Cruiser Swim Team Shines at District Championships
- Skip Smith
- Nov 9
- 4 min read
The Eatonville High School girls swim team capped off a season of relentless effort and steady improvement with a standout showing at the West Central District 3 Championships on Friday and Saturday at Curtis High School, finishing 7th overall among 14 teams and putting up some of their best times of the year.
The Cruisers scored 104 team points to secure their spot in the top 10, edging out league rivals Fife (100), Clover Park (61), and Washington High School (12). Nearly every swimmer posted a personal record over the two-day meet, a result that left the team’s coaches and fans beaming with pride.
Assistant Coach Tira Hancock said the weekend was the culmination of months of dedication, discipline, and teamwork.
“The girls went to the blocks with sheer determination to race and do their best, and they did,” Hancock said. “Almost every swimmer earned personal records during prelims and then broke those PRs again in finals! They swam each race with a plan and worked that plan to finish the district meet with Cruiser pride.”
Hancock said the results reflected how hard the swimmers had worked throughout the season to improve their endurance, technique, and mental strength.
“The Cruisers put their learning into practice, and all their hard work provided the foundation for faster turns and stronger finishes,” she said. “I am so proud of these girls. The strength and grit they showed by swimming through pain to race a strong, fast finish is inspiring. They poured everything into each stroke to drop their times and earn allocations to the state meet.”
Senior captain Annika Howard led the way with two standout swims. In the 500-yard freestyle, she touched the wall at 6:06.16, just six seconds off the Eatonville school record. She also trimmed seven seconds from her personal best in the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing 6th in the district with a time of 1:17.17, earning an alternate position for the state championships.
Fellow senior captain Nicole Tomyn also shined under pressure. She cut 0.08 seconds off her previous best in the 50 freestyle for the 7th-fastest time in the district and dropped 3.5 seconds in the 100 freestyle to finish 6th with a 1:00.16, another state alternate performance.
Senior captain Charlotte Stumph turned in strong relay splits throughout the meet, posting new personal records in every event and helping propel Eatonville to a new best in the 200 freestyle relay.
Clara Forsman continued her upward momentum, trimming three seconds from her 100 freestyle for a 1:08.16, finishing 13th overall.
Jane Morrish made one of the most dramatic drops of the meet, slicing 4 seconds from her 200 Individual Medley time for a new personal record of 3:09.61, good for 15th place in the district.
Eatonville’s relays showcased the team’s depth and cohesion.
The 200 Medley Relay squad of Lily Hays (backstroke), Grace King (breaststroke), Riley Frey (butterfly), and Forsman (freestyle) posted a solid 2:39.60, finishing 11th overall.
The 200 Freestyle Relay of Forsman, Stumph, Howard, and Tomyn surged to a 1:59.62, setting a new team record and finishing 7th in the district.
In the 400 Freestyle Relay, Hays, Stumph, Tomyn, and Howard combined for another team best, clocking 4:31.37 to finish 6th and earn an alternate berth to the state championships.
Hancock said the meet wasn’t just about times; it was about heart, unity, and pride in representing Eatonville.
“The Cruiser swim team family is amazing,” Hancock said. “The strength the athletes and families bring to practice and competitions is inspiring. Cruiser Swim is family.”
That sense of family was reflected in how the team supported each other throughout the weekend, from the deck to the stands. Seniors cheered on underclassmen, and every race was followed by hugs, high-fives, and encouragement.
The Cruisers also carried the memory of their fallen classmate and son of Head Coach Andrea Stammen, Axel Stammen, honoring him throughout the meet. Swimmers wrote “#18 LLA” — short for “Long Live Axel” — on their shoulders in tribute to the Eatonville football player, whose number 18 symbolized the strength and unity the team swam with all weekend.
The meet was also a celebration of how far the program has come. Eatonville’s swimmers demonstrated sharper technique, stronger finishes, and a competitive spirit that kept them in contention with larger schools from around the region.
With the release of state wildcard selections Sunday evening, all of Eatonville’s alternates have officially advanced and will compete at the WIAA State Championships, held November 14–15 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
That includes Howard in the 100 breaststroke, Tomyn in both the 50 and 100 freestyle, the 200 freestyle relay team of Forsman, Stumph, Howard, and Tomyn, and the 400 freestyle relay team of Hays, Stumph, Howard, and Tomyn.
For the Cruisers, the state qualification marks the reward of a season filled with hard work, personal records, and unshakable team spirit.
“They swam with everything they had,” Hancock said. “Every finish, every cheer, every personal record, they earned it all. That’s what being a Cruiser is about.”
Final Team Standings – WCD3 Championships
Bainbridge – 581
North Kitsap – 309
Steilacoom – 225
Port Angeles – 215
Olympic – 147
Bremerton – 121
Eatonville – 104
Fife – 100
Sequim – 99
Klahowya – 89
Clover Park – 61
Kingston – 52
East Jefferson – 37
Washington – 12
Annika's 500 time was 6:06.16 ☺️