Eastlake’s Edward Kim has been a constant in the pool for the past three seasons.

The senior has captured the maximum six individual state championships while leading the Wolves to three top-10 team finishes at the 4A state meet.  But when he thinks back to his introduction to the Eastlake program, it is the camaraderie he remembers most.

“When I was a freshman, I used to look up to all those juniors and seniors,” he said. “I want to give that back to the freshmen here.”

Kim and the Wolves look to have a contingent once again capable of bringing home hardware from King County Aquatic Center.

“This year is going to be our best year,” Kim said. “We have a big year ahead of us to go out and show what Eastlake is made of.”

Only three meets into the season, coach Kate Angew’s squad has done exactly that.

The 200 yard medley relay team of Kim, Caleb Alleva, Markus Zimmermann and Jackson Berman qualified to state in the first meet of the year, swimming a time of one minute, 43.31 seconds, with Berman also set for state in the 500 free.

Kim won the 4A state title in the 50 free his freshman year, to go with another in the 100 free to help the Wolves to a fifth place team finish. It was the 200 free and 100 backstroke as a sophomore and last year, another win in the 50 free and his first in the 100 butterfly, both coming in Automatic All-American qualifying times.

Despite swimming in only one of the Wolves’ first three meets due to club team obligations, Kim deftly secured places in the state field for the 200 free and 100 free.

“I love representing and I feel like the whole team is the same way,” he said. “Everyone is going to feel it and step up.”

Plenty of the Wolves will have a chance to join the pack at state, with nine swimmers qualified for districts.

Issaquah, Skyline swim postseason times

Issaquah’s quartet of Jason Klein, Ben Nussbaum, Gabe Florsheim and Henry Pratt owns a state time in the 200 medley relay, with Nussbaum also a district qualifier in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke. Klein has a state qualifying time in the 100 free.

Pratt is also qualified in the 100 breast, while Klein swam a district time in the 100 backstroke.

Keith Nussbaum, Florsheim, Alex Sun, Espen Hellevik and Nick Garcia are also qualified for districts.

Skyline has two individuals and two relays qualified for state, with 10 swimmers qualified for districts.

Paul Jett and Ryan Collins own state times in the 100 fly and the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay teams are also qualified.