Wrangell sent six swimmers to the five-school swim meet at Ketchikan last weekend, with all of the Wolves achieving at least one personal-best time in the pool.

Team Captain Andrei Bardin-Siekawitch pointed to the skills of the newest team members: “The freshmen continue to impress.”

The two-day meet ran Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18-19, with Wrangell far short in the team scores against larger high school teams.

Wrangell freshman Seth McMaster set a new personal record in his 50-yard freestyle on Saturday. He clocked in at 31.12. Freshman Ayla Harris also set her PR in Saturday’s 50-yard freestyle, achieving a time of 37.0. Sophomore Lynnea Harrison dropped more than two seconds from her 100-yard breaststroke, coming in at 1:28.47 on Saturday.

Junior Peter Houser set three personal records at the meet. He shaved off four seconds in his 100-yard breaststroke on Friday, with a time of 1:46.32. Houser also trimmed more than a second on his 100-yard freestyle, with a time of 1:16.95. On Saturday, he dropped his time in the 50-yard freestyle, clocking in at 34.35.

Senior and Captain Andrei Bardin-Siekawitch achieved a PR in his 100-yard backstroke on Friday, with a time of 1:10.06. Senior and Captain Madelyn Davies set two personal records on Saturday, cutting three seconds off her previous 100-yard breaststroke PR, achieving a time of 1:37.35. Davies also set a personal record in the 100-yard freestyle, swimming a 1:31.82.

“The Ketchikan pool is very fast, but our swimmers weren’t quite used to the chlorine levels,” coach Victoria Houser said.

Bardin-Siekawitch agreed. “Although all our noses burned, it is everyone’s favorite pool to compete in.” He was pleased with the team’s consistent progress, evident in the amount of time shaved off previous swims.

Although the six Wrangell swimmers worked hard and clocked in at faster times, they were easily outscored by the larger schools in the team standings. Juneau-Douglas: Yadaa.at Kalé won both days of the meet, followed by Sitka, Ketchikan and Petersburg.

Houser talked about the next steps for the team. “The team had great times. Now we will begin to prepare for our next meet, focusing on everyone’s specific individual events, kicking, pulling and dolphins.” Houser emphasized the team's continuation to make use of the swimming skills shared with them by coach Mike Harden, who visited earlier in their season.

The team is unsure when their next meet will be. It is scheduled for Oct. 2-3 in Petersburg, but possible construction conflicts at the Petersburg pool could force a change in the schedule.