Kevin Andrews’ legacy at Washington is one of greatness. The Pam Pack swimmer went to Cary in February on the hunt for the team’s second-straight 1-A/2-A state championship. The senior capped off his own individual career with a first-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle, second place in the 100-yard backstroke and was part of two gold-medal relay teams.

It was a long journey to that final moment of his high-school career. He began swimming for East Carolina Aquatics when he was 6 or 7 years old. He had trained for that moment for most of his life. As impressive a swimmer as Andrews has always been, he really came into his own in the past two years.

“I’ve definitely come along a lot quicker in the past few years,” he said. “I really started understanding my goals and everything I wanted to accomplish.”

As a junior, Andrews was integral to Washington’s state championship in 2016. The boys had never won the state, much less the eastern region, before. Andrews won gold in the 100-yard backstroke that year. He could sense he was in the midst of something special, but even he wasn’t quite expecting the team to go all the way. Numerous Washington teams have come close to titles in the not-too-distant past.

“I thought it would be really cool to be a state champion,” he said of his aspirations entering high school. “I didn’t really think of it as a direct possibility, but more as a future goal for when I got older. … That was really exciting. It was the first time it had happened in a really long time for Washington High School. It was really cool that me and my team could do that together.”

This year was entirely different. Andrews and his team had a quiet swagger about them. They were, after all, the defending champions. But that was their nature. Andrews lets his actions speak for him. They spoke loudly when Andrews and the Pam Pack won the 200-yard medley relay to open the championship meet.

Andrews felt the pressure. Some athletes would fold under it, but it takes pressure to make diamonds. That’s exactly what happened with Andrews.

“There was more pressure on us to win,” Andrews admitted. “Everyone was always asking if we could do it again. We didn’t want to jinx it. We tried as hard as we could and it went well. … It’s a lot of mental determination.”

Coach Spencer Pake added, “Ever since Kevin got to high school, we’ve watched him grow into a man. He’s strong. He’s dedicated. He doesn’t miss practice. He does well in the classroom. … He’s every coach’s dream to have.”

Not only did Andrews’ dedication help produce a pair of state titles for Washington, but it also let him continue his career. He will continue to swim this fall at Davidson.

Achievements that were once goals years ago were realized thanks to that dedication. It’s the quality that tied together all of Andrews’ talents in and out of the pool. It’s what made him one of the most decorated athletes in Washington history.

His time at Washington is coming to a close, though, and a new chapter begins. With that comes more goals — some which may seem farfetched now, but could be reached with that same commitment.

“I just want to succeed (at Davidson) in general,” Andrews said. “I want to do well in school and try to better myself as a swimmer. … The best thing I can think of right now is going to the NCAA championships for colleges. That would be cool. That’s a really big meet for anyone individually.”

Cool is an understatement. Andrews has competed against and beaten some of the best North Carolina has to offer. Now that he’s set his sights on the rest of the country, it’s only a matter of time.