Silver's finish is perfect: Bainbridge ace makes state history

FEDERAL WAY — The deal was sealed and Bainbridge's record-setting swimmer, Emily Silver, was finally relaxed.

Silver sang along, belting out the line, "Oh, baby, give me one more chance," from a Jackson Five tune before getting her winning picture taken.

The lyrics would have been fitting just 15 minutes earlier.

Despite some unusual nerves, Silver had just accomplished what no other girl or boy has done in Washington state high-school swimming history. She became the first to win four consecutive state titles in two individual events in yesterday's Class 3A/2A girls state meet at King County Aquatic Center.

Silver pulled off the double four-peat in eye-catching fashion, shooting to the top of the state-record charts in capturing the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races for the fourth consecutive season.

"There's just so much energy in this building for me," said Silver, who will join sister Helen on the swim team at California next fall. "In the 50 free, I was shaking, I was so anxious, and I'm not usually like that. I had so much adrenaline.

"To win that and go under the state record was such a big relief. I couldn't believe it. To win both is sort of surreal."

Silver smashed a 13-year-old Washington state record in the 50 free, flying to the finish in 22.99 seconds for her fourth consecutive title in the event. Silver eclipsed the state mark of 23.17, set by Mercer Island's Megan Oesting in 1990.

The Bainbridge star easily withstood a late surge from Sequim junior Summer Jackson, who finished in 23.48, a personal-best.

In finishing off her sweet four-pack in the 100 free, Silver finished in 50.16 to better the state mark of 50.29 by Auburn's Emily Kukors in 2002.

Silver also anchored Bainbridge's 400 free relay team to a state title by coming home in a blazing 50.10 — nine-one-hundredths better than her state mark in the 100 free — to give the Spartans a time of 3:35.60. It tied the seventh-best all-time 3A/2A time for the event.

Silver was reflective about her career.

"I'll always remember winning the 100 free my freshman year," she said. "I was second-seeded and I wanted it so bad. Just remembering what it felt like and seeing my sister afterward, that's the best high-school memory I have. I'll always remember high school to be a great time of my life."

The schedule ahead puts Silver in the U.S. Open Dec. 4-6 against some of the nation's best swimmers in her favorite venue, King County Aquatic Center.

"She's just amazing," said Jackson, who put up an automatic All-American clocking of 23.48 but chased Silver in futility in the 50 free. "I'm so happy for her, because she's such a nice person. She deserves it."

Then, it will be off to college to team with her sister, Helen, for two seasons at Cal in the fall.

"That's one of the reasons I chose Berkeley, so we could swim together again," Emily Silver said.

Silver not only won each year, she improved her times in the 50 and 100 free every year at state.

"It was fun to watch all of those swims," Bellevue coach Paul Von Destinon said. "That's something you won't see again for a long time."