By Ed Shepherd
Sports Correspondent

FEDERAL WAY--Kennedy Catholic finished the girls swim season in the top 10 of 3A state -- eighth-- anchored by Angela Gagliardo's strong individual swims, and Highline's Sophia Cassam took second in diving and was close to getting first in action at the WIAA 3A Girls State Swim And Dive Championships at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way on Nov. 14-15.

"Goal was to finish in the top 10," said Kennedy coach Sean Prothero, who gets a lot of help from his little sister, Marley Prothero, who won the 4A state championship for Kentwood in the 200-yard IM in 2006 and 2007. "And to come in eighth place was rewarding."

Highline diver Sophia Cassam, who dives for the Burien area school but attends Aviation High School near Boeing Field, came so close to first, having led the event after the first eight dives completed a day earlier with a 265.85 point total. The closest diver to Cassam, with 263.85, was a Sammamish diver, Troja McKenna, with 261.40. Third was Reilly Krueger of Arch Bishop Murphy after day one.
Too bad there had to be a second day of diving!

As fate would have it, Krueger, on day two, wound up having better dives on Saturday's three final attempts. She overtook Cassam and became the state champion in diving with a 350.95. Cassam took second with 338.05 points and McKenna third with 328.20.

"It was really close," said Cassam, not looking upset, not a tear in her eye.
Her coach, Todd Wollenweber, who helps out all the divers of the Highline School District in addition to the Mount Rainier Rams' divers, put things succinctly to the question, "Was second place where she should have ended up, realistically, for state?"

"No, she should have won," said Wollenweber, looking downtrodden after it all but maintaining a smile on his face.

Cassam was in finer spirits, and, one can guess, even if she'd won state in diving, it would not have changed her expression much at all. Cassam stlll would have aired a look of joy on her face.

"I'm a senior so I enjoyed competing for four years," said Cassam. "Each year, I progressed in placement, so, it's definitely a score for me. I'm really happy for all the other divers."

But what went wrong on day two, for inquiring minds that want to know?

"Dives can be hit or miss," said Cassam, a smile on her face the whole time talking, after having just lost the state title by about a dozen points. "The last dive was good, the previous two were not as good."
So, that was it, Cassam tersely explained things and that was how it went, in her eyes, nothing less, nothing more.

The swim coach of Highline, Rachel Loy, said of Cassam, "She did awesome."
Also Naomi Williams, a freshman for Highline, swam in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:06.59, taking fifth in consolation finals and 13th overall.

"She's battled with tendonitis the last year," said Loy. "Just for her to be at state is pretty impressive. Just to be as young as she is, too."

"I'm happy I made finals," said Williams.

And, as for the Lancers, and Sean Prothero's team, it was a happy showing by relay team members -- seniors Natalie Mutter and Hannah Baillie as well as juniors Angelica Gil, Theresa Tan and Angela Gagliardo. And, also, individually Gagliardo was strong.

"Big contributions from Natalie Mutter and Hannah Baillie, two of our graduating seniors," said Prothero. "We were not a one-man team."

"Definitely, not," said Sean's sister, Marley, standing nearby.

Kennedy received the most points of its 71 total from Gagliardo, having taken second in the 200 IM in 2:05.11 and third in the 100 breast in 1:04.85, but teammates in relays helped out with a second place in the consolation final of the 200 medley relay. Gil, Gagliardo, Baillie and Mutter were on that team. And the 400 free relay team of Tran, Mutter, Baillie and Gagliardo posted a seventh place in 3:47.58.
"It was a really great way to finish out the season," said Mutter, a captain on the Lancers as well.

The Lancers bounced around team score wise throughout the meet. They were 10th after the meet's first event, the 200 medley relay, and seventh after the third event, the 200 IM. They were 17th after the ninth event, the 200 free, with, to note, no Lancers points for events four through 10. Then, Gagliardo scored big, 16 points for third, in the 11th event, the 100 breast, bringing the Lancers into ninth.

"After Angela's second in the 100 breast, we were in a three-way tie for ninth," said Prothero, with Seattle Prep, Lakes and Edmonds Woodway all around the Lancers' team score.

Then the final 12th event came, the 400 free relay, and they picked up 24 huge points to hurtle off the competition and stay in the top 10 for the ending.

Gagliardo swam excellent in the 200 IM, with her time tops of among the 2A and 4A champs. The top 2A time was a 2:07.76 and the 4A winner swam a 2:05.72.

It's just that Gagliardo was swimming against Kim Williams, of Bellevue, who swam a 2:00.35, breaking the meet record of 2:01.20. Also, to note, Williams has been the Swimmer Of The Meet the last three years in a row. So, that's who beat Gagliardo, not to mention that's what it took to keep the Lancer from being a state champion.

