Swim team achieves many personal bests in Ketchikan meet last weekend

The Wrangell High School swim team competed in Ketchikan last weekend against six other high schools. Coach Jamie Roberts said that she was very proud of her team’s performance. Over the two-day competition, Roberts said that many members of her team achieved personal best times.

Friday’s results are as follows: Xoe Affholter took 21st place in the 50-yard freestyle with a personal best of 40.26 seconds, and 18th in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 1 minute and 33.26 seconds. Jimmy Baggen took 3rd place in the 50-yard freestyle with a personal best of 25.76 seconds, and 5th in the 500-yard freestyle with a personal best of 5 minutes and 59.41 seconds. Laura Helgeson took 14th place in the 50-yard freestyle with a personal best of 34.8 seconds, and 10th in the 100-yard breaststroke with a personal best of 1 minute and 31.47 seconds. Wade Jack took 2nd place in the 50-yard freestyle at 25.64 seconds and 8th in the 100-yard freestyle at 58.37 seconds. Tasha Massin took 16th place in the 50-yard freestyle with a personal best of 36.42 seconds, and 14th in the 100-yard backstroke with a personal best of 1 minute and 29.87 seconds. Aaliyah Massin took 16th place in the 100-yard freestyle with a personal best of 1 minute and 17.68 seconds. Renee Roberts took 2nd place in the 50-yard freestyle with a personal best of 26.26 seconds, and 1st in the 100-yard freestyle with a personal best of 57 seconds.

More personal bests were achieved in the second day of the meet, as well. Saturday’s results are as follows: Xoe Affholter took 22nd place in the 50-yard freestyle with a personal best of 39.44 seconds, and 13th in the 100-yard freestyle with a personal best of 1 minute and 31.82 seconds. Jimmy Baggen took 7th place in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 59.34 seconds, and 3rd in the 100-yard breaststroke with a personal best of 1 minute and 13.94 seconds. Laura Helgeson took 18th place in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 35.19 seconds, and 12th in the 100-yard breaststroke with a personal best of 1 minute and 20.3 seconds. Wade Jack took 7th place in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2 minutes and 15.02 seconds, and 5th in the 100-yard breaststroke with a personal best of 1 minute and 20.3 seconds. Tasha Massin took 19th place in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 37.02 seconds, and 14th in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1 minute and 31.04 seconds. Aaliyah Messmer took 16th place in the 100-yard backstroke with a personal best of 1 minute and 46.23 seconds. Sophie O’Brien took 14th in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 1 minute and 11.93 seconds, and 14th in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1 minute and 39.95 seconds. Renee Roberts took 1st place in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 57.13 seconds and 5th in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1 minute and 8.6 seconds.

“I’m really proud of their performance,” Roberts said. “They just keep getting faster with each meet. I think we either had 13 or 15 personal bests.”

Up next for the swim team are the regional championships in Petersburg on Oct. 26 and 27. The regional competition is different from other meets in that swimmers get to select two individual events to swim in. Roberts said that the team will be having more focused practices, geared towards the specific events they choose. She added that she expects her team to perform well, with some swimmers having a good chance to make it to state. However, she said that winning isn’t the primary goal for her team.

“Regardless of how we do at regionals, the fact that the kids came in and were able to improve their stroke technique, swim longer distances, improve in endurance, and get faster, I mean in my mind that’s the absolute definition of success for the program,” she said.

 

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