By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka’s Baranof Barracuda Swim Club placed third in the 2019 Savannah Cayce Southeast Championships in Juneau’s Dimond Park Aquatic Center last weekend.
Juneau’s Glacier Swim Club finished first, and Petersburg’s Viking Swim Club second among seven teams competing.
“With only 10 swimmers swimming we did very well,” BBSC coach Kevin Knox said. “They are all swimming really good. Some aren’t necessarily going best times but this meet, for some of the older kids, wasn’t a target. We are just learning a little bit about their races. They are not going a best time but their races are going well. They are finishing out in front of people they are trying to beat or their technique or philosophy within a race is coming together.”
First Place Individual High Point Awards went to Zach Martens (10 & under), Matt Rice (13-14), Emma Gassman(13-14) and Sophia Schwantes (15 & over); Second Place Individual High Point Awards went to 10 & under - Klayeah Lozada (10 & under); and Third Place Individual High Point Award went to Razie Guillory (13-14).
Baranof Barracuda Swim Club’s Emma Gassman swims in the girl’s 100 fly during the 2019 Savannah Cayce Southeast Championships at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center in Juneau on Saturday. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
BBSC’s Razie Guillory starts the girl’s 50 free. (Sentinel Photos by Klas Stolpe)
The swimmers were walked to the starting blocks for each final with rock music playing in the background.
“It kind of pumps you up to race,” Schwantes said. “I liked having people to compete against and not just swimming people that I know already. I dropped some time in my 400 IM too so that is exciting.”
Rice broke a BBSC record in the 1650 free that was previously held by Will Pate.
“It feels great,” Rice said. “The one I concentrated the most on was probably the mile. I want to drop a lot of time at JO’s in two weeks or something. I would like to hit the 200, the 500 and the mile. I swim year around and the hardest part is the morning practices because I have to wake up early. I love trying to beat people that are faster than me.”
Evi Rice, Phin Edwards, Wim Edwards and Aliyeah Merculief were first time championship swimmers. E. Rice was noted as a fierce competitor in her events, including competing in the 50 breaststroke against 14-15 year olds.
Matthew Rice swims in the boy’s 200 backstroke. (Sentinel Photos by Klas Stolpe)
Merculief made 2 finals events and was part of a girls relay that swam to a 2nd place finish for 14 team points. W. Edwards and P. Edwards were members of two relays with Rice and Martens.
According to Knox, Wim was unofficially voted “cutest swimmer” of the meet by many timers and officials.
Knox said Gassman and Martens posted fast times in their long distance events, 1650 and 500 frees, respectfully, and noted that Schwantes and Guillory “swam well and are gearing up their post high school season for a strong Alaska Junior Olympics swim in a couple of weeks.”
Times included, Phin Edwards (9-10) 50 free 47.30, 100 fr 1:48.77, 50 back 1:02.70, 50 breast DQ, 100 IM DQ; Wim Edwards (8 & under) 25 fr 30.46, 50 fr 1:01.82, 25 bk 32.31, 25 fly NS; Emma Gassman (13-14) 200 fr 2:04.57, 500 fr 5:34.01, 1650 fr 19:03.96, 100 bk 1:06.66, 200 bk 2:22.84, 100 fly 1:05.04, 200 fly 2:26.53, 400 IM 5:01.79; Razie Guillory (13-14) 50 fr 27.96, 100 fr 1:00.66, 200 fr 2:10.45, 200 bk 2:42.82, 100 fly 1:08.29, 200 IM 2:31.95, 400 IM 5:20.32; Klayeah Lozada (10 & under) 200 fr 2:38.50, 100 fly 1:30.94, 200 IM 3:01.70, 50 fr 31.92, 100 fr 1:12.49, 50 bk 38.57, 100 IM 1:21.53; Zach Martens (10 & under) 200 fr 2:43.79, 500 fr 6:54.08, 100 brst 1:34.80, 100 fly 1:32.43, 200 IM 3:00.41, 50 fr 34.61, 50 brst 43.55, 100 IM 1:28.70; Aliyah Merculief (11-12) 50 back 42.67, 100 IM DQ, 50 fr 38.21, 100 fr 1:22.31, 500 fr 8:54.33, 50 bk 42.20, 100 bk 1:33.12, 100 IM DQ; Evi Rice (8 & under) 50 brst 1:02.39, 25 fr 24.06, 50 fr 55.47, 25 bk NS, 25 brst 30.96, 50 brst 1:04.82; Matt Rice (13-14) 50 fr 25.17, 100 fr 52.45, 200 fr 1:56.23, 500 fr 5:10.23, 1650 fr 17:51.93, 100 bk 1:01.78, 200 bk 2:16.06, 400 IM 5:05.21; Sophia Schwantes (15 & over) 50 brst 34.83, 50 fr 27.53, 100 fr 59.32, 200 fr 2:12.78, 100 best 1:16.88, 200 best 2:41.51, 100 fly 1:03.35, 400 IM 5:10.43.
“I was proud of these girls for digging in and swimming some strong back to back races and looking for ways to improve their racing,” Knox said. “This meet can be challenging for some of the older kids as they can have some really tough finals to swim, with good competition and sometimes not a lot of rest between races. It can be a good test for them to see how well they have been training and what we need to focus on in the final weeks before JO’s.”
The BBSC team will compete at the Junior Olympics in Anchorage, April 25-28.
