PERSONAL BEST

ANCHORAGE — Karina Barria has been swimming for about 10 years. But Barria admits she became far more serious about the start after having what she calls “an intense conversation” with her coach last year.

During the 2010 season, Barria has shown everyone exactly how serious she is.

Saturday, Barria capped her high school career among the best in the state. The Wasilla senior used a personal record time to post a runner-up finish in the 50-yard freestyle at the ASAA/First National Bank State Swimming and Diving Championships at Bartlett High School.

“I feel good. It was a good race,” Barria said. “I’m a little bummed I didn’t get first, but it was a good race.”

Regardless of the finish, Barria put an exclamation point on her prep swimming career over the last two weeks, a runner-up finish coupled with a pair of titles in the Region III Championships at Kodiak High School last week.

“I do feel really, really good,” Barria said.

Barria used a blazing time of 24.24 seconds to finish second to Service’s Mary Uselmann, who won with a mark of 23.89.

“I dropped quite a bit of time from yesterday,” Barria said.

Barria finished second in the preliminary round to Uselmann, with a time of 24.41. She won her region title with a time of 24.61.

Matt Hanley, Barria’s coach at Wasilla, said he’s seen her take a step in her career.

“She’s stepped up and raced probably better than she ever has,” Hanley said prior to the state meet.

Hanley said he’s seen new maturity, confidence and focus in his senior standout.

“She’s not getting rattled. She’s handled herself, kept her focus,” Hanley said.

Barria, one of two Wasilla swimmers and four Valley athletes to compete during the final round, also scored a seventh-place finish in the 100 butterfly. Wasilla senior Kevin Snavley was eighth in the 100 backstroke.

Two divers also competed. Wasilla senior Mariah Schachle was eighth in the girls’ 1-meter diving and Colony senior Connor Eshleman was eighth in the boys 1-meter dive.

Barria and Snavley were among seven Valley athletes to swim in preliminaries, but five did not qualify for the finals. Colony’s Zane Mileur was 16th in the 100 freestyle and 14th in the 200 freestyle; Colony’s Alex Kessler finished 16th in the 100 breaststroke; Palmer’s Katie Stark was 13th in the 100 freestyle; Palmer’s Spencer Bloom was 14th in the 100 backstroke; and Palmer’s Noelle Graham was 16th in the 100 butterfly.

Wasilla’s Hillary Graham, and Palmer’s Ry Obeso and Joe Provo also competed in the diving preliminaries.

ASAA/First National Bank

State Swimming and Diving

Championships

Finals, Saturday; Bartlett Pool

Combined team scores (top 10):

1. Dimond 164; 2. Kodiak 126; 3. Service 103; 4. South Anchorage 85; 5. Juneau-Douglas 80.5; 6. East Anchorage 72; 7. Ketchikan 65; 8. Chugiak 60; 9. Petersburg 59; 10. Lathrop 53.5.

Girls results:

200-yard medley relay — 1. Service 1:47.93; 2. Dimond 1:48.93; 3. Ketchikan 1:53.40; 4. West Valley 1:56.85; 5. East Anchorage 1:58.62; 6. Juneau-Douglas 1:58.70; 7. Homer 1:59.27; 8. Chugiak 2:01.30.

200 freestyle — 1. J. Lindquist, Kod 1:55.11; 2. E. Johnson, Ket 1:57.35; 3. K. Dalton, West 1:57.50; 4. J. Wilcox, Dim 1:58.06; 5. J. Iverson, Ser 2:01.21; 6. M. Stephens, Ket 2:03.86; 7. K. Groleske, Sol 2:04.38.

200 individual medley — 1. N. Wray, Dim 2:07.74; 2. J. Caldwell, Chu 2:09.07; 3. K. Wray, Dim 2:11.80; 4. V. Adams, Ser 2:13.86; 5. C. Beck-Goodell, Kod 2:15.02; 6. A. Clark, Jun 2:16.33; 7. M. Hawkins, Dim 2:17.28; 8. L. Jones, East 2:19.03.

