Sea-King District Swimming -- Pizza-Powered Panthers Swim To Metro History

RENTON - For want of a pizza, Seattle Prep became the first Metro League team to win the Sea-King District boys swimming and diving championships at Hazen Pool.

The Panthers, led by freshman Joel Shapiro and senior Todd Lantry, churned out a 255-174 win over Hazen yesterday. Defending state champion Mount Rainier was third with 170 points.

"This feels so good," said Lantry, the team's captain. "I wasn't sure we could do this. . . . We were so unfocused in December."

Meet-record performances were turned in by Lakeside's Dillon Cady and Hazen's Fergus Hudson. Cady, who is looking for a state record in addition to two state titles next week, took the 100-yard backstroke in 53.75 seconds and the 200 individual medley in 1:57.84. Hudson covered the 50-yard freestyle in 21.72. He hopes to crack 21 seconds at the state meet.

Seattle Prep, on the other hand, accomplished its team title with only one individual win, Shapiro's 54.57 in the 100 butterfly. That it became a team effort is no accident considering the transformation the Panthers have undergone since early December.

"We got off to a rocky start," said Lantry, fourth in the 100 freestyle and third in the 50 freestyle. "Our captain quit. We called a team meeting without the coach and set forth bluntly what we wanted done. We had people taking Metro for granted. We didn't want that attitude."

Enter the pizza. The combined boys and girls teams were divided into groups of about 11. The team who showed up at the most practices during the winter break would win all the pizza it could eat during a January team dinner.

"The attendance was sky high," said Mike McCloskey, Panther coach. "Christmas break is make or break time. We're swimming 6,000 yards a day."

According to Lantry and Shapiro, it wasn't just the 6,000 yards that brought the team together. Panther alumni participated, water polo games were organized, and further incentives were invented. A weekly award of a stuffed panther was given to the team member with the most spirit.

"We started pulling for each other," said Lantry.

Before long it became more than just teammates cheering on teammates. The team convinced a student to dress as a Panther and add another voice to the roar.

Now Seattle Prep is making noises about the possibility of winning a state title. Nine of its swimmers are qualified in 14 events for next weekend's Class AA-A state meet at the King County Aquatic Center.

"We've got enough bodies," said McCloskey. "I think we match up with Eastmont and Bainbridge, but we are underdogs."

Among yesterday's winners were a pair of freshmen. Lakeside's Lucas Brower set a meet record of 413.25 to win the diving. Highline freshman Jason Carr upset Hudson in the 100 freestyle. Carr, a western zone champion in the 13-14-year-old division of the 400 individual medley and 100 butterfly, overtook Hudson in the final 25 yards. He finished in 48.79 to Hudson's 48.98.

"This is a big surprise," said Carr, an eight-year veteran of the sport. "He's a good sprinter, but I've been thinking about this race every day. I've also been eating good and getting good splits in practice."

SEA-KING DISTRICT (ALL LISTED ADVANCE TO STATE)

Team standings - Seattle Prep 255; Hazen 174; Mount Rainier 170; Lakeside 117; Roosevelt 104; Blanchet 99; Highline 92; Garfield 66; Kennedy 55; Renton 55; Liberty 45; Ballard 44; Lindbergh 35; O'Dea 32; Ingraham 17; Franklin 17; Rainier Beach 8; Tyee 5; Evergreen 3; Eastside Catholic 1.

200-yard medley relay - 1. Seattle Prep, 1:43.00; 2. Mount Rainier, 1:43.65; 3. Lakeside, 1:45.76; 4. Roosevelt, 1:45.53; 5. Hazen, 1:46.81.

200 freestyle - 1. Alex Denke, Blanchet, 1:49.06; 2. Ryan Woodward, Ballard, 1:49.67; 3. Fletcher Evans, Seattle Prep, 1:52.03; 4. Jason Takahashi, Renton, 1:52.33; 5. Collin Hathaway, Seattle Prep, 1:52.70; 6. Brett Akesson, Hazen, 1:55.26; 7. Brook Brayman, Ballard, 1:53.68.

