perfect final West Central District championship meet last weekend by capturing first place in all four events she swam in, two individual events and two relay teams.
The 200 medley relay, seeded No. 1 in 2A state with a best time of 1 minute, 55.21 seconds, set a meet record while winning the district championship last week.
Others swimming on the team with Macias were Reid, Carter Juskevich and Audra Perrizo.
Macias also swam on the district-winning 400 free relay with Juskevich, Brooke Sires and Reid.
The 400 free relay beat the runner-up by 15 seconds.
The 400 free relay is seeded No. 4 in state with a 3:52.63 time.
In addition, the 200 free relay is seeded No. 4 with a time of 1:46.13 with Lora Rudzinski, Roisin Cowan-Kuist, Lexie Pankowski and Sires.
Macias won the 200 free district title by more than 4 seconds over the runner-up and is seeded No. 6 in state with a time of 2:02.61.
She and Reid dominated the 100 back at district, going 1-2, respectively, and are seeded 2-4 at state.
Macias set a district meet record and is seeded No. 2 at state with a time of 1:01.26 while Reid is seeded No. 4 at 1:02.99.
All of Macias’ times at district were lifetime bests.
Reid, meanwhile, is seeded No. 6 in the 100 free with a time of 55.94 seconds.
Other Riders headed to state in individual events are Juskevich in the 200 individual medley, seeded No. 10 in 2:21.01, and the 100 breaststroke, seeded No. 11 in a time of 1:13.14; and diver Elizabeth Livesay, seeded No. 12 with a best score of 161.45.
Port Townsend, meanwhile, a 1A team competing in the 2A championships, is sending all three relay teams to state along with three individuals in five events.
Individuals going to state include sophomore Rose Rider, seeded No. 12 in the 50 free (26.37) and 16th in 100 free (58.88), senior Serena Vilage, seeded 20th in 50 free (26.93) and seeded 14th in 100 breast (1:13.84), and senior Darby Flanagan, seeded 24th in 500 free (6:14.53).
The Redskin relay teams going to state are the 200 medley, seeded 11th (2:02.20); 200 free, seeded 10th (1:48.51); and 400 free, seeded 22nd (4:16.92).
The state swim meet is at the King County Aquatic Center both days.
The preliminaries start at 9:45 a.m. today while the finals open at 10 a.m. Saturday.
State Volleyball
LAKEWOOD — The Sequim Wolves, ranked No. 9 in state, open the 2A championships at Pierce College today against Steilacoom in the first round starting at 4:30 p.m.
The winner advances to the championship quarterfinals against the Mark -Morris-Colville winner today at 8:15 p.m.
The losers of the two matches meet in the loser-out consolation quarterfinals at 8:15 p.m.
The championship semifinals are set for 12:30 p.m. Saturday with the state championship match scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The Wolves easily captured the West Central District championship last weekend.
“The girls are really excited,” Sequim coach Jennie Webber-Heilman said.
“They all played very well.”
As usual, senior Haleigh Harrison dominated the front row.
“Haleigh was a beast at the net,” Webber-Heilman said.
Another key player, senior setter Taylor Balkan, also had an outstanding match.
“Taylor was setting really well,” Webber-Heilman said.
“She was getting to the balls and playing good defense.”
It was a total team effort.
“The girls had a great tournament,” Webber-Heilman said.