Todd Beamer's girls swimmers altogether came close to being first place at districts, and, that's not too bad, considering that almost all their major placers still have a year, or two, or three, left. They altogether helped the Titans set a district record in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

Thomas Jefferson's Amy Friedhoff individually shined and Decatur diver Angela Hansen won to headline the West Central District III meet at the Rogers High School Pool Saturday.

Titans coach Sue Bergman clutched a nice bronze colored piece of shiny plastic saying Todd Beamer got second place.

"I brought eight girls to that (Bergman pointed toward the screams of first place finisher Gig Harbor and their swimmers getting a picture)," said Bergman.

Yeah, to that, and that was referring to the many, close to 20 girls representing Gig Harbor in finals at state.

"So I couldn't be more happy," said Bergman. "The kids knocked themselves out."

The Titans led by 30 points going into the final event, too. Actually it was closer for the Titans to a 50-point lead after the 10th event. But, sigh, the Titans didn't have any swimmers, count'em, one, in the final two events. And close as this meet was between first and second place, every point counted. The Tides, in contrast, had two swimmers, including the top seeded time swimmer in the 11th event and then the top-seed relay time in the 12th event. Hard to win against that.

The Titans were the second alternate in the final 12th 400 free relay event with their 4:06.65 time, to note. But it was three seconds off the sixth best consolation final time of 4:01.42. That was the difference, too, making it into that consolation 400 free relay final would have been nice. It would have given the Titans a chance at points, and, all they needed was three to win it all.

"They got second alternate (in the 400 free relay)," said Bergman. "Almost. Next year. All the girls are returning except one."

The Titans lost the meet by two points: Gig Harbor 170, Todd Beamer 168.

The other hope of victory for the Titans directly related to the Tides flopping in the final event. Why? Because, trailing by 30 points as aforementioned, for the Tides to come in anything but first place in the 12th 400 free relay event would give Beamer first place. The Tides won the final event, which was as predicted. The Tides did have the fastest time in prelims and did not disappoint in finals as the top seed, unfortunately.

Anyway, all said, it was a good effort by the Titans at districts, headed by Rachel Kim, a freshman. She took second in the 100 yard backstroke (1:00.21) and fourth in the 200 yard IM (2:15.42).

"We worked really hard at this meet," said Kim. "We lost by two points. I guess we have to recruit more people. We are young. Hopefully some freshmen can come in and help. Just a couple more swimmers and I think we could have got it."

So, you were rooting for the Tides in the 12th and final event to get a cramp, be disqualified, or just plain swim lousy?

"Yeah, I guess," said Kim, laughing some.

That's mean!

"Yeah, she said. "But when it decides your getting second or first..."

Yep, first place in a relay gets 32 points and second gets 26. So, that's a six point difference.

Kim spoke the truth. She spoke of 'team,' in what she said above, and, she said a lot in saying that her team was close to getting 'it,' as in first at districts. With only eight swimmers to the Tides' 20-something in the finals, winning would have been a big upset and it would have been a big improvement, too, over last year's Titans finish at districts. Last year, Bergman said her team was closer to 10th place. So, big improvement. The Titans also were second in their SPSL South league last year and this year were first.

"We were eighth or ninth last year, but I honestly don't remember our place (at districts)," said Bergman.

She knew one thing for sure.

"No trophy," she said, speaking of last year. This year the top two teams are the only ones that bring home hardware to their school's trophy case.

The other big trophy swim, so to speak, was the one by the Titans that nabbed them the announcer saying the Titans had set a new district record in the 200 free relay. That team was sophomores Jessica Soria and Kelly Erickson, junior Eryn Murphy, and, Kim. Their time was 1:42.44, and the old record was 1:42.59. Not only that but the Tides in that event were a 1.5 second edge in time after prelims before the Titans beat them in the final by a full second about.

"Did you see us beat the pool record," said an excited Bergman, after watching that relay effort turn a lot of heads, both for it's youth and for beating the top seed Tides.

"I knew they had it in them to go that fast," said Bergman. "They did the magic, they pulled the rabbit out of the hat. I am really proud of them."

Another good bit of swim magic, so to speak, came, once again, from Thomas Jefferson senior Amy Friedhoff. The Raider took first place in the 200 yard free in 1:54.44 and the 500 free in 5:04.03, just like she did last year at districts before going on to good finishes at state.

"My best time in the 500 is 5:01, so I am really happy with that," said Friedhoff. Typically, a district time in a distance event, like the 200 or 500, can easily be outdone by five or more seconds at state. That because at state most put full effort into it and are not training dually for club year-round teams, like Kim, for King Aquatics, and Friedhoff for Valley Aquatics, for example, and they are not tapered and are rested and ready to do your best for a big crowd at state.

And, in the 200 free, Friedhoff is swimming toward what should be a big finish for her season at state.

"I went a (one minute) 54.44," said Friedhoff. "Only a half second off my best which is 53 something."

Last year, Friedhoff took second in the 500 and third or fourth, she didn't remember, in the 200.

"I have really hard competition," she said. "I am looking forward to it."

It looks like D-1 school San Jose State, to note, will be getting Friedhoff's services in swimming once she graduates in June '07.

"I haven't verbally committed but I think I am going to San Jose State," she said. "It was the only trip that right off the plane I was saying, 'I am going there. My brother actually lives in San Jose. That's an added bonus.'"

Peter Friedhoff swam strong for the Raiders in the 2000 time-frame.

Decatur coach Elizabeth Scott had a small team, like Beamer, in the final day of competition at districts. But several did well, including junior Briley Boggs, winning the 100 yard butterfly in 58.75, just ahead of the Titans' Jessica Soria, in at 59.79, and Erickson, 1:01.78, was third. Boggs also took third in the 50 free in 25.76, and, in that one, the Titans' Murphy took first in 25.37. She also took second in the 100 free to cap her good districts day. A freshman, Kaia Barth, of Federal Way was fifth in 26.11 in the 50 free. Boggs' teammate, senior Katie Matulic, took second in the 200 yard IM in 2:11.04. That was a great improvement over her prelim time of 2:12.41.

And the Gators' Kelsey Crowder was fourth in the 500 free in 5:25.10.

Scott was happy as predicted.

"The girls did really well," said Scott. "We had a smaller team this year, but the girls did phenomenal with what we had."

She mentioned that she expects some to do best for her team at state.

"I think Briley and Katie have the best chance," said Scott. "This is Katie's first time at state. I think she will step it up. Briley trains hard. I think they will shine."

The relay team of Boggs, Matulic, freshman Annamarie Ciotta, and Crowder took first (seventh overall) in the 200 yard medley relay in 1:59.43. They will all be doing that event at state together for that good finish.

Scott mentioned their good diving, too, that was a bright light this year at districts, with Hansen taking first and Jacqueline Robinson fifth.

TJ also had a relay team in the 200 free that maybe made state. They were junior Alexa Tavasci, senior Elise Bevers, Savannah Coe, and Friedhoff.

"I am happy with our 200 free relay," said Friedhoff. "We bettered our time of last night."

Speaking of Coe, the freshman made it to state in the 100 breast with a eighth place swim of 1:11.92. Jenelle Freeborn of Todd Beamer just missed in 1:12.04.

Decatur was fifth and TJ took eighth. Even with having only one (consolation final) swimmer in the final 11th and 12th two events, Todd Beamer still was way ahead of third place finisher, Stadium, with 149 points.