Mercer Island boys swim takes fourth consecutive state title in record fashion

By Matt Phelps • February 22, 2009 1:53 am
Islander teammates and fans cheer on a victory in state record time in the boys 400-yard freestyle relay event during the 3A state swim championship at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way on Saturday. Mercer Island also took the team title with a record 475 total points.
Islander teammates and fans cheer on a victory in state record time in the boys 400-yard freestyle relay event during the 3A state swim championship at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way on Saturday. Mercer Island also took the team title with a record 475 total points.

The Mercer Island boys swim team won its fourth consecutive state title Saturday by scoring a record 475 points. The next closest team, Mount Rainier, scored just 208 points.

Along with the points record, Mercer Island set new state records in the 400-yard freestyle relay (Tyler Benster, Kyle Schaeffer, Murray Longbotham and Alex Hoff – 3:06.71) and the 200-yard medley relay (Hoff, Longbotham, Andy Wingerson and Ian Fisk – 1:34.25).

The Islanders had individual state titles by Hoff in the 100-yard backstroke (49.79), Longbotham in the 100-yard butterfly (50.82), Beau Riebe in diving (445.75) and the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:27.71) Fisk, Schaeffer, Will Voit and Duncan Howard.

Mercer Island resident and Eastside Catholic sophomore Ethan Hallowell took home individual state titles in the 50-yard freestyle (20.58) and in the 100-yard freestyle (45.26).