Evans, Jacoby take SoHi Pentathlon

Soldotna junior Ethan Evans proved once again that he has no rival, while Seward sophomore Lydia Jacoby and Homer junior Madison Story renewed their rivalry, Friday at the 2019 SoHi Pentathlon at Soldotna High School.

In the Pentathlon, each competitor swims the 100-yard individual medley, 50 butterfly, 50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke and 50 freestyle. Those five times are added up to determine the winner.

The top swimmers also are used to calculate team scores. On the girls side, Homer won while Soldotna was second and Kodiak was third. On the boys side, Kenai came out on top while Colony was second and Kodiak was third.

Last season as a freshman, Jacoby took a pair of region titles, pair of state titles, and was named the top girls swimmer at both the region and state meets. But one thing she didn’t do was win the Pentathlon, coming in second to Story.

She filled in that hole Friday in record fashion. Jacoby started the meet by breaking Jackie VanDriessche’s 2005 meet record in the 100 IM. VanDriessche, also of Seward, was at 1:00.82, while Jacoby was at 1:00.51.

Then Jacoby topped off the night by setting a new record for meet total. VanDriessche’s 2:53.97 had stood since 2005, but Jacoby lowered that to 2:53.77. Jacoby said she does not know VanDriessche personally, but that Seward’s coach, Meghan O’Leary, knows VanDriessche.

“It means a lot,” Jacoby said of winning her first Pentathlon title. “It’s a really fun meet to swim with my friends, then we get to hang out afterward.”

Jacoby served notice of her intentions by defeating Story by more than a second in the IM. Nobody else was within five seconds. Story would finish at 2:56.74.

“I was mentally prepared for her to win,” Story said. “She’s the fastest 15-year-old breaststroker in the nation, and the IM is heavy on the breaststroke. I think it was a healthy and fun competition.”

The two friendly rivals would split the rest of the events, with Jacoby winning the 50 butterfly and 50 breaststroke (in 29.68, off her meet record of 29.47), and Story taking the 50 backstroke and 50 freestyle.

“I didn’t expect to win the meet, but I hoped to,” Jacoby said. “I’m sure she felt the same way. I’m sure we’re going to keep going back and forth throughout high school.”

Story did get to go home with the team championship. Homer’s Adeline Berry was fourth, while Ella Blanton-Yourkowski was 12th to give the Mariners the win.

“It’s really amazing to me,” Story said. “When I started swimming as a 5-year-old, I was the only girl out for the swim team. Now we have so many girls we could win regions.”

The Stars came in second thanks to Madelyn Barkman taking sixth, Katie Creglow taking seventh and Madison Snyder snaring eighth. Riley Reese led Kenai in 13th.

Evans won four of five events in commanding his second-straight Pentathlon. He took control of the meet right away by winning the 100 individual medley by over two seconds.

The SoHi junior had a total of 2 minutes, 35.47 seconds, while Kodiak’s Ian Rocheleau was second in 2:43.24.

“Other than regions and state, this is the biggest meet for me,” said Evans of the Pentathlon, which was held for a 38th time. “Especially with it being at Soldotna.”

The only race Evans lost was the 50 freestyle. Seward’s Connor Spanos touched at 22.89 seconds, with Evans at 22.98. Spanos would finish fourth in the meet total.

“My goal was to run the table,” Evans said. “If someone had to beat me, I’m glad it was Connor. He’s a great friend. I’ve stayed at his house in Seward.”

Evans also lauded Rocheleau for a great meet, saying the Kodiak swimmer would have won the 50 backstroke if he had 25 more yards.

Evans had his eye on the 50 breaststroke meet record of Soldotna graduate Joshua Gemmell from 2000. Gemmell finished at 27.04, while Evans was at 27.90.

The Soldotna junior said he’d like to take a shot at that record, as well as the 2016 mark of Kodiak’s Talon Lindquist in the meet total. Lindquist finished at 2:29.40 that year.

But in the immediate future, Evans has his eye on state titles in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. SoHi hasn’t had a state title in a swimming event since 2003.

“That’s been something on my mind,” Evans said. “I remember seeing it in the paper in seventh or eighth grade. I still have that paper for motivation for working hard in the summer.”

Kenai won the team competition by placing four in the top 11 — Owen Rolph in sixth, Trevor Bagley in seventh, Koda Poulin in eighth and Sorin Sorensen in 11th. Hunter Hollingsworth also finished 12th for Seward, while Skyler Rodriguez was 13th to lead Homer.

Jacoby

Friday

2019 SoHi Pentathlon

GIRLS

Team results: 1. Homer; 2. Soldotna; 3. Kodiak.

