By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
Two Baranof Barracuda Swim Club members, Sitka High sophomores Grace Harang, 16, and Sophia Schwantes, 16, recently competed in the Oregon Senior Championships at Beaverton, Oregon, among 800 athletes from 51 swim clubs.
Harang made finals in the 100 Free and placed with a time of 55.10 (placing 16th); the 100 Breast in 1:09.53 (9th); 100 fly in 59.59 (14th); and the 200 IM in 2:15.92 (10th). She also swam the 50 Free in 25.10 and the 200 Free in 2:02.71.
“The meet was very competitive and fast-paced, and I loved comparing my times with mine from last year at the same meet, seeing how I improved,” Harang said. “I was most pleased with my 100 butterfly event. It’s not an event that I have swam often, but I have been hoping to break the minute for some time now. I was able to meet my goal this meet, with a 59.59.”
Baranof Barracuda Swim Club’s Grace Harang, Sophia Schwantes, and coach Kevin Knox at the Oregon Senior Championships in Beaverton, Oregon (Courtesy Photo)
Five of Harang’s six swims were personal best times: the 50, 100, and 200 Free, 100 Breast, and 100 Fly.
Schwantes swam the 100 Breast in 1:11.95 (40th), the 200 Breast in 2:38.02 (49th), the 100 Fly in 1:03.86 (59th), and the 200 IM (2:21.59 (62nd).
Two of Schwantes’ four swims were also personal best times: the 200 Breast and 200 IM.
“I am happiest with my times because they were about the same as my high school times,” Schwantes said.
This production level means that both swimmers have been able to keep a high level of fitness after the high school season that saw the Sitka Wolves girls team sweep the Region V Championships in Petersburg and Harang and Schwantes win the ASAA 200 medley relay at the State Championships in Anchorage with senior teammates Jessica Davis (back) and Kyleigh McArthur (free) in 1:49.80. Harang swam the breast portion and Schwantes the fly. The Sitka team went on to place second overall behind Dimond High.
“Regardless of the accomplishments that these Oregon swims brought Grace and Sophia, this meet was a great opportunity for all of us to race at a very competitive level, and learn a lot about how they compete and what we need to do to get better,” BBSC coach Kevin Knox said. “Racing at this level can be really fun, but it can also be a lot of pressure. I think both girls will bring back something from this beyond just their races.”
Coaches also benefit from large pressure competitions.
“For me too, I haven’t coached Grace and Sophia in a meet for awhile and seeing them swim in competition as their coach was really fun,” Knox said. “I enjoy that connection to the athletes and hope to bring that into their training and future competitions.”
Many of the BBSC swimmers will travel to the Southeast championships in Juneau the first weekend of April and the Junior Olympics championships in Anchorage at the end of April.
