Retiring teacher, coach urges Colony grads to ‘find their 68’
By Jeremiah Bartz Frontiersman.com A football coach using a hockey reference as the centerpiece for his keynote address may
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The Kodiak Bears were the host of the Region III Championships, but the Colony Knights were the story of the meet.
Colony swept the team titles, and combined to win nine individual events and three relays during the two-day meet in Kodiak.
Colony’s Iver Gates was named the Region III Male Swimmer of the Year. Gates help Colony set the Region III record in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1 minute, 37.56 seconds. Gates saw the final leg for a group that also included Pierce McDonough, Hudson Duguid and Isaiah Hulien.
Gates also won a pair of individual events. He was first in the 50 freestyle, with a time of 22.05 seconds, and first in the 100 freestyle at 48.21.
Hulien, McDonough, Duguid and Reven Settle also won individual events for the Colony boys. Settle was first in the 200 individual medley (2:03.89), Hulien won the 100 butterfly (51.06), McDonough placed first in the 100 backstroke (53.43) and Duguid was first in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.91).
Settle, McDonough, Beck LaBoucane and Kellen DenBleyker combined to win the 400 freestyle for the CHS boys.
Colony finished with 143 total points in the team standings, nearly 100 more than runner-up Kenai.
Settle (100 backstroke), Hulien (500 freestyle), DenBleyker (100 and 200 freestyle), LaBoucane (200 IM) and Thomas Smith (50 and 100 freestyle) finished as a runner-up for the Knights. McDonough (200 freestyle) and LaBoucane (100 freestyle) were third.
Hannah Cooper led the Colony girls with a pair of individual wins. Cooper was first in the 500 freestyle (5:20.32) and 200 IM (2:14.82). Chloe Blackburn was also first in the 100 freestyle (57.32).
Blackburn, Cooper, Katie Dollick and Jerzey Lane combined to win the 200 freestyle relay for Colony, with a time of 1:43.83.
Meili Smith (100 backstroke) was second for the Knights, and Lane (50 freestyle) and Zoe Burns (500 freestyle) placed third.
Colony’s Charlize McManus also won the girls diving event for the Knights, with a score of 412.90. McManus and her Colony teammates swept the top four spots. Claire Wallstrum, Samantha Grisham and Lyza Krozel placed second, third and fourth.
Wasilla’s Travis Thornton won the boys diving event, with a score of 502.90. His Wasilla teammate Colter Gose was second.
Palmer placed third in the girls team standings with 62 points. Kylie Benner was first in the 200 freestyle (1:57.23) and Nina Adams won the 100 breaststroke (1:10.96). Benner was also second in the 100 butterfly, and Jade Bamford finished third in the 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke.
Jackson Charton led the Palmer boys with third-place finishes in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly.
The ASAA/First National Bank State Swimming and Diving Championships are Nov. 8-9 at Bartlett High School in Anchorage.
Contact the Frontiersman at sports@frontiersman.com.
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