Ugur Plans His Weekend -- Newport Swim Star Expected To Add To List Of State Titles

Ugur.

"The guy's amazing," said Curtis High swim coach Jim Baurichter. "He's the greatest swimmer that ever swam in this state, that's for sure."

Ugur.

"I think a lot of people look at our team and say, `They do good because of Ugur,' " said Newport Coach Barbara Chase.

Ugur.

"There's nobody really that can touch him, and I think everybody knows that," said Chinook Club Coach Jack Ridley.

It is Ugur who probably will win two more individual state Class AAA titles, Ugur who probably will break two more state records, Ugur who probably will give Newport a 40-point head start as it tries for its first state boys swimming title at the swimming and diving championships tonight and Saturday at the King County Aquatics Center in Federal Way.

No one ever has dominated the sport at the high-school level in this state as has Newport senior Ugur Taner. Not Mercer Island's record-setting Andy Lloyd, who won five championships in four seasons. Not anyone.

"You could probably take three P.E. kids and win a (state title) relay with him," Baurichter said. "He's in another league by himself."

Like Pele. Magic. The Babe.

Ugur.

He owns state records in the 200-yard freestyle, 50 free, 100 butterfly and 100 free - setting them in his past four state-meet races.

In three seasons at state he has finished first in all six events he was allowed to enter - denied a perfect record only by an illegal turn that disqualified one of his victories as a freshman.

"At the time, I was upset. I just felt like I was cheated," he said of the DQ. "I don't feel that bad about it anymore." But, he added, "It would have been nice."

It would have made him the only swimmer in state history to win two events as a freshman. As it is, he probably will have to settle for becoming the only swimmer in state history to win seven events in four seasons.

-- This season, Ugur has bettered the 50 free mark he will try to officially break tomorrow (only times established during state-meet competition are considered state records).

-- At the Husky Invitational in December, he swam the 100 fly - the other event he has entered this weekend - in 48.8 seconds, 2/10ths of a second faster than his record-setting time of a year ago.

-- For the first time in high school, he has tapered for the state. Until this season, there was always a national meet to shoot for after state, so state was little more than a tuneup. This weekend, he will shave. This weekend, make no mistake, will be Ugur's weekend.

What motivation could he possibly have to put more distance between himself and everyone else at the meet?

The national public-school records for the 50 free (20.16 seconds) and 100 fly (48.49).

His personal bests are .14 of a second from the 50 free record and .31 of a second from the 100 fly record.

"It's possible, if I do my best," he said. "It's the one thing I'm concentrating on."

Chase: "I think he's got a very good chance. He's so focused and so determined to accomplish his goals. I think it's a 93-percent chance he'll get them - at least one, the 100 fly.

"We've seen Ugur really in an unrefined state for the last few months now. That's something you tend to kind of forget."

Ugur.

It shouldn't be hard to remember that name after Saturday.

Meet outlook

-- Newport should get 20 points each for Taner's 50 free and 100 fly titles, and should place high in whichever two of the three relays he anchors. Relays are worth double the points of individual events.

"I think a lot of people look at us and say, `Oh, Newport's going to take the cake,' " Chase said. "We're going in with the attitude if we have our best meet, we have a chance. I feel we have a shot at making the top three. I would be happy with anything in the top four."

Newport finished fourth last season and comes in this season with three relays - at least two of them very strong - and five swimmers qualified for individual events. The Knights will not be represented in only the 100 freestyle. If Brad Watson, Kris Kluthe, Brian Pink and Gabe Carper can pull off some top-eight finishes, Newport might win it.

But first the KingCo Conference champions must get past league opponents Issaquah and Bellevue, along with possibly even greater threats from Port Angeles and the Tacoma tandem of Curtis and Wilson.

Wilson, which won every state title from 1960 to 1983 then won again in 1989 and '90, returns 100 free champ Rob Loose along with six more individual qualifiers and three relay teams.

Curtis might be the mathematical favorite with what appear to be the strongest three relay teams and nine individual qualifiers, including four seeded in the top 15 for the 100 freestyle.

Bellevue has the top-seeded 200 medley and 400 free relay teams, but with each individual allowed only two relays, the difference between the front-running schools might be who has the strongest third team.

"Curtis looks strong across the board," Chase said. "And definitely with Issaquah, Bellevue and Newport - we'll have to give up one of those relays to go for the other two. Anybody who could place three relays high could have a real advantage."

Although strong in the relays, Curtis will be hard-pressed to contend for an individual title.

