After a month of training and practice sessions, the high school swim team competed at its first meet of the year last weekend in Juneau.

Wrangell’s seven swimmers competed Friday and Saturday, Sept. 4-5, against larger teams from Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka and Petersburg.

Though the larger squads all easily outscored Wrangell in the team scores — the Juneau-Douglas Yadaa.at Kalé swimmers won both the boys and girls team victories — Wrangell swimmers achieved several personal bests on Saturday.

Freshman Seth McMaster set his personal record Saturday in the 50-yard freestyle, at 31.96, coming in faster than his 50-yard freestyle on Friday.

Freshman Ayla Harris set her personal record for the 100-yard freestyle, at 1:23.51.

Sophomore Arabella Nore achieved a personal record in the 50-yard freestyle, at 32.15. Lynnea Harrison set her personal record at 1:30.58 in the 100-yard breaststroke, shaving more than two seconds off her previous time.

Junior Peter Houser earned two personal records: He clocked in at 1:18.94 in the 100-yard freestyle and at 1:52.63 in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Team captain Andrei Bardin-Siekawitch, a senior, set a personal record of 58.42 in the 100-yard freestyle.

Ayla Harris, Madelyn Davies, Arabella Nore and Lynnea Harrison filled out the Lady Wolves’ relay team at the meet. The squad swam a 2:43.91 200-yard medley relay and a 5:40.33 400-yard freestyle relay. 

Coach Tory Houser said she was pleased with the outcome of the first meet. “We started out the year where we ended last year, which is great. We’re just going to get better and more conditioned over the season.”

Houser is joined this year by assistant coach Alicia Stearns and manager Johanna Sanford.

Bardin-Siekawitch agreed that the meet was an excellent starting point for the team. He was especially proud of the new members. “The freshman did excellent. The meet was a great introduction to high school swimming.”

The next swim meet will be in Ketchikan on Sept. 18-19, followed by competition in October in Petersburg and Sitka before Southeast regionals in Juneau Oct. 30-31.

Until then, the Wrangell swimmers will continue to practice and train, looking to shave time off their upcoming events.