Sequim swimmers on to state

SHS athletes competing at the 2A state meet, Nov. 9-10, Federal Way:

Name Event

Sonja Govertsen 50 free, 100 free

Mia Coffman 200 free, 500 free

200 medley relay (Coffman, Govertsen, Jasmine Itti, Sydney Swanson)

200 free relay (Coffman, Govertsen, Itti, Swanson)

It took a little time, Sequim coach Bob Pease said, for Sequim freshman Mia Coffman to realize she was one of the top swimmers at the district meet.

Once that sank in, Coffman and the rest of the Wolves were off to the proverbial races.

Coffman and teammate Sonja Govertsen, both already qualified for this week’s Class 2A state swimming and diving finals, posted strong times in their events and helped Sequim take seventh place at the West Central District 2A meet in Renton Nov. 2 and 3.

We’ve got everybody going to state that scored at districts,” Pease said. “The kids improved times in most events. We didn’t swim real sharp on Friday, but on Saturday we were on fire.”

Coffman posted personal bests in both of her individual events — a seven-second improvement to take second place in the 500 free (5:30.10) and a fourth-place finish in the 200 free (2:05.38).

“She figured out as the meet went along she was one of the best kids there; it took her a while to figure that out,” Pease said.

Govertsen, a junior, raced to a pair of second-place finishes at districts, including a season-best 25.24 mark in the 50 free and a 55.88 effort in the 100 free.

Two Sequim relays are also headed to state. Already with their finals ticket punched, the Wolves’ 200 free relay team of Coffman, Govertsen, Jasmine Itti and Sydney Swanson took third place with a season-best 1:46.32.

The SHS quartet also placed seventh in the 200 medley relay with a 2:01.04 mark.

Itti also competed in the 50 free, finishing in 26.62 for an 11th place finish.

North Kitsap took top honors at the 19-team district meet with 303 points, followed by Lindberg and Port Angeles.

The Class 2A state swimming and diving championships are set for Nov. 9-10 in Federal Way, where the Wolves look to improve on their times this season and last year’s results.

“We’re looking to do better times at state, that’s for sure,” Pease said.

In 2017, Govertsen placed fourth in the 50 free and sixth in the 100 free, and the Wolves’ 200 medley relay squad was 11th. SHS’s 200 free relay team also competed but were disqualified before reaching the finals.