The Homer Mariners captured top team honors at the Skyview Invitational swim meet on Friday at Skyview High, topping Seward and Skyview with a total of 202 points. The Seahawks earned 94 points for second place, while the Panthers had 22 for third.

The event marked the final time there would be a Skyview swimming invite, allowing the teams to test themselves for the first time this season against other schools. The Soldotna swimming and diving team traveled to Kodiak for dual meets Friday and Saturday, while Kenai chose to stay home to prepare for the Homer Invite on Friday and Saturday.

Unlike many fall high school sports seasons, swimming and diving season is allowed a longer season since outdoor weather conditions have no sway on competitions, so Kenai Peninsula athletes have until November to find their peak for the state championships, which are Nov. 8 and 9 in Juneau.

Homer Coach Rebecca Hardy can count the number of seniors lost on one hand. One.

“We have fast freshmen coming in, we have fast new swimmers,” Hardy said on Friday at Skyview. “I’m super optimistic.”

Olivia Arndt graduated after the 2012 season, but everyone else returned.

“I have 10 fingers that I’ve counted, so I’m hoping to get that many,” Hardy said about the Mariners’ state qualifiers. “It’s probably optimistic, but I have some freshmen that are out-touching the people that they thought were untouchable, and they’re passing them. It’s early, but I’m left here thinking, ‘Wow.’”

Jasmine Lewis, James Nagle, Katherina Dolma and Brian Rowe were the four Homer swimmers that nabbed a state berth last year, and Friday at Skyview, the Homer boys dominated the competition with 140 points, 122 better than runner-up Seward.

On Friday at Skyview, Mark Nagle took victories in the 200 and 500 freestyle and brother James Nagle won in the 100 butterfly and 200 IM.

The last time Homer captured a state race was in 2011, when the boys won the 100 freestyle relay.

Hardy said the three Nagle brothers should all contribute to the team this year. James is a fast butterflier, Mark shines as a freestyler, and freshman Remi is all around an accomplished swimmer.

“We got some fast times, and they know their times from club, so it doesn’t show up here, but they know,” Hardy said.

The Homer Invite includes diving competition on Friday, followed by swimming competition on Saturday.

Joey Klecka is a reporter for the Peninsula Clarion.

SCORES:

SKYVIEW INVITE

Friday

GIRLS: 1. Seward, 76 points; 2. Homer, 62; 3. Skyview, 11.

200-yard Medley Relay: 1. Seward (Barnwell, Beckham, Hamner, Degnan), 2:11:00; 2. Homer, DQ.

200 Freestyle: 1. Sasha Hamner, Sew, 2:16.48; 2. Lauren Kuhns, Hom, 2:16.90; 3. Cheyanne Smith, Hom, 2:24.41; 4. Shayla Hardcastle, Sky, 2:52.71.

200 IM: 1. Isabel Barnwell, Sew, 2:27.07; 2. Olivia Beckham, Sew, 2:36.95.

50 Freestyle: 1. Angie Cardoza, Hom, 31.36; 2. Erin Farrell, Hom, 43.63.

100 Freestyle: 1. Olivia Beckham, Sew, 1:02.95; 2. Rachel Tougas, Sew, 1:10.19; 3. Tirzah Hardy, Hom, 1:14.42; 4. Liz McGlothem, Sky, 1:15.53; 5. Jordyn Haye, Hom, 1:18.73.

500 Freestyle: 1. Cheyanne Smith, Hom, 6:51.14.

200 Freestyle Relay: 1. Seward, 1:54.65; 2. Homer, 2:19.41.

100 Backstroke: 1. Sasha Hamner, Sew, 1:16.13; 2. Tirzah Hardy, Hom, 1:26.59; 3. Jordyn Haye, Hom, 1:27.67; 4. Shayla Hardcastle, Sky, 1:33.79.

100 Breaststroke:  1. Isabel Barnwell, Sew, 1:18.13; 2. Lauren Kuhns, Hom, 1:21.41; 3. Angie Cardoza, Hom, 1:27.40; 4. Rachel Tougas, Sew, 1:35.38; 5. Liz McGlothem, Sky, 1:36.89.

BOYS: 1. Homer, 140; 2. Seward, 18; 3. Skyview, 11.

200 Medley Relay: 1. Homer A, 1:57.78; 2. Homer B, 2:10.26.

200 Freestyle: 1. Mark Nagle, Hom, 2:07.98; 2. Orion Hannan, Hom, 2:36.28.

200 IM: 1. James Nagle, Hom, 2:21.06; 2. Remi Nagle, Hom, 2:27.46; 3. Leo Castellani, Hom, 2:34.26.

500 Freestyle: 1. Sam Scheller, Sky, 28.80; 2. Roman Hamner, Sew, 29.13; 3. Kjell Nilsson, Sew, 30.23; 4. Hale Wilkinson, Hom, 30.33; 5. Michele Da Re, Sew, 37.58; 6. Hyram Dory, Hom, 47.18.

100 Butterfly: 1. James Nagle, Hom, 58.33; 2. Gregory Smith, Hom, 1:02.56; 3. Cyrus Cowan, Hom, 1:05.40.

100 Freestyle: 1. Zane Wilkinson, Hom, 1:00.72; 2. Hyram Dory, Hom, 1:50.33.

500 Freestyle: 1. Mark Nagle, 5:30.79; 2. Leo Castellani, Hom, 6:15.82; 3. Kjell Nilsson, Sew, 6:33.79; 4. Roman Hamner, Sew, 6:52.91; 5. Orion Hamner, Hom, 7:09.39.

200 Freestyle Relay: 1. Homer, 1:52.63.

100 Backstroke: 1. Gregory Smith, Hom, 1:04.10; 2. Remi Nagle, Hom, 1:13.82; 3. Sam Scheller, Sky, 1:25.75.

100 Breaststroke: 1. Cyrus Cowan, Hom, 1:14.79; 2. Zane Wilkinson, Hom, 1:19.42; 3. Hale Wilkinson, Hom, 1:30.56.

400 Freestyle Relay: 1. Homer, 3:51.43.