Individual results (Total – 100 IM, 50 butterfly, 50 backstroke, 50 breaststoke, 50 freestyle)

1. Lydia Jacoby, Sew, 2 minutes, 53.77 seconds (1:00.51, 27.57, 29.43, 29.68, 26.58); 2. Madison Story, Hom, 2:56.74 (1:01.69, 28.32, 29.00, 31.88, 25.85); 3. Leslie Spear, Kod, 3:09.39 (1:05.90, 30.85, 32.44, 33.64, 26.56); 4. Adeline Berry, Hom, 3:11.00 (1:07.32, 28.51, 32.62, 35.91, 26.64); 5. Alison Narog, Kod, 3:11.63 (1:08.89, 27.90, 29.85, 39.02, 25.97); 6. Madelyn Barkman, Sol, 3:12.58 (1:07.81, 30.44, 31.91, 35.15, 27.27); 7. Katie Creglow, Sol, 3:13.34 (1:07.61, 30.09, 33.91, 33.71, 28.02); 8. Madison Snyder, Sol, 3:13.55 (1:07.15, 30.67, 32.84, 34.81, 28.08); 9. Taylor Nelson, Col, 3:14.70 (1:08.18, 30.34, 31.50, 37.64, 27.04); 10. Joscelyn Barrette, Col, 3:17.04 (1:08.18, 30.34, 31.50, 37.64, 27.04); 11. Ally Ferguson, Pal, 3:18.21 (1:09.61, 29.72, 32.03, 39.30, 27.55); 12. Ella Blanton-Yourkowski, Hom, 3:20.77 (1:10.62, 30.42, 32.75, 39.32, 27.66); 13. Riley Reese, Ken, 3:21.72 (1:10.36, 34.07, 33.47, 35.98, 27.84); 14. Josephine Rogness, Col, 3:21.89 (1:10.47, 32.05, 32.22, 38.96, 28.19); 15. Jamine Biederman, Col, 3:22.81 (1:10.01, 32.41, 36.47, 34.33, 29.59); 16. Kaylin Kloutunowich, Was, 3:26.13 (1:11.93, 31.63, 34.48, 40.03, 28.06); 17. Emily Hubert, Kod, 3:27.02 (1:11.46, 35.49, 35.32, 36.27, 28.48); 18. Rachael Pitsch, Ken, 3:27.25 (1:12.49, 33.04, 34.40, 38.73, 28.59); 19. Julia Anderson, Ken, 3:27.56 (1:12.47, 30.57, 34.15, 41.11, 29.26); 20. Addi Rogers, Kod, 3:27.60 (1:13.87, 32.28, 33.90, 38.87, 28.68).

BOYS

Team results: 1. Kenai; 2. Colony; 3. Kodiak.

Individual results (Total – 100 IM, 50 butterfly, 50 backstroke, 50 breaststoke, 50 freestyle)

1. Ethan Evans, Sol, 2:35.47 (55.07, 23.90, 25.62, 27.90, 22.98); 2. Ian Rocheleau, Kod, 2:43.24 (57.46, 24.82, 26.12, 31.39, 23.45); 3. Konnor Kolberg, Col, 2:45.76 (58.33, 25.60, 27.53, 30.88, 23.42); 4. Connor Spanos, Sew, 2:46.65 (58.64, 24.96, 28.88, 31.28, 22.89); 5. Jonathan Cowin, Col, 2:48.09 (59.39, 25.41, 26.82, 32.59, 23.88); 6. Owen Rolph, Ken, 2:50.06 (59.99, 25.33, 29.42, 31.82, 23.50); 7. Trevor Bagley, Ken, 2:50.32 (1:00.64, 26.94, 27.83, 30.28, 24.63); 8. Koda Poulin, Ken, 2:50.54 (59.87, 25.80, 27.92, 32.58, 24.37); 9. Jackson Krug, Kod, 2:51.76 (1:00.18, 26.37, 29.23, 31.93, 24.05); 10. Karson Kolberg, Col, 2:51.86 (1:00.55, 26.46, 28.96, 31.03, 24.86); 11. Sorin Sorensen, Ken, 2:55.00 (1:03.00, 26.90, 29.37, 31.58, 24.15); 12. Hunter Hollingsworth, Sew, 2:56.54 (1:03.17, 26.75, 29.46, 33.13, 24.03); 13. Skyler Rodriguez, Hom, 2:57.29 (1:02.52, 26.28, 29.72, 33.88, 24.89); 14. Kaeson Dalrymple-Sorenson, Pal, 2:58.43 (1:02.25, 26.92, 29.12, 35.24, 24.90); 15. Jaxson Lee, Pal, 3:01.66 (1:05.09, 27.92, 30.31, 34.25, 24.09); 16. Stewart Sawyer, Pal, 3:03.23 (1:05.01, 27.80, 31.41, 33.77, 25.24); 17. Dakota Bjornn, Pal, 3:04.13 (1:05.57, 27.77, 31.29, 33.56, 25.94); 18. Kai Lloyd, Unalakleet, 3:06.10 (1:06.22, 29.53, 30.93, 34.81, 24.61); 19. Micah Arndt, Kod, 3:06.58 (1:06.14, 29.04, 32.51, 33.06, 25.83); 20. Paxton Hill, Sew, 3:06.66 (1:06.09, 29.03, 30.16, 36.07, 25.31).