Sumner High’s girls swimming team is undefeated following its fourth meet in South Puget Sound League 2A. The Spartans faced off against the highly competitive Fife swim team Thursday evening and squeaked out an 87-83 victory that seemed dubious even to coach Dana Powers.

“I know, I know,” Powers wrote in a congratulatory email to her team. “Some of you asked, ‘Did we win?’ and I scrunched my eyes and said ‘Not a chance.'”

She was wrong only by a matter of razor strokes.

First place winners were Kallan Gustafson in the 200-yard freestyle, Madison Munger in the 100 Butterfly and 500 Freestyle, Ashley Huynh in the 100 Freestyle, Alicia Ditty in the 100 Backstroke, and the 200 Freestyle Relay team of Brittany Tuffs, McKenna Roberts, Petria Russell and Ditty.

The Fife meet saw a few swimmers achieve jaw-dropping improvements on their best times. Katherine Korbuszewski shaved 16.59 seconds off her personal 100 Butterfly record to take fifth place with 1:39.95. Gustafson dropped 11.19 seconds in the 500 Freestyle to take a third-placing 6:02.10. Thibodeau dropped 9.7 seconds to achieve 1:39.52 in the 100 Freestyle.

Powers commented that Gustafson’s time in the 500 Free wasn’t near her best time from previous seasons; but the Fife meet was a major indicator that she’s returning to form.

Munger’s 500 Freestyle time of 5:27.06 earned her fifth qualification for state competition.

The 200 Freestyle Relay team’s first place win was made all the more impressive by an inauspicious start. Senior Ashley Huynh slipped off the starting block at the whistle blow, dropping straight down into her lane.

“She recovers and, I tell you what,” Powers said. “I’ve never seen a more driven mad woman swim before. She said she was going to get back in the race and couldn’t believe that happened.

“Because she was OK… it was a little funny!”

Earlier in the week on Sept. 25, the Spartans handily defeated Eatonville 115-60.

They play a crosstown rivalry game against Bonney Lake on Oct. 2, and take on Steilacoom Oct. 4.