Federal Way High School landed the 4A state academic champions award for it's boys swim team with a grade point average of 3.63 in WIAA boys swim and dive state championships action at the King County Aquatic Center Feb. 16-17.

"We are state academic champions," said Carla Boone, the Eagles' head coach. "All the kids that swam varsity and that is out of all the 4A schools in the state."

There were good reasons that the Eagles had such a good team cumulative g.p.a. of its 25 or so swimmers this season.

Pretty good group to work with?

"Excellent," said Boone. "They just take the instruction and they go with it. They are always asking for ways to improve themselves, which is fantastic."

There were a couple good state finishes for the Eagles.

Cameron Moak was third in the consolation final of the 50-yard freestyle event in 22.86, seventh in the consolation final of the 100 free in 49.85, and Eric Ball finished eighth in the 100 breaststroke in 1:03.13.

"I am on my way up," said Moak, a junior. "I want to be better next year."

The Decatur Gators were state champs at the 4A level in 2005, a short two years ago. And before that third and close to it a year or two before that. So they have been traditionally good as a team. The backs of their shirts say, "Got Speedo."

"We didn't have a lot of speedo today," said Gators coach Rick Dennison. "We had 'em on, but that was about it."

There were no sterling firsts from Gator swimmers, like Eric Johnson two years ago, or first place relays like two years ago, or seconds in races like Erich Matulic. No, not even close. But these swimmers had fun, and, they can at least say they still had the highest placing individual finish of any swimmer from the four Federal Way schools -- seventh.

That honor belonged to Tommy Cunningham, a junior for the Gators who swam hard in the 50 free in 22.47. It was good but...

"I had higher hopes, but I can live with it," said Cunningham, who swam his best though, all things considered. "I didn't make finals in '06."

Cunningham was also gunning for a final top eight spot in the 100 free, but did not make it quite fast enough in prelims so he settled for being in the consolation final and taking third with a time of 49.27.

"I could have made that top heat," said Cunningham. "I should have given more effort in prelims."

Cunningham has friends from all over. He (Cunningham) was talking with Sam Conklin after his race, watching Cunningham, Moak, Bal and others like Keith Arns, a Gator who took eighth in the consolation of the butterfly, and maybe watching Todd Beamer's Shane Clare, who took second in the 200 IM consolation final as a sophomore.

Were you swimming too, Sam?

"No, I was watching," said Conklin. "I am on Federal Way's team."

Supporting fellow swimmers from the area was Gator swimmer R.J. O'Farrell, a senior, who made it to state but not to day two. Spoke of the difficulties with the weather.

"We had just got in good workout shape, then the storm comes," he said. "And then you come back a month later and are expected to perform three meets per week. And it just wore us out."

O'Farrell had a good season and was watching fellow swimmers despite not being in the action himself. It speaks of good team unity from the schools in this area despite not being even close to a top 15, let alone top 10 team this year points wise at state.

"I dropped a second and a half in my 50 free yesterday," said O'Farrell of his seeding swim that was good improvement but not good enough to advance. "And I dropped five seconds in my 100 breast."

In diving, Todd Beamer sophomore Tommy Fraychineaud took 10th with 297.90 points.