Soldotna swimming and diving coach Angie Brennan had plenty of highlights she could have pointed to after the Kenai Quad Meet on Friday at Kenai Central. The one she chose was telling.
The last event of the meet was the 400-yard freestyle relay. There were just two teams in the event, and SoHi finished about 1 minute, 50 seconds, behind Kenai Central. But as freshman Brandon Christensen swam the last couple lengths, all of the Stars gathered at the pool’s edge to cheer him on, erupting with his final touch of the wall.
“When he started with us in practice, he had his head out of the water,” Brennan said. “He has come so far. That was pretty cool.”
The Soldotna girls, the two-time defending Region III champs, won 10 of 12 events to win the girls team title with 178 points, while Kenai was second with 68, Seward was third with 36 and Homer, doing only the diving, was fourth with seven. The Kardinals boys won with 121 points, while SoHi had 89, Seward had 44 and Homer had six.
Because it was the first meet of the season, Brennan’s first concern wasn’t times and championships. She was more concerned with the Stars acting like a team and using proper nutrition before the race. The squad excelled at the first, but failed at the second.
“That’s what I’ve been focused on being a new coach — making sure everybody is cohesive and jelling,” Brennan said. “They can practice and practice, but that’s something that can’t be replaced.
“I want to make sure they have fun, and winning is fun.”
The Stars did plenty of winning thanks to big meets from Portia Padilla, Sydney Juliussen and Zeina Abouelkheir. Padilla won the 200 individual medley, 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay; Abouelkheir won the 500 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay; and Juliussen won the 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay.
The Stars girls also received individual wins from Annalynn Brown in diving and Darby McMillan in the 100 backstroke. Katie Creglow and Ryann Cannava were on the winning 200 medley relay, Alex Juliussen and Kortney Birch were on the winning 200 freestyle relay, and Birch also swam on the winning 400 freestyle relay.
The SoHi boys got victories from Kylin Welch in diving, Ethan Evans in the 200 IM, and the 200 freestyle relay of Evans, Will Gross, Connor Gross and Jeremy Kupferschmid.
The Kardinals boys won eight of 12 events and immediately started making tracks on some of the school records coach Winter Heaven wants to see fall.
The 200 medley relay of Savaii Heaven, Hunter Reese, Owen Rolph and Trevor Bagley swam 1:46.12, just off the school record of 1:46.12.
“They’re good relay starts away from breaking it,” Winter Heaven said. “They’re in shape and they’re strong enough swimmers. They just have to tighten things up.”
The group of swimmers had a huge day for the Kardinals, also capturing the 400 freestyle relay and numerous other events.
Reese also won the 50 and 100 free.
“He had phenomenal times for this early in the season,” Heaven said. “He’s a strong kid and he’s learning to use it. He’s also grown a lot in the past two years.”
Savaii Heaven won the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Savaii is hunting Winter’s school record of 55.30 in the backstroke. Friday, he was at 57.28 in the third-last boys event of the meet.
“These short meets can be tough,” Winter Heaven said. “Toward the end, you don’t get enough rest.”
Rolph won the 500 freestyle, while Bagley nabbed the 100 breaststroke. On the girls side, Riley Reese won the 50 free.
“I’m excited,” Heaven said. “We have a good group of kids and they put together good times. This sets us up to do exciting things this year.”
Seward coach Meghan O’Leary also is excited with 10 swimmers out for the team, the most in the last several years. That allowed the Seahawks to have relays on the girls and boys side.
Seward received victories from Lucy Hankins in the 200 freestyle and Connor Spanos in the 100 butterfly.
O’Leary said Spanos missed state by a little bit last season in the butterfly. The sophomore has grown taller since then and those inches could get him to state this season.
Sophomore Hunter Hollingsworth had a split of 25.69 seconds in the 200 freestyle relay after two years off from swimming.
“It was our first meet of the year and we had several kids swim their best times, which is always awesome,” O’Leary said. “For Hunter Hollingsworth to do that after two years off will help him love the sport even more.”
Kenai Quad Meet
GIRLS
Team scores: 1. Soldotna, 178; 2. Kenai Central, 68; 3. Seward, 36; 4. Homer, 7.
200-yard medley relay — 1. Soldotna (Darby McMillan, Katie Creglow, Zeina Abouelkheir, Ryann Cannava), 2:06.62; 2. Kenai Central, 2:09.51; 3. Seward, 2:22.22; 4. Soldotna, 2:28.31.
200 freestyle — 1. Lucy Hankins, Sew, 1:58.00; 2. Sydney Juliussen, Sol, 2:12.31; 3. Alex Juliussen, Sol, 2:17.92; 4. Rachael Pitsch, Ken, 2:18.00; 5. Grace Morrow, Ken, 2:19.88; 6. Katie Creglow, Sol, 2:20.65.
200 individual medley — 1. Portia Padilla, Sol, 2:30.25; 2. Annika Ganzmer, Ken, 2:42.87; 3. Madelyn Barkman, Sol, 2:44.26; 4. Ryann Cannava, Sol, 2:49.93.
50 freestyle — 1. Riley Reese, Ken, 27.54; 2. Darby McMillan, Sol, 28.07; 3. Madelyn Brennan, Sol, 28.24; 4. Meghan Mullaly, Sew, 29.47; 5. Elena Hamner, Sew, 32.68; 6. Arin Reger, Sol, 33.73.
Diving — 1. Annalynn Brown, Sol, 167.50; 2. MaKayla Raemaaker, Sol, 130.45.
