Waves qualify for Northwest meets

Frontiersman staff

WASILLA — A Wasilla Wave swimmer is one step away from the U.S. Nationals.

Colony freshman Sarah Brettrager, 14, will represent the Valley as one of Alaska's premier competitors. She qualified for the Northwest Sectionals (formerly Junior Nationals) as a Wasilla Wave swimmer. The Northwest Sectionals are a stepping stone into competing at the national level.

Brettrager swam to a fifth-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle at the Alaska State Swimming Championships in November for the Knights, and her 50-yard freestyle time of 25.3 seconds would have been good enough for a fourth seed in the state finals had it not been for a false start in the preliminary round.

She will also compete in the Northwest Age-Group Championships on March 23-25. Her events include the 50-, 100-, and 200-yard freestyle races, the 100-yard backstroke, and the 100- and 200-yard butterfly races.

Ben Harris, a 12-year-old home schooler from Wasilla, also recently qualified for the Northwest Age-Group Championships for the Wasilla Waves swim team in six events. He will be racing in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races, the 50-yard backstroke, the 50-yard butterfly, and the 100- and 200-yard individual medleys.

Both meets will be held in Federal Way, Wash., from March 13-25.