50 freestyle — 1. M. Uselmann, Ser 23.89; 2. K. Barria, Was 24.24; 3. H. Norris, Val 25.12; 4. E. Johnston, Kod 25.13; 5. C. Kirk, Ser 25.36; 6. I. Stephens, Ket 25.61; 7. M. Reid, Sit 25.62; 8. M. Scholze, Kod 26.05.

1-meter diving — 1. K. Cartee, South 332.65; 2. S. Craft, WV 326.55; 3. J. Wallace, Mon 302.15; 4. K. Friedli, Chug 299.10; 5. S. Hogen, Kod 289.65; 6. L. Seneff, Hom 279.50; 7. S. Sharp, Jun 278.50; 8. M. Schachle, Was 277.55.

100 butterfly — 1. M. Adams, Ser 57.14; 2. J. Wilcox, Dim 57.29; 3. J. Cavanaugh, East 58.56; 4. O. Bowen, Chu 58.59; 5. J. Stacy, Chu 59.83; 6. A. Clark, Jun 59.90; 7. K. Barria, Was 1:01.90; 8. J. James, WV 1:09.63.

100 freestyle — 1. S. Wicks, East 52.05; 2. L. Griffing, Kod 53.79; 3. E. Johnson, Ket 53.98; 4. J. Caldwell, Chug 54.25; 5. H. Norris, Val 54.89; 6. E. Johnston, Kod 55.57; 7. C. Sauerbrey, East 56.58; 8. M. Jester, Kod 57.07.

500 freestyle — 1. N. Wray, Sim 5:14.56; 2. C. Beck-Goodell, Kod 5:16.01; 3. S. Perkins, NP 5:18.91; 4. K. Dalton, West 5:23.26; 5. J. Iverson, Ser 5:24.72; 6. M. Wallace, East 5:26.88; 7. H. Holt, Dim 5:27.35; 8. O. Pfeifer, Ken 5:27.74.

200 freestyle relay — 1. Kodiak 1:39.63; 2. Service 1:39.68; 3. Chugiak 1:40.02; 4. East Anchorage 1:40.28; 5. Ketchikan 1:42.62; 6. Kenai 1:44.87; 7. West Valley 1:46.92; 8. Juneau-Douglas 1:47.65.

100 backstroke — 1. S. Wicks, Esat 56.61; 2. V. Adams, Ser 58.46; 3. J. Lindquist, Kod 58.48; 4. J. Stacy, Chu 58.49; 5. M. Hawkins, Dim 59.03; 6. O. Bowen, Chu 59.60; 7. A. Bezenek, Ket 1:02.32; 8. H. Mertz, Jun 1:02.83.

100 breaststroke — 1. L. Griffing, Kod 1:04.50; 2. K. Wray, Dim 1:07.23; 3. K. Standley, Ket 1:07.65; 4. M. Scholze, Kod 1:08.19; 5. K. O’Donoghue, WV 1:08.56; 6. E. Audette, Sew 1:09.79; 7. C. Kirk, Ser 1:11.08; 8. D. McNulty, Hom 1:12.00.

400 freestyle — 1. Service 3:36.14; 2. Kodiak 3:36.34; 3. Chugiak 3:36.72; 4. East Anchorage 3:40.39; 5. Dimond 3:43.94; 6. Ketchikan 3:52.89; 7. Kenai 3:53.44; 8. West Valley 3:57.13.

Boys results:

200-yard medley relay — 1. South Anchorage 1:38.24; 1. Dimond (tie) 1:38.34; 3. Juneau-Douglas 1:41.09; 4. West Valley 1:42.96; 5. Sitka 1:43.77; 6. Homer 1:45.66; 7. Soldotna 1:46.30.

200 freestyle — 1. W. Heaven, Ke 1:41.50; 2. J. Reid, Pet 1:45.35; 3. L. Haneman, Lat 1:46.57; 4. B. Krenzelok, ER 1:47.61; 5. J. Ursin, Dim 1:48.20; 6. J. Anderson, Jun 1:49.50; 7. J. Danielson, Lat 1:50.22; 8. D. Wilcox, Dim 1:51.59.

