Decatur Gators swimmers took seventh place overall and Thomas Jefferson Raiders junior Amy Friedhoff did best individually at the annual WIAA 4A State Swimming and Diving championships held at the King County Aquatic Center Nov. 10-11.

Friedhoff took second place in the 500-yard freestyle at state with a time of 5 minutes, 02.69 seconds and tallied third in the 200 free in 1:54.23 to get the highest placements of any swimmer from the Federal Way School District.

"Last year I was fifth in the 200 and second in the 500, so the same there, but I was a lot better timewise in both events," said Friedhoff. "I went 5:05 something last year and was three seconds better this year. Last year in the 200 I swam a 1:55.05 and this year was a second better."

So in swimming better means a lot more in the long run than placement does in the short run.

Friedhoff spoke of what has impressed her this season with her goals.

"I made my 200 IM state time for the first time this year," said Friedhoff, who could only swim two events per rules at state.

So she could have swum other events and done well, too. She even admitted that although not yet as fast as her big sister, Caitlyn, a few years back she was a top three finisher at state in the 100 and 50 free events, she was catching her.

"Caitlyn did a 51.6 in high school for the 100 and I am at 53.1 now," said Friedhoff. "So since I am not a sprinter that is pretty good."

Got a goal to beat her time?

"She is going down," laughed Amy.

Friedhoff is versatile out there. She could have swam state qualification times for the 200 IM and about every other event out there but goes where she's told.

"I don't really have a favorite event," said Friedhoff. "I just go out and swim wherever my coach puts me."

Her coach, Wendy Neely, just stated the obvious of Friedhoff, her prize pupil this past season.

"She is a good asset," said Neely.

And what do you expect of Friedhoff doing well next year, coach? Will she take first in those events she was top three in this year?

"Oh, wow, that is a long ways away," said Neely, laughing.

"I am going to win next year," said Friedhoff.

That settles it. Winning state, really, is the only conquest left for Friedhoff who has been the league and district champion.

Katie Matulic, for the Gators, was strong in the 200 yard Individual Medley even though her time in the final of 2:11.51 was not as good as her time in the preliminary race this year or last year.

"I swam a 2:10 in prelims last year and was eighth in the final, so I moved up five spots this year" said Matulic, who will be back again to move up some more places since she is only a junior.

That was her 200 IM, and she also swam in the 100 breaststroke. But that was not as good a finish for her, for reasons not quite known, she said.

"I don't know what is wrong with it (100 breaststroke), but I have been changing my stroke a lot in club (King Aquatic's year-round team)," said Matulic. "I've been focusing on that."

She has had to focus on other things affecting her performance.

"I had kidney stones and have been out of the water a lot this year," said Matulic. "And I think I have them again this year."

That was something that of course caused visible sadness on the face of Matulic, but she's a proven fighter who has been down, but certainly not out. Having another year, who knows, she could get first at state next year. Seems like stones or not, Matulic is going to get past it.

"I am trying to overcome them (kidney stones), my back is hurting now," said Matulic. "I will swim through them I guess."

Matulic's coach, Elizabeth Scott, in her first year, has done a good job making the season good for Matulic.

"I love our coach this year," said Matulic. "She is so much fun."

Scott was happy with seventh overall, for a variety of reasons.

"Expectations were high and they were met, overall, it was a great season," said Scott.

"We ended on a good note in the 400 free relay, they beat their time last year by a second and a half."

That relay took second in 3:40.88, with freshman Kira Alger, junior Danielle Alger, sophomore Briley Boggs and Matulic.

Other good race timers were the Todd Beamer Titans in the 200 medley relay, taking fourth with freshman Kelly Erickson, sophomore Jenelle Freeborn, freshman Jessica Soria, and sophomore Eryn Murphy doing a time of 1:54.90. Also, Murphy took fifth place in the 50 freestyle in 25.04. She just missed third in it, which was a 24:97 time. She was just fifth -- sixth place turned in a 25.05 time.

In the 100 butterfly, Briley Boggs was fourth in 59.49, just three hundredths of a second behind third place and just eight hundredths of a second ahead of fifth place's 59.57.

Boggs was 13th in the 50 free, too, in a 25.77 time. Boggs and Murphy are from different schools but both are sophomores so they will be competing against each other a couple more years.

In the 200 free relay, the Raiders had a team that made state in it, who were sophomore Anna Wallis, junior Elyse Bevers, sophomore Alexa Tavasci, and Friedhoff, but they did not qualify for the finals.

The Gators dropped a few places at state but were 8-1 in the South Puget Sound North Division, the first year the Kent and Federal Way schools, minus Todd Beamer, have been together.

"They took fourth last year but most of the girls were happy with their swims," said Scott. "Everyone swam their best. Last year's team may have had a better place but we had 15 more points overall this year than last year and we are pretty positive about that."

Decatur took eighth in the 200 medley relay with Matulic, Jill Heydon, Briley and Alyssa Boggs doing a 1:56.56.

In the 100 breast, Matulic was in the consolation finals, missing the top eight final race by three spots in her second individual race at state. She clocked in at 1:10.48.

Decatur's seventh place was nestled between Juanita's sixth place points of 111 and South Kitsap's 111 in eighth. First place was Inglemoor with 190 points.