Eatonville Swim Team Shines in District Meet, Earns Academic State Championship Title At State

The Eatonville Cruiser swim team had an eventful journey through the district meet and the subsequent state swim finals. The district meet, held prior to the state finals, showcased the team's dedication and improvement.

The Eatonville Cruiser swim team shows of their State Academic Champion patches they received after being crowned the 2023 WIAA 1A State Academic Champions. Photo: Andrea Stammen

In the 200 Medley Relay, swimmers Nicole Tomyn, Charlotte Stumph, Victoria Boren, and Jaliah Vinson finished 11th. Kaylee Bernt demonstrated remarkable progress, finishing 13th in the 200 Free due to locked heats but claiming the 11th fastest time and dropping 4 seconds off her season best. Reese Zurfluh finished 17th in the 200 IM, Gracie Forsman secured 5th place in the 50 Free, and Kaylee Bernt impressed again with a 7th place finish in the 500 Free, dropping an impressive 9 seconds from her season best.

The 200 Free Relay team comprising Annika Howard, Reese Zurfluh, Kaylee Bernt, and Gracie Forsman finished 5th, shaving 6 seconds off their season best time. Gracie Forsman also competed in the 100 Breast, finishing 10th. The highlight of the district meet was the 400 Free Relay, where the team of Annika Howard, Reese Zurfluh, Kaylee Bernt, and Gracie Forsman finished 7th, dropping a remarkable fifteen seconds from their season best time, earning them a wildcard placement into the state finals.

Moving on to the state finals at the King County Aquatic Center on Nov. 10th – 11th, the team faced tough competition. Despite placing 24th in the state preliminary race, they did not advance to the finals, as only the top 16 advanced. However, their season ended on a positive note as they were named the 2023 WIAA 1A Academic State Champions. With an impressive average GPA of 3.634, the Eatonville High School girls had the highest GPA among all 2A & 1A girls swim teams in the state.

Head coach Andrea Stammen expressed immense pride in her team's achievements, both in and out of the pool. She highlighted their hard work, dedication to the team, and positive attitude as key factors in their success. The coach commended the team for dropping an incredible 15 seconds at the district meet and earning a spot in the state finals with the relay. Being crowned Academic State Champions was the perfect culmination of a spectacular season, emphasizing the team's commitment to excellence both academically and athletically.