By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

As expected, Kennedy handled the Highline, Evergreen, Tyee, conglomeration, swimming as one team but with separate team scores recorded, with the Lancers posting a 144-34, win by the Pirates, and 153-8 by the Wolverines, and, 153-5, by the Totems, respectively, in high school girls swim league action at the Foster Pool Thursday.

The bright spot for Highline's team was senior diver Sophia Cassam, who won that portion of the meet with a 208.30 total, beating out all Kennedy's divers, taking second, third and fourth places, respectively.
But Kennedy's depth at swimming won out, deeply, in this meet, and, the Lancers have been a swimming power, not just in the Seamount League with multiple championships, but powerful all the way to state, too.

Kennedy has been 3A state champion in girls swimming before and eclipsing that high-water mark, the Lancers won state twice, back to back years, in 2007 and 2008.

So, as expected, Lancers coach Sean Prothero's team is on course for another good girls swim season, as, to note, he was assistant coach under head coach Mark Stock for those state championship wins. And, this season's league champion will be likely known after Kennedy strokes, and, dives, versus Hazen at their foe's place next Thursday.

"Next Thursday against Hazen will be indicative of how the season turns out. I expect everyone to bring their 'A' game."

A little incentive, to note, too, the Lancers took second place last season in the Seamount, losing to Hazen in that dual meet.

Leading the charge for the Lancers in this latest meet, as well as this season, is Angela Gagliardo, a junior, who individually raced in the finals last year in two events at state, the 200 yard individual medley, and the 100 yard breaststroke. And Gagliardo teamed with teammates for relay qualifications in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays, also.

Talking after the Highline meet, and being this first league meet of the season's top winner, having won the 200 free (1:57.66) and the 50 free (25.83), it was learned that Gagliardo might be going farther than just state this season, as far as doing well is concerned in her swimming career down the road.

"I'm only three seconds away from making the cut in the 200 breaststroke and 2-3 seconds off the cut in the 100 breaststroke," said Gagliardo.
"The cut" refers to the Olympic trials cuts, as in doing that kind of cut means Gagliardo would head to Omaha, Nebraska in 2017 to compete for one of the spots on the USA Olympic Swim Team.

At state in the two aforementioned events, it was learned that Gagliardo was capable of having competed at state in any race there, breast, butterfly, backstroke, or, free.

"Weren't you iron woman too," said Michelle Callson, a captain, and, senior, on the team, talking alongside Gagliardo as she talked last year's state performances.

"Yes, I was,"said Gagliardo, answering Callson's question.
Iron woman, which is doing what?

"I qualified for state in every race," said Gagliardo.

What places did you finish at state last year in your races?
I was fourth in the 200IM and third in the 100 breast," said Gagliado.
And, still, keeping up with her friend's words, Callson, who swims with Gagliardo for year-round swim club team, King, was right there to prompt her underclassman teammate again.

"Weren't you also considered for All-American, too," said Callson.
"Yes," said Gagliardo. "I got All-American Consideration honors, too."
Maybe, Callson could be Gagliardo's manager for if she gets to the Olympics?

"Oh, I'll be your manager," said Callson, at the mention of the word. "Rio De Janiero (2016 Summer Olympics locale). I will go with you wherever you go. Where are the trials?"

"I don't know," said Gagliardo.

"Somewhere back Midwest, someone told me," said Gagliardo.

"Yeah," said Callson, all in on this sudden thought.

And, fortunately, standing nearby was a young man, whom Prothero also mentioned as his assistant coach, Anthony Sampson, able to help the two out.

"The trials are in Omaha," he said.

The dustbowl Nebraska location didn't deter Callson one bit.
"I'm legit," said Callson. "I should be your manager."
"Yeah, OK," said Gagliardo.

"Yes," said Callson. "Definitely, I'm going. All the way. Manager gets to go everywhere."

And, does Gagliardo think she has a legitimate chance to make Olympic Trials.

"I hope so," said Gagliardo."I have until the end of my senior year to make the cuts."

