Just another girls swimming meet for the Mount Rainer Rams -- a victory over Renton in every race placing first, second and third. That explains that in action at the Mount Rainier pool Thursday.

The Rams are undefeated in the Seamount League, poised to meet Kennedy Thursday.

But why was Jess Brown, a Rams diver, sobbing after the Renton meet?

Upset, against Renton, she just missed breaking her school's record was she? She missed breaking that team record by a mere 13 points!

"No, tears of joy," said Brown, laughing, red-faced, wet, crying, because, well, she and a literal two-hands full of other seniors were in their last Rams home pool meet. She actually has more meets to get the MR six-dive record, just not at her home pool.

And. for that crying, so to speak, the seniors, like Brown, all got carnations and blue and white balloons. It was all because of the love shown by their underclassmen expressed in microphone holding fashion, telling little things about them -- favorite song, future plans, etc.-- before the carnations were handed out. They were complete with baby breath white little flowers interlaced and Ram color balloons, white and baby blue.

There's no doubt that the Rams' girls swimming program is one of the best around here over the last decade, or two, or three. They've battled it out with Kennedy for those honors at least the last few years. Last year, the Lancers beat the Rams in the dual but then the Rams beat the Lancers in the league meet before Kennedy won districts again. A see-saw battle is one way to color it.

And it's been that way for years for the Rams being tops or near the top with the Lancers, after the Rams beat Kennedy in the Seamount League meet was something special for the Rams to see. Their coach, Omar Crowder, had to sing Brittany Spears', "Oops, I Did It Again,", which he was forced to sing on the bus home for losing a bet against the Lady Rams swim team for betting they would lose to Kennedy, perhaps.

So, healthy voice, and on key was Crowder..

"No, not at all," said Crowder. "My mom tells me I'm tone deaf."

But that was a good night and there was no doubt about that.

"Girls were excited, I was excited, Todd (Wollenweber) was excited. We were all excited, we were very, very happy that night."

Against Renton, the Lady Rams showed their stuff, their sportsmanship stuff. They seemingly even cheered louder for the losing Renton swimmers than their own. Well, just as loud, anyway. It was hard to hear inside the pool, ears were ringing if you were in there Thursday.

Afterward, the girls did their customary cheers and were already planning other things like what would follow up the nice flowers to the seniors.

A swimmer, Roxie Jobs, was on the very first Rams swim team in 1972. The girls gave her a balloon, too.

But this is a good, cheery program, and, it's been that way a long time.

Good spirit for foes and teammates alike.

"It's been here for a long time from what I understand," said Crowder, a second year coach. "Long before I came they have done things this way."

So, if you want it that way, it takes effort, more than a song, more than a dance, like Liz Althauser, a senior captain was saying as she was leaving the building following the Renton meet.

"For the Kennedy meet, we were hoping to go to dinner afterward," said Althauser to Crowder.

"Great, I will get on it," said Crowder.

It's going to be a good end of the season for the Rams in more ways than one. For one, the Kennedy meet.

"I am not going to call that meet," said Crowder. "But we are confident we will do better than last year."

The Rams lost by 20-something points last year in the dual meet between the two.

"It is a healthy rivalry," said Crowder.

Crowder pointed out Allyson Schumacher coming back to swim this year after a junior season off to focus on her club swimming as a good reason for more strength this season than last, a She was a top five finisher in the 200 and 500 her freshman and sophomore seasons at state.

She said she was still there last year at the big league meet though not a part of the victory or the following Spears singing by Crowder.

"I did get to watch, that was awesome, but I didn't swim," she said.

Crowder also pointed out Haley Gansneder as "much improved" and freshman all-around good swimmer McKenzie Marrs, who he said would "get to state", in quick talk on that kind of stuff.

On other stuff, like Brown, well, she still has a couple meets left to get that dive record for a six-meet dive. The record is currently held by 1993 record-maker, Terina Cook, with a 219.80. She graduated in '95. She will be going after the 11-dive record as well, obviously. Some duals only have six dive meets, but when they get to league, district, state meets, the 11 dives come into the picture.

"I still have some meets left to get the record," said Brown.

She's improved a lot from last year, where she just missed districts by 13 points, according to Rams dive coach Todd Wollenweber.

"She's really shining," said Wollenweber. "She's a showman, which is what it's about with diving."

The 11-dive record is 375.25 by Jenny Brown, also set by Jenny Emerson.

What's Brown seen change from last year to this year that has her better is easy to see, many things.

"My technique, my attitude for sure," said Brown. "I started to listen up."

To who?

"My coach, Todd," she said.

What about him?

"Oh my, I don't know where to start," she said. "I turn to him for more than a coach, for life. I could go on and on. He is a really great guy. He is clear and direct. Plus he dove in high school so he has experience to back it up."

So here come the Rams.

"Our team is pretty strong, a lot of good freshmen," said Hannah Pochepan, a captain like Althauser and also Annie Thompson.

So, ready for Kennedy?

"Yeah, we're gonna beat'em," said Pochepan. "They are always our best competition. I have a good feeling."