50 freestyle - 1. Fergus Hudson, Hazen, 21.72 (meet record); 2. Jason Wix, Mount Rainier, 23.29; 3. Todd Lantry, Seattle Prep, 23.36; 4. Peter Gelinas, Mount Rainier, 23.57; 5. Tim Teodoro, Lindbergh, 23.70; 6. Mayson, Morrissey, Liberty, 23.82; 7. Anthony Carlone, Kennedy, 23.48.

200 individual medley - 1. Dillon Cady, Lakeside, 1:57.84; 2. Jason Carr, Highline, 2:03.84; 3. Jeremiah Mushen, Roosevelt, 2:06.03; 4. Brian Rice, Mount Rainier, 2:06.90; 5. Pieter, De Hart, Ingraham, 2:07.74; 6. Spike Morgan, Seattle Prep, 2:18.18; 7. Evan Miller, Garfield, 2:08.41.

One-meter diving - 1. Lucas Brower, Lakeside, 413.25; 2. Joel Mellom, Hazen, 322.40; 3. Andy Haydock, Lindbergh, 300.80; 4. Matt Cassarino, Mount Rainier, 292.25; 5. Chris Jensen, Seattle Prep, 288.60; 6. Craig Funk, Mount Rainier, 287.20; 7. Jon Brune, Hazen, 274.90.

100 butterfly - 1. Joel Shapiro, Seattle Prep, 54.57; 2. Jeremiah Mushen, Roosevelt, 56.56; 3. Anthony Carlone, Kennedy, 56.98; 4. Jesse Mushen, Roosevelt, 57.07; 5. Lawrence Klein, Lakeside, 57.77; 6. Thomas Glenn, Kennedy, 1:00.46; 7. Pieter De Hart, Ingraham, 57.81.

100 freetstyle - 1. Jason Carr, Highline, 48.79; 2. Fergus Hudson, Hazen, 48.98; 3. Alex Denke, Blanchet, 50.23; 4. Todd Lantry, Seattle Prep, 50.35; 5. Jason Wix, Mount Rainier, 50.86; 6. Graham Myhre, Seattle Prep, 50.89; 7. Ian Hudson, Hazen, 51.65.

500 freestyle - 1. Ryan Woodward, Ballard, 4:50.56; 2. Sean Davis, Garfield, 5:00.72; 3. Fletcher Evans, Seattle Prep, 5:02.43; 4. Brain Rice, Mount Rainier, 5:02.71; 5. Jason Takahashi, Renton, 5:03.80; 6. Collin Hathaway, Seattle Prep, 5:07.51; 7. Logan Cady, Seattle Prep, 5:10.54.

200 freestyle relay - 1. Hazen, 1:31.79; 2. Mount Rainier, 1:34.02; 3. Roosevelt, 1:34.60; 4. Seattle Prep, 1:34.63; 5. Highline, 1:37.28.

100 backstroke - 1. Dillon Cady, Lakeside, 53.75 (meet record); 2. Joel Shapiro, Seattle Prep, 55.42; 3. Graham Myhre, Seattle Prep, 55.55; 4. Ross Russo, Roosevelt, 59.54; 5. Jesse Mushen, Roosevelt, 1:00.90; 6. Brett Akesson, Hazen, 1:03.35; 7. Travis Doty, Mount Rainier, 59.74.

100 breaststroke - 1. Peter Gelinas, Mount Rainier, 1:01.49; 2. Brian Okuda, Franklin, 1:03.62; 3. Andy Godefroy, O'Dea, 1:06.42; 4. Kevin Doyle, Seattle Prep, 1:06.48; 5. John Ryan, Hazen, 1:06.61; 6. Leo Tanaka, Lakeside, 1:07.18; 7. Matt Willanger, Kennedy, 1:06.67.

400 freestyle relay - 1. Seattle Prep, 3:23.74; 2. Lakeside, 3:30.31; 3. Blanchet, 3:30.41; 4. Highline, 3:31.40; 5. Renton, 3:36.40.