Everything has come together just right thus far in the pool for the Kentlake boys swim team.

With a pair of South Puget Sound League 4A, North Division meets remaining, the Falcons are looking to continue their success and hold onto an undefeated record.

A critical 93-93 tie in the sixth meet on Jan. 5 against Kentridge, a team Kentlake had struggled against in the past, kept the season’s undefeated streak alive.

According to Falcons coach Diana Ekstrom, the tie came down to the final relay, in which Kentlake’s relays finished first and third.

“During (winter) break we only had four training days so it was a little scary going into that Kentridge meet,” Ekstrom said. “The guys really wanted it.”

Junior co-captain David Dougherty said winning that meet was one of many reasons this season has been a success because, “every single year I’ve been on the swim team, we’ve lost to Kentridge.”

The last time the Chargers didn’t win a North Division meet was Dec. 6, 2005, when they tied North Division foe Enumclaw, 93-93.

Following the final race of that meet against the Chargers, senior co-captain Tyler Royal said, “utter shock then chaos ensued.”

Royal explained that dive coach Pat Patterson read an article to the squad that outlined how good Kentridge has been over the years and how difficult it would be to challenge the Chargers.

“That got us all fired up,” Royal said.

Royal and his team mates all attribute the winning ways to Ekstrom, who after nine years coaching at Sumner High, is in her first season coaching at Kentlake.

“One of the keys was our new coach,” Royal said. “Along with hard work and a good group of guys to swim with.”

Last year, Royal said, the Falcons were “just average” but everything came together this year with the arrival not only of Ekstrom, but a handful of talented new swimmers like sophomore Tanner Keeling-Garcia and Erik Fulmer.

“I knew we had a bunch of new guys that were good and some returners, so, I knew were going to have a better season than last year,” Royal said. “It’s turned into a fantastic season.”

Dougherty said another key to the team’s winning record is the way the swimmers get along.

“We’ve definitely grown together as a team,” he said. “And Diana is a great coach.”

Ekstrom said she started the season focusing on technique, something that senior co-captain Kelly Melton appreciates.

“Compared to other years when we’ve really focused on conditioning, we’re mostly focusing on technique,” Melton said. “Working on the strokes themselves, the new coach and a lot of our swimmers that have been close to winning have finally gotten there” has made the difference this year.

Keeling-Garcia is one of the new members of the team that has helped put the Falcons over the edge with his fast times. He has already posted state qualifying times in the 100 yard breast stroke, clocking in at 1:02.1, and a 55.7 in the 100 backstroke.

He is going for iron man status, in other words, he’s trying to qualify for all eight individual events at the state swim and dive championships next month.

A club swimmer with KING, Keeling-Garcia has nearly seven years of competitive swimming under his belt, which is the kind of thing that can provide a significant boost to any high school squad.

In his first year with Kentlake, he said, he “went into it with an open mind” and he’s pleased with the results which he attributes to Ekstrom.

“She’s coached for 25 years and it shows,” Keeling-Garcia said. “What she’s done with the team has been remarkable with how little time we have in the water.”

Keeling-Garcia said he’s got a good feeling about how things will go during the next month.

“Our relays are really getting dialed in,” he said. “You’re going to see some fast times.”

Ekstrom credits the Falcons’ success to her swimmers’ dedication.

“They work hard and they’re having fun,” she said. “They came together as a team and that’s important.”

They’ve spent this week working hard, too, as Ekstrom has taken advantage of a bye to get ready for the last two dual meets on the schedule against Tahoma next Tuesday and Jefferson next Thursday.

Extra training could help the Falcons attain their goals for the rest of the season.

Dougherty wants to see “a lot of people go to state this year.”

Keeling-Garcia, while avoiding making any predictions, is looking forward to a re-match with Kentridge at the West Central District meet Feb. 5-6 at Rogers.

“I think we’ll be able to beat them,” he said. “Our relays should definitely be faster.”

Royal wants everyone to know the Falcons are inspired by the movie “300” and will go into the pool with that warrior spirit.

“We’re here to rock,” he said.