ORONO – Icky-la-boom-ba. Icky-la-picky-wicky. Oofa-la-daffy-waffy. Oooooo-ticky-aaaaah.

Now, doesn’t that say it all?

To the Bangor boys swim team, it does. And then some.

The Rams’ fight-rally-have-a-lot-of-PRIDE cheer speaks of the optional 6 a.m. double workouts that eight of them went to religiously three days a week this season. It describes the nine front-line seniors they’re reluctantly losing. And it sums up the feeling of victory they shared in winning their fifth straight Class A state championship Saturday at the University of Maine. The Rams scored 317.5 points, ahead of South Portland, which finished with 245.5.

Oh yes, and Bangor’s battle cry says something about how Ram seniors Chris Falk, Vi Thai, Matt Cook and Eric York shattered the 200-medley relay state record of 1 minute, 42.66 seconds with a winning time of 1:42.07.

“There are about six O’s in the last part. It’s a very long Oooooo,” clarified Cook after reciting the victory cheer.

Important detail. And Cook should know. He found the winning rhythm at the state meet collecting golds in the 100 freestyle, the 200 medley relay and the 400 free relay. He also won a silver in the 200 free.

What else can you say to all that other than Oooooo-ticky-aaaah?

“There are no words to explain how I feel about swimming for Bangor, ” Cook said at the end of his last high school meet.

“Abel [Gleason] was crying at the end. He didn’t think he would. I was holding it back. I just thought, `It’s been four years swimming for Coach Emery.’ I can’t describe that. I wish every person could have that experience. The things coach instills in us, it’s amazing.”

Indeed, it was Emery who gave the Rams their renegade rap.

The ancient cheer Bangor shouted like a tribal chant at the beginning, middle and end of the meet has endured for its rhythm in a sport where you need some. But it’s valued for its emotion by a team that wears its proudly. Literally.

Some six Rams had PRIDE written in red across their shoulder blades Saturday, spreading Bangor’s motto through the pool during every event but the backstroke.

“Swimming’s a sport where you’ll be watching a team on the side and you may not know what place their swimmer is in,” Emery offered as a back-door explanation to the talent and unity Bangor displayed at the state meet.

“You’ll see the team explode and cheer – and their swimmer will have come in last. It’s a sport where guys coming in 10th, 11th, 12th – that matters. You need depth.”

“You have to have a lot of heart,” Cook added.

Saturday, Bangor had both. They won using alternates in the trials who were good enough to secure relay spots in the finals for the Rams’ top guns; by winning three of 12 events; by finishing second in six and anywhere between third and sixth 10 times.

“No one has ever had as much depth as consistently as we have,” said Falk proudly at the end of a high school career filled with state championships.

“To win, you need thirds and fourths, it’s a team effort,” Emery agreed, then looking at his senior 200-medley relay team standing beside him, he corrected himself. “But you also need the big horses up front. Setting a state record, the studs do that.”

Somewhere in back of the winner’s circle sat sophomore Mike Reid looking like he finished last. In fact, Reid had joined seniors York, Falk and Cook on the 400 relay that shattered Bangor’s oldest swim record of 3:21.09 set in 1975. The relay won in 3:18.61. Yet, not long afterward, Reid sat alone, his head in his hands.

Emery looked over and explained. At a point, the Rams’ 27-year coach said, on a team as successful as Bangor’s, the victories and records wash away and the effort shared is all that is remembered.

“He’s sad those seniors are leaving. He swam with them for a long time.”

The mystical message in Icky-la-boom-ba slowly comes clear. Something about commitment, strength, endurance… and what endures.

“I didn’t swim in seventh and eighth grade,” Cook confessed looking around an empty Wallace pool after his teammates had gone.

“I was going to play basketball in ninth grade. But Brian Long, who graduated last year, convinced me to swim. I still thank him for that. It’s the best decision of my life. I’m going to swim in college. And I’m excited for that. But it’s sad leaving Coach Emery. I’m definitely going to miss this.”