Besting a second-place finish to Bellevue last year is the goal.

The Spartan girls swim and dive team is looking to add another state title to an already big trophy case this season.

After missing out on a seventh championship to Bellevue by 23 points last year, head swim coach Greg Colby is confident his squad can be among the top teams in the state come November.

“We’ve had a great preseason,” he said. “We’ve worked really hard and they have been real consistent. We’re off to a fantastic start.”

They’ll benefit from numerous returners, including captains Stephanie Whalen, Molly Carroll and Anne Scott. Also in the mix are state medalists Isabel Williams, April Isa, Tessa Griffin and Keziah Beall, along with diver Shelby Mann, who just missed making the state tournament last year.

At last year’s championship meet, Williams was second in the 100 yard butterfly, a finalist in the 100 yard backstroke, and a state champion in the 400 yard freestyle relay along with Griffin and Scott, while Whalen, a diver, placed third in that category.

Scott also won a state title in the 100 yard freestyle and the 200 yard freestyle relay along with Isa and Beall and was second in the 50 yard freestyle.

Those events should be well represented again this year.

“I think our freestyle events, our 50 and 100 will be good,” Colby said. “I think our free relays will be strong again. We’ll be strong in the fly (events).”

Colby will look to the depth of the team to score points, rather than having a few swimmers take part in every event.

“We have some people that could possibly win events at State, but if we can get somebody to score in every event, then we will be sitting pretty good,” he said.

The team gets an influx of new talent in Julie Pendleton, diver Emma Sheffer, Kristine Valdez, India Wade, Anna Wood and Keisha Brownell. Colby said they can be district qualifiers at least, with a good chance to reach the state meet in Federal Way.

Although it’s still too early to tell how this team will rank among the great teams of the past, Colby feels they’re right there.

“I don’t think I could rank them with teams in the past, but I think they could be in the top three in the state,” he said. “We might drop a couple dual meets, but I think once we get to championship season, we’ll be right where we can be.”