"Kim's always real fast, at all big meets," said Gagliardo. "It's great to say I was able to swim right next to her."

For the race, Gagliardo had a game plan that followed the Prothero's advice, Sean and Marley.
"My club coach, Ash (Milad), Sean and Marley, they are my loudest supporters," said Gagliardo, who already has a Junior Nationals qualifying time in and 100 and 200 breast swimming for King Aquatic Club. "For the first butterfly leg, the coaches told me to take it out fast, and the back, too. They wanted me to stay with the pack of girls through the first two legs, and, I took it out as fast as I could. The second half, the breast and free legs, are mostly what I train in. So, I am more used to swimming those two."

The butterfly and backstroke, understandably, require more attention to detail for Gagliardo. They are harder strokes for her to do smoothly, and, thus, take more energy, right?

"Oh, yeah," said Gagliardo, speaking still of the four legs of the 200 IM. "After the fly and back, it hurts a lot, there's a lot of pain, but I can finish the breast and then it's just 50 yards of the free and trying to get my hand on the wall as fast as I can."

So, against Williams, the goal was not, really, to beat her, but to do something else.
.
"Goal was not to beat her but to close the gap, see how close I can get," said Gagliardo.
Marley Prothero, also, explained that Gagliardo doesn't show anything but fire going into races.
"She didn't come in with the attitude that second place was it," said Marley. "She came in with the attitude that nothing was impossible."

Gagliardo's success in swimming might shock some, as, she's experienced injuries but she's overcame them from a mindset that's solid, and, an ability to contain the pain.

"I was injured eight years ago, and, just two years ago, I found out my knees are not fully connected," said Gagliardo, speaking of tendons in there apart. "They won't ever be fully connected. The pain won't ever be fully better, but I've gotten over it."
Swimming is too much fun?

"Yeah," said Gagliardo, smiling. "Started finding that out when I was a little baby, started swimming when I was 18 months old."

So, you were born a fish?

"That's what my mom says," said, Gagliardo, smiling, whose been a huge part of Gregory Seahurst swimming for many, many years, helping that Seattle Summer Swim League team. And, her club coach, Milad, is for the King Aquatics year-round team, which is made up of the best swimmers, the serious swimmers in the state of Washington.

Why else is this sport seriously fun?

"My team is supportive, all here cheering for me."

And, what about your parents?

"They've inspired me, my dad's been a starter, officiating, since I started swimming at Gregory Seahurst, said Gagliardo, whose dad, John, was an official at this year's 2A, 3A, 4A state meets, judging stroke techniques, and, taking notes during the competition, in the event of disqualifications being needed. "My family, my parents, always say, 'If you're not having fun, stop.'"

And, Gagliardo, because she's only a junior, and, Williams, who beat her in the 200 IM, is a senior, that means that her admired foe, graduates now from high school state swimming. So, Gagliardo should be the odds-on favorite to win the 200 IM next season.

Of course another junior, Jocelyn Crawford of Garfield, did the 200 IM in 2:05.49, so less than half a second behind Gagliardo's time. So, that's something Gagliardo won't be glossing over. Also, Gagliardo was third in the 100 breast, and, Crawford beat her in it, 1:04.21 to 1:04.85.

"That was close. She is a great competitor," said Sean. "That will be a good showdown next year."
And, Gagliardo's made the Junior Nationals cut on time already and that's meaning not too far off in the distance could be an Olympic trial cut time. What's that time need to be?
"Not quite sure," said Gagliardo. "I have it on my phone."

And so, for Kennedy, yet, another good finish, which the school's grown accustomed to the last few years, including state championships back in early 2000. Sean's been around a few years more, but Marley came on board to the Lancers' swim program two years ago.
"We make a pretty good team," said Marley.

"Definitely," said Sean. "Last couple years, having Marley's eye, and, her knack for technique."
"And organization," interrupted Marley, laughing.
Sean paused, smiled his sister' way, and continued, "And, her knack for technique has really helped in developing the girls."

The Lancers look pretty good for the future, in the hands of the Protheros' whose dad, Mark, coached Kentwood to a state championship in 4A during his time with them, from 1997 through Marley's state years in the mid-2000s. Mark was also given 4A Coach Of The Year honors in 2003. Unfortunately, he died in April.

But the coaching legend looks to be in good hands with these two young Protheros leading.
"We return three of our relay memebers, Gil, Tran, Gagliardo," said Sean. "So, they will help us continue the tradition of success. We finished off the girls season strong and we should have a strong season for the boys (in the winter), too."