This story is part of The Columbian’s High School Winter Sports 2017-18 Preview, available in the Sunday, Dec. 17 print edition.
The Camas boys swimming team knew early it was going to be a great day.
It wasn’t just when Mark Kim repeated as 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle state champion that the Papermakers began making waves at the state swimming championships in February in Federal Way.
Senior Finn McClone remembers the 500 freestyle “B Final,” the slower of two final heats. Austin Fogel, then a sophomore, won despite being a half body length behind in the final 50 meters.
“Even though it wasn’t a lot of points, you saw that your teammate had done well,” McClone said. “You think, now I have to do well to support the team.”
Camas rolled to its first boys swimming state title not just because of its three individual state titles and one relay championship. Swimmers up and down the roster overachieved. McClone and Chris Xia, who entered seeded 20th or below in the 100 freestyle, swam their way into the finals. All three relay teams finished third or better.
For Kim, winning the state team title was as big a thrill as twice repeating as an individual champ.
“Sophomore year, when I took the 200 and 500 titles, it wasn’t really complete,” Kim said. “I wanted everyone to share in the experience of being on top.”
This season, Kim wants everyone to share in the experience of defending a title. The Papermakers return state finalists in Kim, McClone, Xia, Fogel, Jaden Kim and Eric Wu.
Camas aims to bring the same spirit into this season that boosted it at the state championships.
“We were coexisting as a team,” said Wu, who finished third in the 200 individual medley and fifth in the 100 breaststroke. “We’ve known each other for a really long time. A lot of us have been swimming since we were 6 or 7 years old.”
But swimming for Camas doesn’t mean everyone is in the same pool together all the time. Many balance practice for different clubs with their high school team. For some, that can mean two hours of practice in the morning, another two hours in the afternoon, plus running, weights or other dryland training.
“We don’t swim with each other year round,” Fogel said. “So when we do swim together, we’re always cheering each other on.”
The Papermakers will try to replace Tom Utas, who graduated after winning the 50 freestyle state championship.
But they have a bona fide leader in Kim, a senior who last month received a “letter of assurance” to swim at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. It guarantees a spot on the team once he completes the academy’s rigorous application process.
Kim recalled the buildup to last year’s state meet. It’s a rush he hopes to repeat, along with gathering his third state titles in the 200 and 500 free.
“All the training of the past four months had led up to that one day,” Kim said. “We were all pulling everything together. That was really exciting.”
Swimmers to watch
Josh Bottelberghe, Columbia River: The senior set Class 2A state meet records in the 200 freestyle and 100 breastroke. The reigning All-Region swimmer of the year, he has signed to swim at Notre Dame.
Jaden Kim, Camas: A sophomore, he placed second in state last year in the 100 butterfly.
Finn McClone, Camas: The senior placed fifth in state in the 100 backstroke and seventh in the 100 free.
Rob Mead, Columbia River: The senior was last year’s state champion in the 100 freestyle and was runner up in 100 backstroke.
Isaiah Ross, Washougal: The junior set a district meet record in the 500 freestyle last season. Placed third in the 200 freestyle and fourth in the 500 freestyle at the state championships.
Eric Wu, Camas: The junior broke a 12-year-old district meet record in the 100 breastroke. At state, he finished third in the 200 individual medley and fifth in the 100 breastroke.
Ilia Zablotovskii, Evergreen: Has already swam state qualifying times in 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke.
Key dates
Jan. 13, Kelso Invite: Thirteen Clark County teams are among 18 to gather for one of Southwest Washington’s largest regular-season meets.
Jan. 27, Southwest Washington Invite: Mark Morris in Longview hosts a meet that gathers nearly every team in the area.
Feb. 9-10, District Meets: State berths are on the line at 3A-4A meet in Kelso and 1A-2A meet in Longview.
Feb. 16-17, State Championships: The state’s best swimmers gather at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way where champions will be crowned.
