Eatonville Girls Swim Team Triumphs in Back-to-Back Wins, Including Dramatic Rematch Against Fife

The Eatonville High School girls swim team kicked off their home schedule in thrilling fashion last week, securing back-to-back victories. The Cruisers cruised past Foss 95-49 on Tuesday, Oct. 1, before clinching a dramatic 85-83 victory against Fife in a highly anticipated rematch two days later.

Eatonville vs. Foss (95-49)

Tuesday’s meet against Foss gave Eatonville the opportunity to experiment with their lineup, as some of their top swimmers competed in less familiar events. The Cruisers’ 200 Medley Relay team of Nicole Tomyn, Gracie Forsman, Annika Howard, and Kaylee Bernt set the tone for the day with a commanding first-place finish— their first relay win of the season.

“We had a little wiggle room in this meet, which allowed some of our top swimmers to test out different events from their usual,” said Eatonville head coach Andrea Stammen. “It was a great chance to see how our athletes could perform outside of their comfort zones, and they really impressed us.”

Junior captain Annika Howard led the way in the distance events, claiming first place in both the 200 and 500 freestyle. Senior captain Gracie Forsman, who continues to build momentum as the season progresses, posted district qualifying times in both the 200 Individual Medley and the 100 butterfly, with a first-place finish in the latter.

In the 50 freestyle, junior Nicole Tomyn secured another victory for the Cruisers with a lifetime best time, followed closely by senior Bella Wolters, who took second. Tomyn doubled down with a win in the 100 freestyle, while the 200 freestyle relay teams further showcased Eatonville’s depth with a 1-2 finish.

The meet ended on a high note for Eatonville when freshman Jane Morrish took first in the 100 breaststroke, followed by junior Charlotte Stumph, who clocked a lifetime best by over four seconds to take second.

“We had so many standout performances,” Stammen added. “Watching Charlotte shave off those four seconds in the breaststroke was a real highlight. It’s moments like these that show how hard our swimmers are working.”

Eatonville vs. Fife (85-83)

Thursday’s rematch against Fife, however, was an entirely different story. The Cruisers had lost to Fife by just three points earlier in the season— an incredibly narrow margin in swimming— and they knew the stakes were high.

“Going into this meet, we knew it was going to be a battle,” Stammen explained. “Losing to them by three points earlier was really tough, and we kept reminding the team that every single point was going to count. It was definitely a stressful meet to watch as a coach!”

Eatonville started strong with a 1-2 finish in the 200 freestyle, as senior captain Kaylee Bernt and junior Charlotte Stumph both hit lifetime best times. In the 50 freestyle, Tomyn continued her stellar week with a second-place finish and another lifetime best, followed by Wolters in third.

Senior captain Gracie Forsman delivered a crucial first-place finish in the 100 freestyle, while Bernt blew away the field in the 500 freestyle, finishing first and shaving another 4.7 seconds off her lifetime best time— a particularly impressive feat after dropping over 18 seconds the week prior.

“Kaylee’s performance in the 500 was just unbelievable,” Stammen said. “To see her drop nearly 5 seconds off her best time after already making such a big jump last week was amazing. It really sets her up well for the district meet.”

Despite these individual successes, Fife led the meet going into the latter half of the races. The turning point came in the 200 freestyle relay, where Eatonville’s team of Lily Hays, Charlotte Stumph, Annika Howard, and Kaylee Bernt— who had just climbed out of the pool after her 500 freestyle win— pulled off a surprise victory. That momentum continued into the 100 backstroke, where the Cruisers’ depth came through with a 2-3-4 finish. Tomyn took second, followed by Wolters with a lifetime best in third, and Hays in fourth.

But the meet came down to the final event, the 400 freestyle relay, with Eatonville needing a first and third-place finish to secure the win.

“The last race was absolutely crazy,” Stammen recalled. “It was so loud in the pool. We knew we had to get first and third to win, and the pressure was on.”

Eatonville’s A relay team— consisting of Tomyn, Howard, Bernt, and Forsman— dominated, taking first place. The outcome of the meet, however, rested on the performance of the B relay team. Freshman Jane Morrish, sophomore Lily Hays, junior Charlotte Stumph, and senior Bella Wolters— two of whom had just swum in the breaststroke— rose to the occasion, clinching third place and securing Eatonville’s two-point victory.

“Our B relay team really stepped up when it mattered most,” said Stammen. “They were exhausted, but they pulled through with incredible determination. It was such an exciting finish, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

The victory over Fife, coupled with the dominant win over Foss, gives Eatonville significant momentum as they head into the second half of the season with their sights set on postseason competition.

The Cruisers will look to continue their winning streak when they host the Clover Park Timberwolves on Thursday, October 10.

Final Scores:

Eatonville 95, Foss 49

Eatonville 85, Fife 83