by Ed Shepherd
Sports Correspondent

Not in terms of first or second place, or, even, top eight in the state, but both West Seattle Wildcats' Gabrielle Carufel and Evergreen Wolverines' Emma Murray, swam tops, for getting to state, and, making the consolation finals of the WIAA 2A Girls State Swimming And Diving Championships meet held at the King Country Aquatics Center in Federal Way on Nov. 14-15.

Wildcats' coach, Blake Hurd said of his swimmer, Carufel, "It's been a good meet, coming off a short week with the holiday. And, she's battled two shoulder injuries, a hyper-extended ankle, and, a hyper-extended toe. I'm very proud of her."

Hurd also mentioned, Anne Williamson, who made it to state in the 100-yard breaststroke, but she took 20th on Friday in the preliminary heats day, and, did not make finals on Saturday.

"She wild-carded into state," said Hurd of Williamson. Swimmers, who do not have a state-cut time can allocate or 'wildcard' into state by selection of having a time that's comparably better than other times from 3A district meets going on simultaneously, prior to the state meet.

"Anne and Gabrielle are co-captains, and, our team has 13 girls, and, they are our two state qualifiers," said Hurd.

And, for Evergreen, Murray's coach, Rachel Loy, coaching a Tyee/Highline/Evergreen co-op team, said of her swimmer, "I'm really proud of her. She's been to state three years with me. She's team captain. Emma's kept Evergreen on the map when it comes to girls high school swimming."
Both swimmers, Carufel and Murray, have physical histories that could have kept them from making state this season.

Starting with Carufel, she, as her coach, Hurd, alluded, has been working with shoulder injuries this season, and, last season, too. And, speaking of it, Carufel made it to state last season but didn't make it past the preliminary heats on day one. Then, additionally, to the clavicle area, muscular pain, Carufel's toe and ankle have been a recent bother, too.

Was the toe or ankle from something happening in the water, swimming, like how the shoulder injuries developed?
"I fell down a flight of stairs," said Carufel, who took 7th in the 100-yard backstroke, consolation race, 15th, overall, at state, in 1:02.07. "I was just walking down stairs and I slipped."
That's how the toe fell out of sorts.
And, what about the ankle?
"Just kind of came up," said Carufel. "I was doing heavy (weighted) jump ropes, and, I did a big kick-set, and, I hurt it."
And, that latter injury happened two weeks prior to districts.
So, lesson of the story, no more jump roping so close to state, when one must qualify through districts, unless a state-cut time, or, allocation time is made?
"At least, no more weighted jump rope," said Carufel.
And, who was it having Carufel do weighted jump roping so close to the district and state meets? Who's the culprit?
Hurd laughed at that, and, was quick to say, too, "Not me. I was tapering her for districts and state.

"Tapering" means cutting down on a swimmer's work-out activity, less strenuous lap swimming, less days/hours in the water. And, Carufel swims year-round for high-quality, competitive team, King Aquatics. So, that, kind of, explains, the jumping rope suspect.
So, potential is there, for Carufel, it sounds like, to do quite well next season, with toe, ankle, all better, shoulders, too, hopefully, feeling much better, as she's a junior.
"Next year, we'll try to be completely healthy," said Hurd.
And, a prediction on that potential, for Carufel, is quite good, then?
"If she doesn't have injuries, trains hard in the off-season, I think, she can win state," said Hurd, mentioning, too, that he's hoping to send a medley relay team to state next season too. "Goal for that team would be top eight."

And, moving, now, to Murray, who, really, for the Wolverines, has helped them as she doesn't have to, but wants to help. She's, actually, attended Aviation High School, near Boeing Field, all her high school years, freshman, sophomore, junior and, now, senior. But, Murray's address is either in Evergreen's school area or Highline's, from split parents, living in two different places.And, Murray has chosen the former address to reprensent.
But, Murray's adversity in swimming rivals Carufel's, maybe, even, more so, as she could not even swim the first month and a half of the high school swimming season, she was out all of September and half of October.
"I didn't train the first half of the season," said Murray, who took 8th in the 500-yard freestyle consolation finals, 16th, overall, in 6:03.28. "They thought I had torn my meniscus in my knee, and, it ended up being just a strain."

And, Murray's state race time, undoubtably, would have been faster but she had issues with her swim cap, almost, coming off, during the race. She was crying a little, afterward, from it, ok, she burst into tears, as she left the pool. But, her coach, Loy, quickly came over to Murray, and, put her arm around her, and, let her know what was important.

"I told her, 'You did great. You are 16th place in the entire state, so, I don't want to see any more tears,'" said Loy. "She don't know this but she's going to get the Robin Hoof Inspirational Award for our team."
Hoof was a longtime coach for Highline swimming, very well respected by the girls of that team, and, community. She also announced the state diving competition for several seasons. Hoof died of breast cancer a couple years ago.

So, Loy's just kind of had swimming coaching drop into her lap.

"I never expected it but I, really enjoy it," said Loy. "I've been around swimming a long time, I was on the swim team 20 years, was a lifeguard. My mom was a swim coach, and, my oldest brother. These girls are so great, some got to districts and were first-time swimmers. They mean so much to me. I could start crying right now. Best job I've ever had."