Mount Rainier swam close to Highline in a girls swim meet before taking off and winning, 124-46, in action at the soon-to-maybe-be-defunct Mount Rainier Pool Thursday.

The boosters, the city of Des Moines, the Sea-Tac government, the private money that’s been invested and is tapped out shortly in 2010 it looks. Tapped out like dried up water for who? For the kids. For the adults.

For the public swimming. For the private lessons. For everything. Swimmers will just have to learn to swim in the lake on a sunny, summer afternoon in the near future. And hopefully swim, swim, swim, instead of sink.

Highline started off well against the Rams, winning the first event – the 200 medley relay -- with a 2:10.31 to 2:10.38 finish difference.

“We got out-touched,” said Molly Larson, a Rams captain.

By seven-hundredths of a second, if those numbers are to be added up to fraction form. Larson individually won the 100 backstroke (1:07.24) and the 200 freestyle (2:04.88) and Larson was a state participant on the first and second place relay teams of the Rams.

“She’s a good captain, we have a solid group of captains,” said coach Crowder, mentioning Rachel Althauser, Stephanie Reusch and Megan Biehn.

The relay on this day in sunny September was won by the good Pirates, however, with names like Blacke Henley, Nicki Garnett, Noel Allen, Merissa Mitchell, whose coach, Robin Hoof, would have proudly, excitedly watched as Crowder did watch.

“That was a fun race to watch,” said Crowder, remembering it well.

Robin Hoof coaches the Pirates usually, but she is battling cancer now and was not in attendance at this meet. It looks like she will not be coaching and teaching the kids for the rest of the season in this fun get-wet sport. She’s been a big part of the good swimming around here for a long time, including Hoof being the announcer of the diving portion of the WIAA state swimming and diving championships every year for the last several years.

Taking over for the Pirates is Kathleen Lilleness, little sister of David Lilleness, who captained and led the Mount Rainier boys swim team to several good finishes -- including a state championship in his senior year in 2001.

“Robin is sick so I am taking over for now,” said Lilleness. “They (Highline High School) called me up and asked if I would volunteer. And they ended up hiring me. Robin has been a coach for 20-plus years, but she is really sick now.”

So, out of the gate in this meet, Highline looked to take the bull by the horns, or, the ram, in this case. But then came the Rams with a choice after losing that first race: Sink or swim!

The Rams heartily came back loud and boisterous throughout the whole 11 events plus diving to win every single event after that except the 100 yard breaststroke as Garnett got in there first in 1:19.43.

Megan Biehn of the Rams won diving with a 149.15 score over Abigail Cate of the Pirates

Larson is leading this team but she is trying to lead herself to ironman, so to speak.

“My goal, I am going to qualify for every event,” said Larson.

Crowder was standing nearby.

“She’ll get there,” said Crowder.

So far, Larson has made time for state in the 100 breast, 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley.

For the others in the “state” wings, so to speak, for the Rams, that would include one of their excellent softball players of last spring, Sonny Dorhofer, Stephanie Reusch and Courtney Larson, who won the 100 back on this day in 1:07.24.

“She (Courtney Larson) is another one of our outstanding freshmen,” said Crowder, who named Jackie Beal in the good frosh category, too.

The diving looks good for districts for the Pirates with Cate, speaking of freshman, a frosh who took second on this day. She’s good for districts, she thinks of herself. State?

“I don’t think so,” she said, adding, “I will be there in a few more years.”

Cate also dives for Pacific Northwest Diving, a club team.

For Todd Wollenweber’s Mount Rainier divers, Biehn and third place in this meet, Jenna Reeves?

“Oh yeah, both are amazing,” said Cate. She is obviously humble, since Cate took second place.

The Pirates are awaiting a return by Hoof.

“We are trying to keep the team going,” said Lilleness, who was a Pirates swimmer a few years back. “We will try to have a fun season.”

Winners on this meet day not yet mentioned include the Rams’ 200 free relay team of Beal, Dorhofer, Molly Larson and Erica Young in 1:48.96. In the 400 free Larson, along with Rachel Webster, Michelle Reissig and Mackenzie Marrs, won in 4:07.87.

In the 500 free, Beal showed her freshman talent, winning it in 6:07.53. Dorhofer showed up first in the 100 freestyle in 58.15 and won the 50 free in 26.21. Marrs won the 200 IM in 2:19.71.