And her manager was right there to spur her on one more time.
"She'll do it," said Callson.

Ok, that all said there, what about the Lady Lancers swim team as a whole this season?

Prothero is managing this team of girls that are having a lot of fun together, 43 of them now, which is 13 more than last year's team so that's a bit of a jump in numbers.

"This is the largest team I've ever coached since I've been here," said Prothero, adding, 'which is extremely stressful at some times."
How so?

"It's just hard to manage 43 bodies, but I have good managers, coaches."
And, Callson and Gagliardo spoke about their big team this season.
And, Natalie Mutter is a senior, captain on the team, along with Alison Horne. And, Mutter, enjoys her part of helping the team out.
"We have massive swimmers," said Mutter. "Fun to be captain. Fun to be growing the solidarity of the team, through cheering and support of our divers and swimmers.

And, Mutter, true to form, was cheering on teammates in races like being heard shouting, "Go Hailey. Go McKenna," in the 500 free.

Mutter went to state last year as an individual in the 50 free, going 26.33 through the water, and also participated on relays last year and the two previous seasons as a sophomore and freshman.

But, the 50 free is a race Mutter wanted to talk about, her race to love.

"I love it," said Mutter. "That's my favorite event. It's a fast paced race. The fastest race of all the events at state. Times can be within a 100th of a second of making state or not."

And, to the coach, Prothero, the girls had a lot to say about him.
"He's a really wonderful influence for people on our team," said Mutter. "Always willing to work with you and help people improve. He's helped me to do races that I'm not comfortable with that I've grown to love, which is the 100 free."

And, Callson said, "He's like everyone's friend and everyone is friends at practice because of Sean."

Gagliardo added, "He brings everyone together."

Rachel Loy's Highline team, with Evergreen and Tyee, is the polar opposite of the Lancers in a lot of ways, but sheer numbers is not one of those ways.

"We have 43 swimmers on the team but only three have swam competitively," said Loy. "Most of my swimmers are brand new swimmers."
Loy mentioned this is the first year Tyee's had a girls swim team, so, that's a plus, and, also a plus is Emma Murray, a senior, swimming for Highline but going to Evergreen.

"She will go to state in the 100 breast, 200 free," said Loy. "She's gone to state twice."

Murray likes what she sees on the team this year, and, to note, Murray did not compete in this meet because of injury but will be better soon and out there in competition helping her team get a good number more points.

"We have a lot bigger team this year, hoping for a lot better than two getting to state."

And Cassam, from Aviation High School, swimming for Highline, said of her diving, in which she took 11th at state last season, "This year they adjusted the dives lower so the stakes are higher for going to state. As a 2A school, we should be higher up in the rankings."

Prothero liked swimming first meet of season against Loy's team, saying "She's fun," to coach swimmers alongside. And, Prothero, too, said his team's chance of being Seamount League champs, hopeful chance, will be a little tougher with senior, graduated swimmer, state point-getter, Vanessa Moffett, not there.

"She swam the 500 free and 100 fly, she was a four time state qualifier," said Prothero of Moffet, who also was on two sixth place finalist relays teams, the 200 medley and 400 free at state last season.

In this meet, the Lancers' Angelica Gil, Hannah Bailey, Gagliardo and Mutter won the 200 medley in 1:57.68. And, Baillie took the 200IM in 2:16.90 and Abby Fenster touched first in the 100 fly in 1:11.87 and Mutter snagged the 100 free in 1:00.87 and McKenna Schilling won the 500 free in 6:43.34. And, in the 200 free relay, Teresa Tran, Terra Nguyen, Callson and Mutter, teamed for first in 1:56.23. And, Gil won the 100 back in 1:10.05 and Nancy Cong beat in the 100 breast in 1:18.37. And, in the meet's last event of the meet, it was the 400 free relay team of Gagliardo, Baillie, Cong, Mutter, winning in 4:12.24.

"We are a lot better as a team, more connected," said Callson. "If bad race, everyone is around to lift each other up."

"Like a family, "said Gagliardo. "Most of my best friends are on the team. We have fun coaches."