By Brenda Sexton | The Courier-Herald

It was the Sumner High swim and dive team’s South Puget Sound League 3A season-opening meet and the debut of coach Dana Powers, and what a splash the Spartans made off the blocks with a 94-85 victory over Auburn Mountainview Thursday.

Taylor Ditty and Emma Thompson won both their individual events to lead the Spartans. Ditty won the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 26.29 seconds, just shy of a state-qualifying time, and the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:59.34.

Thompson put together a strong 200 freestyle with a time of 2:14.52 and 100 butterfly of 1:09.76.

Powers said the team also recorded strong swims by Sami Hendricks, Kallan Gustafson, Ashley Huynh and Lizzie Kressler.

Hendricks won the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:08.15 and placed second in the 50 freestyle in 26.52.

Gustafson touched the wall first in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:35.95 and was second in the 100 butterfly in 1:14.10.

Huynh placed second in both the 100 freestyle, 1:06.30, and the 100 breaststroke, 1:24.57.

Kressler finished second in the 200 freestyle, 2:18.27, and the 500 freestyle, 5:59.34.

Ditty, Huynh, Thompson and Hendricks almost made state-qualifying time in the 200 medley relay with their first-place time of 2:00.39.

The 200 freestyle relay – Ditty, Thompson, Kressler and Hendricks – was also just shy of a state time with its 1:49.14 finish.

It was a well-rounded performance for the Spartans with Katie Ekse earning third in the 200 IM and fourth in the 100 breaststroke; Jaime Morey, sixth, 50 freestyle and fourth, 100 backstroke; Madison Dreiger, fourth, 100 butterfly and sixth, 100 breastroke; Dani Nasawang, fifth, 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Kressler, Morey, Gustafson and Huynh had a strong performance to win the 400 freestyle relay. Becca Humphries and McKenna Roberts dove for the Spartans, who travel to North Thurston Thursday for a nonleague meet.