200 individual medley — 1. P. Marsh, Pet 1:55.78; 2. J. Schulte, South 1:56.15; 3. T. Mickelson, Jun 1:59.34; 3. (tie) P. Martinez, Lat 1:59.34; 5. N. Messing, Jun 2:01.52; 6. J. Sandstrom, Dim 2:02.53; 7. C. Burnside, Kod 2:04; 8. L. Belley, Sit 2:05.83.

50 freestyle — 1. R. O’Leary, Sew 21.31; 2. B. Rockwell, South 21.51; 3. N. Mackino, Kod 21.52; 4. A. Kowalewski, Dim 21.95; 5. N. Broughton, Sew 22.81; 6. E. Mathers, Lat 23.04; 7. J. Carson, WV 23.09; 8. N. Bullington, West 23.15.

1-meter diving — 1. D. Haas, Ser 432.80; 2. R. Hembree, WV 387.8; 3. J. Oldham, East 380.65; 4. E. Tyler, West 340.00; 5. S. Hodgson, South 327.80; 6. A. Aulbach, Pet 296.70; 7. G. Hall, Hom 289.4; 8. C. Eshleman, Col 276.35.

100 butterfly — 1. W. Heaven, Ken 51.05; 2. T. Mickelson, Jun 52.08; 3. D. Wilcox, Dim 52.67; 4. E. Wilcox, Dim 53.72; 5. G. Evershed, Hut 53.79; 6. C. Chan, Dim 54.36; 7. M. Wilson, Dim 54.51; 8. R. Ginter, Hom 55.72.

100 freestyle — 1. R. O’Leary, Sew 46.45; 2. J. Reid, Pet 47.89; 3. B. Rockwell, South 47.96; 4. A. Kowalewski, Dim 48.42; 5. J. Hanneman, Lat 48.50; 6. J. Anderson, Jun 48.86; 7. C. Schick, Jun 49.59; 8. C. Carrico, Sol 50.70.

500 freestyle — 1. C. Kuikhoven, Ket 4:50.23; 2. J. Ursin, Dim 4:54.35; 3. S. Ross, Dim 4:56.23; 4. J. Danielson, Lat 5:01.64; 5. M. Smith, Kod 5:09.64; 6. E. Miller, Ket 5:10.36; 7. B. Schauff, Kod 5:11.65; 8. C. Steger, East 5:14.52.

200 freestyle relay — 1. South Anchorage 1:28.83; 2. Petersburg 1:30.17; 3. Lathrop 1:30.61; 4. Seward 1:31.37; 5. Dimond 1:31.53; 6. Homer 1:31.94; 7. Kenai 1:31.98; 8. Kodiak 1:32.58.

100 backstroke — 1. N. Mackino, Kod 53.50; 2. M. Stocker, East 54.11; 3. N. Messing, Jun 54.91; 4. Z. Rockwell, South 56.10; 5. L. Belley, Sit 56.46; 6. L. Carson, WV 56.79; 7. C. Chan, Dim 56.93; 8. K. Snavley, Was 58.34.

100 breaststroke — 1. J. Schulte, South 58.11; 2. P. Marsh, Pet 59.15; 3. P. Martinez, Lat 1:01.73; 4. C. Carrico, Sol 1:02.16; 5. J. Sandstrom, Dim 1:02.39; 6. J. Swanson, Jun 1:03.86; 7. N. Bullington, West 1:04.12; 8. J. Reid, Sit 1:05.85.

400 freestyle relay — 1. Juneau-Douglas 3:14.70; 2. Dimond 3:16.00; 3. Petersburg 3:17.21; 4. Lathrop 3:19.35; 5. Kodiak 3:23.84; 6. Sitka 3:25.53; 7. South 3:26.77; 8. Kenai 3:27.88.