FEDERAL WAY - Sehome senior Zac Adams wore a smile as big as the trophy he was lugging off the pool deck at the King County Aquatic Center on Saturday, Feb. 18.
And why shouldn't he?
Even though Adams was not one of the Mariners who got to get in the competition pool on Saturday night and score points for his team, he had one of the best seats in the house to watch and cheer on his teammates to a fourth straight Class 2A state title in boys' swimming.
"The thing that makes this title so rewarding this year is the way all the guys on the team supported each other," Sehome coach Don Helling said. "I think it's a sort of vindication for the hard work they all put in and the belief they all had in each other. This team was exceptionally close, and they all got along and they all worked so hard - many of them during the offseason. This team really came together when we went and trained together down in California, and I think this is the reward for all the hard work they put in together. That's what makes this group special."
So does the fact that this year's seniors can claim to be a part of all four Class 2A state championship teams the state has ever known.
"It's pretty special," said senior Allen Cui, who was part of Sehome's winning 200 medley and freestyle relays on Saturday. "None of my friends at school can say they've won four state titles in their sports. ... We didn't know defeat here (at state). That's pretty awesome when you think about it."
It's something juniors Patrick Gregory, Curran Wilbour and Andy Small would like to be pondering a year from now, as Sehome hopes to continue its string and make sure that it remains the only team with its school name on the 2A state trophy.
"Guys like Allen and Casey (Klipsch) meant a lot to this team," said Wilbour, who had a pair of seventh-place finishes in the 200 and 500 freestyles on Saturday. "They had really big senior seasons, and they were great leaders for the rest of us. ... With guys like that gone, I think we're going to need at least one more guy to step up. Somebody like Will Hutchinson, who I think could have a really big year. If we have one or two of those type of guys step up, I think we'll be strong again."
Fortunately, Sehome received an infusion of young talent this year including freshmen Cole Avery and Isaiah Grambo.
Avery has already stepped forward as not only one of the better swimmers on the team, but in the state in the Class 2A ranks, helping Sehome win the medley relay title and claiming individual event wins in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke on Saturday.
"We knew coming in that Cole was a guy that had a strong background in swimming, and we knew he was going to be pretty good," Helling said. "I think right off the bat he showed what he could do, and tonight was just further proof of what he is capable of."
Grambo, on the other hand, was a bit of a surprise.
He took a big step forward at the district meet, when Helling decided to give him a spot on the 200 freestyle relay team, which went on to win the state title. The freshman also turned in times good enough to get into state individually in the 100 butterfly and IM, where he ended up qualifying for the finals and finishing fifth and seventh, respectively, in the events.
"I was just happy that I was able to contribute something to this team," Grambo said. "There are a lot of good swimmers on this team, and they really helped me along."
That's something the Mariners are going to need to continue to do next year to keep their string of titles going.
"I know it won't be easy for them," said Klipsch, who wrapped up his Mariner career by swimming the anchor legs on Sehome's championship 200 freestyle relay and second-place 400 freestyle relay teams and finishing third in the 50 and 100 freestyles. "Archbishop Murphy is going to be strong next year. They've got everybody back. But I have confidence in these guys. Hopefully I'll be able to come back here and cheer them on and see them win a fifth."
Reach David Rasbach at david.rasbach@bellinghamherald.com or 360-715-2271.