"We call ourselves the Who-Dat Kids," Baurichter said. "When we get there, they'll be saying, `Who are those kids?' "

Bellevue's four individuals are led by Cam Gravrock, who returns to defend his 200 individual medley championship.

Issaquah has six individuals and three relay teams qualified, led by Ross Croasdell, seeded second in the 200 free and 100 free.

Port Angeles, led by Aaron Dean, the top seed in the 100 breast and second seed in the 200 IM, has four individuals and three relay teams qualified.

Port Angeles, Issaquah and Wilson will each go without a qualifier in two events. Bellevue will try to survive without anyone in three events.

"I'm really excited," Chase said. "I think it'll be a great meet."

. STATE SWIM MEET. . At Federal Way. Aquatics Center. . Friday - Class AA-A state preliminaries, 11:30 a.m.; Class AAA state preliminaries, 7 p.m.. . Saturday - Class AAA and Class AA-A state championships: AA-A diving finals, 9:30 a.m.; AAA diving finals, 2 p.m.; AAA and AA-A swim finals, 5 p.m.. . Class AAA champions. . 1990-91 - Bellevue. 1989-90 - Wilson. 1988-89 - Wilson. 1987-88 - Interlake. 1986-87 - Interlake. 1985-86 - Foss. 1984-85 - Lakes. 1983-84 - Lakes. 1982-83 - Wilson. 1981-82 - Wilson # .

# -Wilson won the title every year from 1960 to 1983. The 24-year streak is two years short of the national high-school record.. . Class AAA state leaders. . . 200 medley relay - 1, # Bellevue, 1:41.44; 2, Oak Harbor, 1:42.36; 3, Issaquah, 1:42.36; 4, Curtis, 1:42.45; 5, Newport, 1:42.47.. . 200 free - 1, Dan Philipps, Sammamish, 1:42.97; 2, Ross Croasdell, Issaquah, 1:44.36; 3, C. Cushman, Wenatchee, 1:45.76; 4, Chris Stoken, Marysville-Pilchuck, 1:47.21; 5, Keith Ebbert, Columbia River, 1:47.28.. . 200 individual medley - 1, # Cam Gravrock, Bellevue, 1:56.31; 2, Aaron Dean, Port Angeles, 1:58.11; 3, Chris Mylan, Interlake, 1:58.77; 4, Derek Church, Port Angeles, 1:58.78; 5, Wes Oliver, Sammamish, 1:59.08.. . 50 free - 1, Ugur Taner, Newport, 20.55; 2, Rob Loose, Wilson, 21.71; 3, Mark Muller, Oak Harbor, 22.07; 4, Ken Rice, Redmond, 22.52; 5, Lino Verna, Issaquah, 22.53.. . 100 fly - 1, # Ugur Taner, Newport, 49.58; 2, Dan philipps, Sammamish, 50.81; 3, Derek Church, Port Angeles, 53.33; 4, Joal Miller, Issaquah, 53.85; 5, Deke Egger, Decatur, 54.68.. . 100 free - 1, # Rob Loose, Wilson, 47.53; 2, Ross Croasdell, Issaquah, 48.01; 3, Chris Stoken, Marysville-Pilchuck, 48.38; 4, C. Cushman, Wenatchee, 48.68; 5, Mark Muller, Oak Harbor, 48.48.. . 500 free - 1, Wes Oliver, Sammamish, 4:39.60; 2, Chris Mylan, Interlake, 4:42.41; 3, Ken Van Pool, Federal Way, 4:50.08; 4, R. Cromwell, Lakes, 4:50.11; 5, Keith Ebbert, Columvia River, 4:53.12.. . 200 free relay - 1, Bellevue, 1:30.40; 2, Oak Harbor, 1:30.48; 3, Curtis, 1:30.82; 4, # Wilson, 1:31.42; 5, Marysville-Pilchuck, 1:31.61.. . 100 backstroke - 1, Trever Gray, Kentridge, 53.35; 2, Brad Neely, Columbia River, 55.35; 3, Roy Brown, Kentridge, 55.79; 4, C. Laskowski, Redmond, 56.11; 5, Will Ramey, Curtis, 56.39.. . 100 breast - 1, Aaron Dean, Port Angeles, 59.18; 2, Cam Gravrock, Bellevue, 59.97; 3, Tyler Dugger, Snohomish, 1:00.58; 4, B. Nordyke, Auburn, 1:01.50; 5, Tyler Hooper, Cascade, 1:02.06.. . 400 free relay - 1, Newport, 3:17.99; 2, Issaquah, 3:18.11; 3, Curtis, 3:19.61; 4, Decatur, 3:21.30; 5, # Wilson, 3:21.69.. .

# -defending champion..