As expected, two-time defending champion Mercer Island and perennial challenger Bainbridge Island will battle it out for the Class 3A state swimming and diving championship this weekend in Federal Way.

Mercer won the Sea-King District meet last weekend, scoring 336 team points to Bainbridge High’s 273. But the state meet is a different event because of the increased number of teams and higher competitive level.

Both teams are primed for the challenge with at least one competitor having qualified in each of the 12 events scheduled Friday and Saturday at the King County Aquatic Center.

The Spartans have qualified 11 swimmers and diver Shannon Engelbrecht, a sophomore who was runner-up in district and has the fifth-best scoring total in a meet this season.

At district last weekend at Mary Wayte Pool on Mercer Island, the Spartans won two relay events (200-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley) and two individual races (Sarah Grundman in 500 freestyle and Geneva Levy in the 200 freestyle).

Mercer Island countered by winningthe 400 freestyle relay, finishing second in two relays won by BHS,  and also won two individual races.

“District went about the way we thought it would,” said Bainbridge coach Greg Colby “We figured we would finish second, but the points at state get spread out more.”

The Spartans haven’t challenged for the state title since winning it in 2005, but Colby thinks his young team has a shot at overcoming Mercer Island and challenger Hanford this year.

“We’re in a great position and we’re just hoping everything comes together,” he said. “We’ve had some injuries that have been overcome and some of our young girls have really been coming on.”

The young Spartans, who are all underclassmen except senior co-captains Tess Harpur and Cameo Hlebasko, have the best times in 3A in the 200 individual medley (IM) and 200 freestyle relays; and the third-best time in the 400 freestyle relay behind Mercer and Hanford.

Sophomore Geneva Levy has the best clocking in the 200 freestyle and the second-best clocking in the 500 freestyle behind teammate Sarah Grundman; Spartan Kay Sterner has the fifth-best time at 500 yards.

Harpur ranks second in both the 100-yard butterfly and the 100-yard breaststroke.

Two key races will be the 200 IM and the 500 freestyle races; with both Bainbridge and Mercer qualifying four racers in each event.

Other Spartans competing in the state meet include: Shayla  Archer, Anna Peirano, Natalie Ackerley, Mikelle Ackerley, and Erin Williams.

Peirano and Levy, both sophomores, join Harpur as the team’s busiest swimmers; each is entered in two individual events and swim on two relay teams.