T-Birds and Rams start swimmingly

FEDERAL WAY - Tumwater and North Thurston girls swimming teams made a big splash in Thursday's opening day of the Class 2A state swimming championships at the King County Aquatic Center.

The Rams have a South Sound-leading seven individuals and relays that qualified for today’s finals, while the T-Birds are one behind with six times good enough for today’s finals.

Tumwater’s 400-yard freestyle relay team of Lorraine Hack, Anneke Stoker, Marissa Shirley and Abby Sullivan swam the fastest time in the prelims, at 3 minutes, 46.74 seconds.

Sullivan, Hack and Shirley had top-five finishes in their individual events. Sullivan is seeded second in the 100 backstroke (1:01.55), and Shirley and Hack are fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 100 butterfly.

There’s a good chance one of the Sullenberger sisters from River Ridge could win a state title today, as both clocked top-three times in their two events.

Shanell and Kiana Sullenberger finished second and third in the 100 breaststroke prelims. Shanell also is second in the 200 free (1:59.38), almost 5 seconds behind Othello’s Natilee Ruiz (1:54.86). Kiana is third in the 200 IM (2:16.36).

North Thurston has many swimmers who swam top-five times in Thursday’s prelims: 200 freestyle relay (fourth, 1:45.25), 400 freestyle relay (3:52.62), Katy Tiernan in the 50 freestyle (24.95) and 100 freestyle (55.80), and Sam Anders in the 500 freestyle (5:29.03).

Today also marks the start of the 4A and 3A meets.