Prep swimming: Bears edge Warriors for boys' title

Oct. 31, 2006

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

HOMER - It all came down to the final event.

Before the first swimmer hit the water in the boys' 400-yard freestyle relay at the Region III Swim and Dive Championships at Homer High School on Saturday, Kodiak led the Wasilla Warriors by just one point.

Kodiak's four-man relay team was able to win the event, and the Bears edged the Warriors by only three points for the region title, but Wasilla head coach Bobbi Hamilton said the Warriors actually overcame a significant deficit to challenge for the title.

On Friday evening, after the first day of competition, Hamilton calculated the team scores and saw Kodiak had a healthy advantage.

&#8220We needed to make up at least 10 or 12 points,” Hamilton said. &#8220And they had quite a few more in the finals.”

Hamilton said her team spoke on Saturday before the start of the final day of the meet, and the talk centered around attitude.

&#8220The boys did a great job, stepping up and making a run for it,” Hamilton said. &#8220It really shouldn't have been that close.”

Wasilla had four boys advance to the finals in two swimming events, and each of the swimmers posted a top-three finish.

Senior Wil Fernandez led the Warriors with wins in the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley. Sophomore Charles Frey was second to Fernandez in the 100 breaststroke, and finished third in the 100 freestyle. Freshman Christian Long was second in the 500 freestyle, and junior Tommy Hightower placed third in the 200 freestyle.

With two individual wins, and a first-place finish in the 200 medley relay, Fernandez earned outstanding swimmer honors. Despite his success throughout the year, Hamilton initially thought Fernandez may be a bit of a longshot for the award. The deciding factor may have been his character, he said.

&#8220A lot of coaches voted for him for his sportsmanship, and the way he presents himself at events,” Hamilton said.

Sophomore Erin Hogan was named the meet's outstanding diver after winning the 1-meter diving event.

Hamilton was named the coach of the year.

Sophomore Caity Stigen led the Wasilla girls' with a pair of top-three finishes. She was second in the 50 freestyle and third in the 100

freestyle.

Wasilla qualified nine athletes for the state championships, which starts Friday at Bartlett High School.

Led by a trio of individual wins, the Colony girls placed fourth in the team

standings.

Freshman Katelyn Payne finished first in the 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke, and senior Emily Whitstine won the girls' 1-meter diving event.

Freshman Jeffrey Frey led the Colony boys' with a third-place finish in the 500 freestyle.

Junior Kyle Johnson led Palmer with a third-place finish in the 100 breaststroke.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.