Junior Jack Roberts was the lone Wrangell High School swimmer to compete at the state meet in Anchorage over the weekend, coming off a first-place win in regionals.
Roberts gave his best effort in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard freestyle, but it wasn’t enough to sink the competition.
Roberts came on strong in each heat, powering through each lap. He finished ninth in the 200-yard individual medley preliminaries with a time of 2:06.48. The top eight swimmers advance to finals. In the 100-yard freestyle preliminaries, he finished eighth as he tied with another swimmer at 49.99.
A swim-off was held between Roberts and Jack Beltzer of West Anchorage High School for the 100-yard freestyle to see which swimmer would advance to the finals. From the start, Roberts surged ahead, always staying at least an arm’s length ahead of his competition. In the end, Roberts bested Beltzer with a time of 49.10 to 49.97.
“It was a little nerve-racking to watch a swim-off,” head coach Jamie Roberts said. “It’s a high-pressure situation. The crowd was cheering so loud, the energy level was so high in that natatorium. Jack performs well under pressure and swam a personal best — what a great time to do that.”
Robert’s previous best time in the 100-yard freestyle was 49.33.
In the 100-yard freestyle finals competition, Roberts kept up at first but slowed with each lap, finishing seventh at 50.01.
“I feel very satisfied with this season overall,” coach Roberts said. “The team was small, but they worked hard at practice and at meets, and they continued to improve throughout the season. I know they feel good about it, too, when they are talking about their goals and ideas about the next season. I’m proud of their efforts and look forward to next season.”
The coach also expressed appreciation for those who supported this year’s team.
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