FEDERAL WAY — La Center’s Hailey Grotte loves to race so competing on the big stage at the state swimming and diving championships is where the junior has chosen to shine.
Grotte finished in second place in the 50-yard freestyle for the second straight season behind champion Eleanor Beers of North Kitsap in Poulsbo at the Class 2A meet. Grotte touched the wall at the aquatic center pool in a time of 24.07 seconds, behind Beers’ meet record of 23.17.
“I’m happy with the swim and I’m definitely swimming faster than I was last year which is exciting,” Grotte said. “I was hoping for that 23 (seconds) but a 24 is OK. Next year, definitely.”
Racing the 50 free is such a short race that all sprinters can do is practice their starts, turns and tempo. One mistake and the race is over, Grotte said.
Grotte met up with Beers again in the 100 freestyle, and, again, Beers came out on top. Grotte dropped 0.15 seconds off her prelim time from Friday but it wasn’t enough to catch Beers who blasted away the field to win in 50.75, a meet record. Grotte finished in 52.69.
Grotte, who swims the club season for Northwest Blue Crush Aquatic Club in Portland, said she enjoys racing against Beers, the three-time champion in both freestyle events.
“It’s incredible because she is so fast she makes me want to go even faster,” Grotte said. “My goal is to just beat her, so next year I’m hoping. I don’t know. I have confidence but she’s super fast.”
Grotte’s teammate Bryanna Ungs was the other top finisher for the Wildcats.
Ungs, a sophomore, accomplished her goal of making the podium again in the 100-yard breaststroke. Ungs was the second-fastest qualifier from Friday’s prelims and finished in second behind Aberdeen’s Anna Weber. Ungs finished fourth in the breaststroke last season.
At the district meet, Ungs flew to a time of 1:05, a first for her and it gave her the boost she needed heading to state with the hope of winning a championship.
“That’s my goal,” she said. “To place first in 100 breast.”
She came close but couldn’t topple defending champion Weber who touched the wall in 1:04.85. Ungs finished in 1:05.87. Ungs also placed third in the 200 individual medley in 2:12.32.
“She’s my age so I’m going to have her through all my high school season,” Ungs said of fellow sophomore Weber.
Ungs said she could have gone out faster in the first 50 yards but knew she could make up ground on Weber at the turn.
“I really worked my walls because that’s where I get her,” she said. “As I turn and push off, there I am in front, but her tempo is just so fast. But that last 25 (yards) was the hardest 25 of my life I have ever swam. I was losing all feeling in my body and I was just like, ‘Just go! Just go! Just go!’ ”
La Center finished 15th overall with 67 points.
