Freshman swimmer Owen Fulton. (Photo provided.)
A pair of underclassmen made the difference for the Sitka High boys swim team at the regional meet in Juneau over the weekend (Oct 28 – 29, 2011).
The Wolves bested Thunder Mountain and Petersburg to capture the Region V title for the fourth time in recent years.
View the complete Region V meet results.
Junior Carl Brenner, who anchors the Wolves first-place 200 medley relay team, can barely contain his excitement over the performances turned in by his younger teammates, Owen Fulton and Justin Harang.
“Owen and Justin, who I didn’t think would make finals – had amazing lifetime swims and made it into finals, which really helped us.”
“Help” might be an understatement. Fulton broke into the top eight in the 200 individual medley, and Harang did the same in the 100 breast – each earning a point for the Sitka squad.
When the dust had settled, Sitka took the championship by one point over Thunder Mountain, and two points over third-place Petersburg.
Sitka’s 200 medley relay team of Louis Belley, Jacob Reid, R.J. Miller, and Carl Brenner went into the meet as the favorite, and edged out Petersburg by a full second.
Brenner suggested that, in such a competitive region, Sitka needed to gain an advantage wherever it could.
“We started a new start technique this year, and our starts have just been getting better and better. And then we worked on our turns. It’s just determination, really.”
Sitka relay teams took second place in two other events: the 200 and 400 free. Spencer Combs, R.J. Miller, Evan Harrington, and Brenner were the 200 team. Louis Belley and Jacob Reid swam with Brenner and Combs in the 400.
R.J. Miller swims the butterfly both on the relay team and as an individual. The sophomore has been building speed all season.
“Over the weekend I swam the 100 fly and I got the best time. On Saturday I dropped to second. So I feel I can go even faster.”
Miller’s 200 medley relay team will be seeded fourth going into the state meet at Bartlett High in Anchorage this weekend.
At this level, Miller says a fraction of a second can make a difference.
“Overall, if everyone drops a half-second, we could probably be in first.”
The Sitka girls – having a rebuilding year – won third in the 200 medley relay, which propelled them to fifth place overall, despite having only four swimmers. The team members are Sarah Rasmussen-Rehkopf, Maddy Chadwick, Dawn McMaster, and Megan Reid. In individual events, Reid qualified for state in the 50 free and 100 breast, and Chadwick qualified in the 100 breast.
Sitka last won the state title in swimming in 2006.