100 butterfly — 1. Sydney Juliussen, Sol, 1:10.80; 2. Katie Creglow, Sol, 1:14.79; 3. Faith Ivy, Ken, 1:20.52; 4. Lucy Hankins, Sew, 1:21.01.
100 freestyle — 1. Portia Padilla, Sol, 58.23; 2. Annika Genzmer, Ken, 1:01.75; 3. Alex Juliussen, Sol, 1:03.18; 4. Kortney Birch, Sol, 1:04.37; 5. Kylie Mullaly, Sew, 1:05.42; 6. Mickinzie Ticknor, Ken, 1:17.32.
500 freestyle — 1. Zeina Abouelkheir, Sol, 5:56.25; 2. Rachael Pitsch, Ken, 5:59.94; 3. Riley Reese, Ken, 6:00.73; 4. Madelyn Brennan, Sol, 6:48.97; 5. Emma Snyder, Sol, 7:22.24.
200 freestyle relay — 1. Soldotna (Sydney Juliussen, Portia Padilla, Alex Juliussen, Kortney Birch), 1:25.00; 2. Kenai, 1:54.62; 3. Seward, 2:00.93; 4. Soldotna, 2:18.93.
100 backstroke — 1. Darby McMillan, Sol, 1:11.31; 2. Ryann Cannava, Sol, 1:18.37; 3. Grace Morrow, Ken, 1:19.01; 4. Kortney Birch, Sol, 1:20.46; 5. Mickinzie Ticknor, Ken, 1:26.63; 6. Megan Koster, Sew, 1:29.03.
100 breaststroke — 1. Zeina Abouelkheir, Sol, 1:17.03; 2. Faith Ivy, Ken, 1:24.55; 3. Madelyn Barkman, Sol, 1:25.47; 4. Kennedy Holland, Sol, 1:26.96; 5. Meghan Mullaly, Sew, 1:32.87; 6. Treava Schmitter Schrier, Ken, 1:45.50.
400 freestyle relay — 1. Soldotna (Sydney Juliussen, Portia Padilla, Zeina Abouelkheir, Kortney Birch), 4:11.39; 2. Soldotna, 4:27.20; 3. Soldotna, 5:08.62.
BOYS
Team scores: 1. Kenai Central, 121; 2. Soldotna, 89; 3. Seward, 44; 4. Homer, 6.
200 medley relay — 1. Kenai Central (Savaii Heaven, Hunter Reese, Owen Rolph, Trevor Bagley), 1:46.12; 2. Soldotna, 1:56.88; 3. Seward, 2:02.99.
200 freestyle — 1. Savaii Heaven, Ken, 1:53.69; 2. Connor Gross, Sol, 2:08.31; 3. Peter Anderson, Ken, 2:31.07.
200 individual medley — 1. Ethan Evans, Sol, 2:12.55; 2. Connor Spanos, Sew, 2:14.86; 3. Owen Rolph, Ken, 2:16.44; 4. Dominic Alioto, Ken, 2:37.74.
50 freestyle — 1. Hunter Reese, Ken, 22.41; 2. Jeremy Kupferschmid, Sol, 25.70; 3. Will Gross, Sol, 26.79; 4. Hunter Hollingsworth, Sew, 26.81; 5. Karl Pfeiffenberger, Sew, 29.06; 6. Brock Storms, Ken, 29.53.
Diving — 1. Kylin Welch, Sol, 227.40; 2. Sam Skolnick, Sol, 201.90; 3. Spencer Warren, Hom, 181.35; 4. Gideon Hutchison, Sol, 113.70; 5. Rio Shemet Pitcher, Hom, 91.40.
100 butterfly — 1. Connor Spanos, Sew, 59.12; 2. Trevor Bagley, Ken, 1:07.42; 3. Sorin Sorensen, Ken, 1:10.38.
100 freestyle — 1. Hunter Reese, Ken, 50.36; 2. Ethan Evans, Sol, 53.20; 3. Jeremy Kupferschmid, Sol, 59.00; 4. Dominic Alioto, Ken, 1:04.15; 5. Karl Pfeiffenberger, Sew, 1:06.97; 6. Kody VanDyke, Sol, 1:17.04.
500 freestyle — 1. Owen Rolph, Ken, 5:30.91; 2. Peter Anderson, Ken, 6:46.40.
200 freestyle relay — 1. Soldotna (Ethan Evans, Will Gross, Connor Gross, Jeremy Kupferschmid), 1:40.36; 2. Seward, 1:50.01; 3. Kenai Central, 1:52.90.
100 backstroke — 1. Savaii Heaven, Ken, 57.28; 2. Connor Gross, Sol, 1:10.25; 3. Hunter Hollingsworth, Sew, 1:11.12; 4. Brock Storms, Ken, 1:23.19.
100 breaststroke — 1. Trevor Bagley, Ken, 1:09.61; 2. Sorin Sorensen, Ken, 1:18.29; 3. Will Gross, Sol, 1:19.87; 4. Joshua Park, Sew, 1:33.43.
400 freestyle relay — 1. Kenai Central (Hunter Reese, Savaii Heaven, Trevor Bagley, Owen Rolph), 3:41.20; 2. Soldotna, 5:31.91.
Kenai Central’s Hunter Reese swims to victory in the 100-yard freestyle Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, at the Kenai Quad Meet at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Seward’s Connor Spanos swims to victory in the 100-yard butterfly Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, at the Kenai Quad Meet at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Sydney Juliussen swims to victory in the 100-yard butterfly Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, at the Kenai Quad Meet at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
