State's All-Time Best Preps

The state tournaments for boys swimming, gymnastics and wrestling wrapped up last weekend with some notable performances, prompting a look at some of the state's all-time performers in those sports:

Boys swimming

Ugar Taner, Newport '92 - Still holds state marks in 100 freestyle (45.09), 100 butterfly (48.14), 50 freestyle (20.02) and 200 freestyle (1:37.18). Competed in 1992 Olympics for Turkey. Won NCAA 100-yard butterfly three times for California. Now a U.S. citizen and member of U.S. national team. Finished ninth in 200-meter butterfly at world championships in Australia last month.

Dick Hannula, Wilson '75 - Set two national high-school records at 1975 state meet. Won 200-yard freestyle in 1:38.8 and 500-yard freestyle in 4:26.6. The 500-yard state record stood for 13 years. Both marks still are among the top five in the state. Was on USC's 800-meter freestyle relay that set American record. Now principal of Covenant High School in Tacoma. Son of former Wilson Coach Dick Hannula.

Dave Hannula, Wilson '72 - Won 200 IM and 100 backstroke at state. Set American record for 200-meter IM three weeks after state meet. Captain of USC's NCAA championship team. Another son of former Wilson Coach Dick Hannula. Now a dentist in Tacoma.

Jack Horsley, Highline '68 - Won bronze medal at 1968 Olympics in 200-meter backstroke as a high-school senior. Later swam on national championship teams at Indiana, where he was a teammate of

Mark Spitz. Now a doctor in Ellensburg.

Whitney Woolard, Hudson's Bay '93 - Set state record in 100-yard backstroke of 49.12 in 1993 that still stands. It was third-best prep time in the nation that season. Swam for California and was a finalist in the Olympic Trials in 1996.

Roger Von Jouanne, Hazen '78 - As a 16-year-old senior, set state 200 IM record (1:53.68) that stood for five years. Went to Southern Illinois and was third in 200 fly and 200 IM and sixth in 100 backstroke at NCAA championships as a senior. Held national record in 200-yard butterfly (1:45.0). Won 200 IM national championship two weeks after his final NCAA meet. Now a Boeing engineer in space program in Huntsville, Ala.

Andy Lloyd, Mercer Island '88 - Still holds state 200 IM record of 1:49.3. Was captain of Stanford swim team his senior year. Placed fourth in U.S. national meet in 200 backstroke between his junior and senior years in college. Now marketing manager for a Bay Area software company.

Lucas Brower, Lakeside '97 - Set state mark for diving (459.75) and won AA-A title four consecutive years. Freshman on Stanford swimming and diving team and has won several dual meets. Prep record was beaten last Friday by Bellevue freshman Zach Wilcox.

Note: Rick Colella, who won bronze medal in 200-meter breaststroke in 1976 Olympics, went to Hale High School but Seattle schools didn't have swimming teams then. Now a Boeing engineer living in Kirkland. Gymnastics

Linda Fischer, Sehome '76 - First of the great Sehome prep gymnasts, Fisher generally is considered the best in state history. Won beam, floor exercise and all-around titles at 1975 and '76 state meets. All-American at Oregon State on beam and floor and first gymnast inducted into OSU Hall of Fame. Now Linda Hicks, she manages Kent and Bellevue branches of the Little Gym gymnastics franchise.

Taunia Rogers, Inglemoor '82 - Won all four events and all-around title at 1982 state meet, the only time that has been accomplished. In '81, won all-around, vault, beam and tied for first in floor. Her seven individual titles are most at state meet. Five-time All-American at Cal-State Fullerton (twice in all-around, twice on floor, once on vault). Now coaches gymnastics in Huntington Beach, Calif.

Kris Femling, Bothell '78 - Won six individual state championships in two years at state meet. A fall on beam kept her from winning all-around in 1977, but she won in 1978. Competed at NCAA meet three times for Oregon State. Now Kris Lavin, she works as an emergency-room nurse at Children's Hospital in Seattle.

Catherine Williams, Puyallup '92 - Only three-time winner of state all-around title (1990-92). Competed for UW in 1993-94.

Farrah Fabien, Newport '95 - Probably best vaulter in state high-school history, Fabien won the event three times at state meet (93-95). She also won floor exercise twice ('94-95) and all-around title in 1995. Attends Ohio State but no longer competes in gymnastics.

Celeste Montalvo, Sehome '98 - Won state all-around competitions her last two seasons. Her score of 38.05 as a junior is highest ever at a state meet. Scored 36.825 to win Class 4A title Friday and added floor-exercise championship Saturday. Won state titles in floor and vault last year.

Wrestling

Bill Bradley, Camas - Won the 108-pound AA title in 1979, and at 115 in 1980 and 1981. Wrestled at North Idaho Community College and then Northern Montana. Now works at Boeing.

Pat Connors, R.A. Long - First to win four state titles. Won in 1991 (101-AA), 1992 (108-AA), 1993 (115-AA) and 1994 (129-AA). Connors, now a nationally ranked junior at Minnesota, was 123-4 in high school.

Jeff Gotcher, Spanaway Lake - Believed to be first to go undefeated in three-year career (101-0). Won AA 148 title in '85, AAA 148 titles in '86 and '87.

Zhon Kuraspediani, Tahoma - Won three state titles and compiled a 102-2 record in three seasons. Nailed 4A title at 141 pounds last week after winning at 3A 148 in 1997 and 3A 135 in 1996.

Sean Morgan, Lynnwood - Went 104-10 as a Royal, winning titles in 1992 (148-AA), 1993 (158-AA) and 1994 (158-AA). First Snohomish County wrestler to win three state championships. Wrestling at Oregon.

Otto Olson, Everett - Three-time AAA state champ won in '94 (148), '95 (158) and '96 (168) with 130-5 career mark. Now a junior at Michigan.

Ben VomBaur, Evergreen (Vancouver) - Three-time state champion went undefeated in three seasons (102-0), winning AAA-101 title in 1996, AAA-108 title in 1997 and 4A 115 this season.

Jamie Wise, Moses Lake - Three-time state champion with 101-0-1 career record. Won AAA titles in 1978 (101), 1979 (108) and 1980 (115).

Randy Woolen, Tumwater - Won AA-108 titles in 1975 and 1976, and AA-129 in 1977.

Thomas Yamamoto, Richland - Wrestled at Navy after three state titles and third-place finish as a senior. Won AAA-101 title in 1987, then AAA-108 titles in 1988 and 1989.