Sometimes peer pressure is a good thing.

Century's Sara Weinberg was preparing for the 50-meter freestyle prelims at last year's girls state swim meet when her teammate and best friend, Kalee Kemmesat, approached her.

Kemmesat had just competed in the 200 free, swimming fast enough to qualify for YMCA nationals.

"She came up to me and said, 'Sara, it's your turn,' " Weinberg said.

Weinberg not only easily eclipsed the national standard, her time of 24.35 cut 1.69 seconds off her own personal best, a remarkable drop in a 50-meter sprint. She was nearly as good in the finals (24.59), while placing second.

"I was very surprised," Weinberg said. "I was not expecting to go that fast. Right before I went off the blocks, I said in my head the (YMCA nationals) qualifying time, and I said, 'I've got to get this.' "

Weinberg also placed second in the 100 free, capping a great state meet.

"I never have seen that much drop on a 50 like she did,"CHS coach Loic Joseph said. "… When training meets opportunity, sometimes things like that happen."

The Patriots are hoping more things like that happen in 2008. With nearly everybody returning from last year's team, which placed seventh, plus a couple of key transfers, CHS is thinking big.

"This could be the best season Century has seen since that state title in 1993," said Joseph, pointing to the banner hanging at the YMCA pool.

The Patriots know that stopping Minot from winning a sixth straight championship is not likely, but Century believes there is plenty of opportunity to move up the ladder. In addition to Weinberg, the Patriots have several returning point-winners, boosting expectations.

Kemmesat, a junior, has been one of Century's top swimmers for years. Last year she placed third in the 200 and 500 free, and both swimmers who finished ahead of her have graduated.

Kayla Walth was sixth in the 100 free and eighth in the 50. Emily Smallbeck was ninth in the 100 butterfly. Both are just freshmen.

In addition two placers from last year's meet - sophomore Lydia Engberg (Bismarck) and eighth-grader McKenzie Jeske (Grand Forks Red River) - have transferred to Century.

"This team is definitely super strong, but also full of talent," Joseph said.

Weinberg, the only senior on Century's roster, is happy to be coming into the season healthy - relatively speaking. In October, 2006, she was diagnosed with tendinitis in both shoulders, an injury that essentially wrecked her sophomore season. Weinberg couldn't train properly most of the year, tried to return for state and didn't perform up to her expectations.

"It was just really, really painful,"Weinberg said. "I went to a bunch of physical therapy sessions. I thought about getting cortisone injections, but I decided not to. I just iced it and did exercises."

The physical therapy combined with an eight-month break from swimming seemed to do the trick.

"I don't think I'll ever be 100 percent, because tendinitis doesn't go away,"she explained. "… I still feel the pain when I swim, but it's not as intense as it was."

Weinberg is hoping to swim at the college level. The University of Wisconsin has shown an interest, though she said her dream would be to compete for the University of Minnesota.

But for now, she's focused on what the Patriots can do this year.

"It's going to be awesome, I think," Weinberg said. "I think we can definitely be state contenders."