It came down to two rival KingCo teams during the 3A State Swim Meet Saturday at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.

Juanita High School senior Emilie Kaufman was named 3A Swimmer of the Meet by the Washington Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association after winning two individual events and helping the Rebels to two relay victories. Junior Celia Pinczower won the state diving title for the Rebels. Juanita head coach Dawn Maurer was named the coach of the year. In all, Juanita took first in six of the 13 events. But for the second year in a row the Rebels finished second, this time to Mercer Island by just 4.5 points, 246.50-242. It was the first state title in a decade for the Islanders.

“We finished where we were supposed to,” said Maurer. “They had one more swimmer than us (during the finals). They had the numbers.”

Kaufman’s meet may go down as one of the greatest in Washington State history. Her victory in the 100-yard breaststroke was the third fastest time in state history at the 3A level, 1:03.21.

Maurer worked the roster to its breaking point, taking some chances by making substitutions from where some of her swimmers competed during the season in order to collect every point possible.

One of those changes was with Kaufman. The senior was set to swim in the 100-yard freestyle but switched to the 50 at districts.

“It is hard to kind of walk away from what you’re good at and take a chance,” said Maurer about the senior that won the 100 free last year. “There are a lot of unknowns in the 50 and less room for error.”

Kaufman made no errors during the 50 and took to the top step of the medal podium as she swam to a time of 23.96 during the 50-yard freestyle final. The race was billed as a grudge match between the Rebel’s Kaufman and Hazen’s Lauren Kaufman. But the Rebel took all the fun out of the race by leading from start to finish and dominating the event by 29-hundredths of a second.

“It was amazing from each swim to the next,” said Maurer. “She has just wanted to do better and better in each race and it was great to see the look on her face after the 50.”

Kaufman teamed with senior Amanda Wilson, junior Rachael Kurtz and senior Kelly Tannhauser to break Bellevue High School’s 10-year-old State record in the 200-yard freestyle relay by 18-hundredths of a second. The 1:37.77 is also an All-American automatic-qualifying time. Wilson was another late switch for Juanita. A change that the team was not so sure about.

“We have missed the state title in the 200 relay the last two years,” said Maurer. “But they got it and then some.”

The 400-yard freestyle relay also went to the Rebels as Kaufman, Hanna Armstrong, Kurtz and Tannhauser beat Kennedy by more than three seconds with a time of 3:35.35.

Tannhauser blew away the competition in the 500-yard freestyle for the state title with a time of 5:01.59.

Pinczower reached the pinnacle of high school diving in style. The junior jumped from her third-place finish in 2008 to the state title with a 394.1 points, 25.5 points better than the next closest competitor.

“She was just amazing to watch,” said Maurer.

In one of the most anticipated events in recent state-meet history, Tannhauser faced off against some of the best swimmers the 200-yard freestyle has had in years. Tannhauser led half way through the race but Kennedy’s Emily Fenster won the race. Tannhauser finished second with a time of 1:53.08.

“She was more disappointed in her time than taking second,” said Maurer. “But she is a great swimmer and has nothing to be disappointed about.”

Tannhauser has two state titles in the event from previous seasons.

Kurtz performed well for Juanita, taking fourth in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:09.76. The junior would come back and take fourth again during the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 59.24.

Juanita’s 200-yard medley relay team of freshman Tess Farley, sophomore Hanna Armstrong, senior Laura Stevens and senior Amanda Wilson finished second during the consolation final to place 10th overall at state with a time of 1:58.54 and 12th in the 500 free (5:20.25).

Armstrong also placed seventh during the 200 free (1:59.48).

Farley placed 13th during the 100-yard backstroke (1:02.11).

“Tess had a back injury this summer and we worked and worked to redevelop her core strength,” said Maurer. “And she got faster and faster with every meet. The next couple of years will be incredible for her.”

Lake Washington finished 26th during the 4A state meet. The Kang’s Anna Steiner finished second in the diving competition with 384.45 points.