By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
A few members of Baranof Barracuda swimmers made a splash at the Senior Championship swim meet in Anchorage over the weekend.
The meet took place at Bartlett High School, which has the only long-course meter pool in Alaska.
“Some of the kids, this was their first time ever racing long course meters... it’s definitely a lot more challenging,” coach Kevin Knox told the Sentinel.
The five swimmers who went up north for the meet were Sitka High swimmers in the regular season. Three were freshmen.
Freshman Emma Gassman took second in the 800-meter freestyle in 10:04.26. A talented swimmer who excels late in a race, Knox said, “she was right around fourth, fifth place for almost the entire race until about the last 150 meters and then she started to reel everybody in and got second overall.”
Gassman also swam the 400 free (6th), the 200 back (7th), 100 fly (11th), 200 fly (3rd), and the 400 individual medley (4th).
Tytan Frawley took fifth in the 200 free, though he was seeded eighth. His time was 2:07.80. Frawley also swam in the 100 free (15th), 50 free (14th), and 200 medley (7th).
The team’s 14 year old freshman Ben Turner was in the meet as well.
In the 200 back, Knox said “he was in the B finals, I believe in seventh place, and he came in first, so he moved way up... He had a breakout swim.”
Turner took ninth in the event, dropping five seconds from his preliminary time.
Turner also swam in the preliminary 200 medley, 100 back, 200 free, 100 free, and 50 free.
Sophia Schwantes took fifth in the 100 fly with a time of 1:10.01. She finished seventh in the 200 medley, eighth in the 100 breaststroke, and 13th in the 200 free.
Finally, Matt Rice competed in the meet as well. Knox said it was Rice’s “first time swimming the mile in a long course meters format.”
In the daunting event, Rice finished fifth in 19:04.21. He also swam in the 100 free (16th), 200 free (9th), 400 free (7th), and 200 back (14th).
The Barracudas swam in only one relay due to travel concerns, their coach said.
Schwantes, Frawley, Rice and Gassman swam the 200 free relay in 1:55.94 to claim fifth place.
The Barracudas swim again over Valentine’s Day weekend, in Ketchikan, in the age group champs. Gassman, as well as Grace Harang and Razie Guillory, will compete in the Oregon Seniors meet in March.
