After two straight seasons of second place finishes in the state championships, the Chandler girls swim team is ready to take the next stroke.

The Wolves finished last season trailing only Xavier College Prep in the overall team scores with one of the most talented groups coach Kerry Croswhite has had in his 11 years at the helm.

“Last year we had about 11 kids contribute in scoring, so we were very well-rounded,” Croswhite said. “We had good relays, good freestylers, good stroke swimmers, you name it we were just solid all around.”

Two returning stars of Croswhite’s 2017 squad returning for the Wolves are juniors Sarah Quintana and Ashlyn Reidhead, who both still revel in the unforgettable moment of being called to the podium.

“It was an incredibly powerful moment waiting behind the blocks as the announced the results,” Quintana said.

For Reidhead, the moment was one she will never forget after almost not being able to celebrate it with her teammates.

“Last year was incredible for me because I was in the 4X100 relay which we won and afterwards I passed out,” Reidhead said laughing. “They nearly called an ambulance for me but I made myself get up on the podium because I knew being able to hold the trophy was going to be worth it.”

Even though they came short of the ultimate goal, Quintana and Reidhead are still proud of what their team accomplished.

“Our school had never had a team place in the top three in states and the fact that we did it twice in two years is pretty cool,” Reidhead said.

“The fact that we finished second was still a big win in our hearts considering how far we had come as a team,” said Quintana.

There is reason for optimism this season. The Wolves only lost one senior from last year’s squad. However, standout sophomore Sydney Chun moved to Singapore after being invited to compete for the national team over the offseason.

“Her points will be missed severely,” Croswhite said. “Kudos to Sydney, she worked her butt off and we wish her the best of luck.”

Chun was part of the 200 yard medley relay with Quintana in 2017 that finished second in the state final.

“It’s always hard losing a teammate,” said Quintana. “But I couldn’t be happier for her and I know she is going to do big things in Singapore.”

While losing Chun to international competition is a serious blow, an even bigger threat is Scottsdale powerhouse Chaparral moving up to Division I.

“In club swim we get to interact with a lot of swimmers from all around the state so we know who they have on their squad,” Reidhead said. “They’re going to be a tough team to beat.”

But the Wolves still have their eyes on the prize.

“We believe we are one of the top teams in the state,” Reidhead said. “We just want to stay in the top three, but if we can get over the hump it would be really amazing.”

At the end of the day, it isn’t just about winning for this veteran team, “The goal is to always try our hardest and encourage each other to do our best and push ourselves farther than we ever have before,” said Quintana. “That’s what it’s really all about.”

If the Wolves’ can accomplish both of their goals, there is only one spot they can up end on - the top of the podium.