Valley athletes ready for state

WASILLA — Last season, Karina Barria finished just about as close as possible to winning a region title without actually winning the title. Barria, then a junior, was a mere one-hundredth of a second behind Valdez’s Hannah Norris in the 50-yard freestyle during the finals of the Region III swimming and diving championships.

Now a senior, Barria has used that one-hundredth of a second as motivation. Fueled by that drive, Barria is headed into the state championship meet as a two-time Region III champion.

“I was really disappointed,” Barria said Wednesday of her finish in the 2009 region championships. “I knew I could have done it, but I psyched myself out. I decided this year I had to make it.”

Barria’s decision was clear, and she clearly established herself as a top swimmer in the region by winning both the 50 free and the 100 butterfly. Today she’s one of 12 Mat-Su Valley athletes competing in the ASAA/First National Bank State Swimming and Diving Championships, slated to start at 1 p.m. at the Bartlett Pool in Anchorage. Barria said she was very excited to finally get the chance to take that final step to the top of the Region III podium.

“Every time I raced (this year), I decided I had to do this,” Barria said.

Barria said she’s swimming for about 10 years, but really began to get serious about the sport last year. Barria’s Region III championship time of 24.61 seeds her second in this weekend’s 50 freestyle event, and places her less than a 10th of a second behind top-seeded Mary Uselmann of Service. Barria and Uselmann are teammates on the Northern Lights Swim Club.

Barria also won a region title in the 100 butterfly at Kodiak High School last week, and is seeded sixth in the event this weekend. During her prep career, Barria has had more success in the 50, but admits her favorite event is the 100 butterfly.

“Just because it’s really fun, really intense,” Barria said. “When it starts to hurt, it doesn’t really matter.”

Barria said she is feeling confident heading into the state meet. If Barria wins a state title she would be the first Valley athlete to win a girls’ state swimming championship since former Colony standout Arika Smith finished first in the 100 freestyle in 1994.

Barria is one of four Wasilla athletes who qualified for the state meet. Seniors Mariah Schachle, who won a region title in the 1-meter dive, and Hillary Graham will dive in the state meet. Senior Kevin Snavley qualified for the meet in the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly.

“This is my first year making state individually, so that’s really cool,” Snavley said before his team’s practice Wednesday afternoon.

Like Barria, Snavley became more serious about the sport about a year ago. He said that helped him feel more confident about qualifying for the state meet.

“I knew going into regions I had a shot,” Snavley said.

Palmer leads Valley schools with five qualifiers. Ry Obeso and Joe Prove will both compete in the boys’ 1-meter dive. Spencer Bloom (100 backstroke), Noelle Graham (100 butterfly) and Katie Stark (100 freestyle) will all swim in the state meet.

Colony, led by Region III diving champion Connor Eshleman, placed three athletes in the state meet. Eshleman won the region diving event with 359.55 points and is seeded fifth at state.

Zane Mileur and Alex Kessler will also compete this weekend. Mileur qualified in two events, the 100 and 200 freestyle races. Kessler will swim in the 100 breaststroke.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com. Follow him at Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.