Last year as a freshman, Mountlake Terrace’ Annika Matthews grabbed one of the last qualifying spots into the Girls State Swimming and Diving Championships; this year Matthews is going back to the state meet ready to prove she truly belongs there.

Matthews will be competing in two events — the 50-yard freestyle and the 100 backstroke — at the 3A State Championships Friday and Saturday, Nov. 14-15, at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. The 3A preliminary heats take place on Friday beginning at 9:45 a.m.; 3A final heats are scheduled for Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.

“I went to state last year as a wild card,” Matthews said. “It was a great opportunity.” Matthews hopes to build upon her experience from 2013 at this year’s state meet.

The sophomore punched her ticket to Federal Way this year by winning the 50 freestyle and placing third in the 100 backstroke at last weekend’s 3A District 1 Championship meet in Snohomish.

Despite the strong results at the district meet, Matthews still gave her overall performance for this season just average marks. “I’ve had a good year, not as good as I would have liked, but a good year,” she said.

Matthews is one of only a handful of local swimmers to qualify for the state meet, and the only Hawk who will be in the pool this weekend. Other Edmonds School District student athletes qualified for the state meet are:

Luci Brock, Edmonds-Woodway, 200 yard IM (individual medley) and 100 yard butterfly
Morgan Broadhead, Edmonds-Woodway, 100 yard freestyle
Josie McCoughlan, Edmonds-Woodway, 500 yard freestyle
Victoria Nguyeale, Meadowdale, 100 yard breaststroke
Edmonds-Woodway 200 yard medley relay team
Edmonds-Woodway 400 yard medley relay team
Meadowdale 400 yard medley relay team

Mercer Island will be going for their sixth straight girls team title at this year’s state meet.

The King County Aquatic Center is located at 650 SW Campus Drive in Federal Way. Tickets for the state championship meet are $9 for a single day or $15 for the entire two-day tournament; students with a valid high school or middle school ASB card and seniors ages 62 and older can purchase a ticket for $7 for a single day or $10 for the entire tourney.

-By Doug Petrowski