KSC hammers at ‘End of the Road’ meet

The Kachemak Swim Club Kings notched 65 percent individual PRs, personal records, and 62 percent relay PRs during the club’s 2015 End of the Road Invitational at the Kate Kuhns Aquatic Center on Jan. 30 and 31. The meet was attended by five teams, bringing a total of 138 athletes.

Ten-year-old Bethany Engebretsen won KSC Swimmer of the Meet for racing to 100 percent individual and relay PRs, earning new and her first Age Group Championship qualifying times in the 100 free (1:30.24) and in the 50 back (45.32), demonstrating polished technical skills, and improving her times by an average of six seconds, 50 yards with a 48-second improvement in the 100 IM (1:45.01) and a 17-second improvement in the 200 free (3:25.46).

As a team, the Kings completed 80 first-time swims, 23 event wins, 22 new Alaska Age Group Championship qualifying times and six new Alaska Junior Olympic qualifying times.

Eight-year-old Nathan Overson broke the first team record of the past two years in winning the boys 8-and-under 25 back in 20.52, a 0.48 improvement on the 11-year-old record.

Some additional highlights include the following:

Competed in their first meet: Elena Badajos, Claira Booz, Johannes Bynagle, Cassidy Carroll, Alexandra Casey, Kayden Crosby, Delta Fabich, Natalya Gallentine, Kallan Crosby, Sabina Morin, Sara Nollar, Viveya Polushkin, Sidney Shelby, Rebecca Trowbridge, Daisy Walker, Tyson Walker, Talia Weisser;

100 percent individual PRs: Bethany Engebretsen, Katelyn Engebretsen, Olivia Etzwiler, McKenzy Johnson, Kera Jones, Luke Nollar, Hazel Pearson, Sailey Rhodes, Lucas Story, Eleanor Sweeney;

100 percent relay PRs: Kaylin Anderson, Gabriel Bales, Ella Blanton-Yourkowski, Theodore Castellani, Bethany Engebretsen, Katelyn Engebretsen, Olivia Etzwiler, Olivia Glasman, Teddy Handley, Blake Hill, Leif Jaworski, McKenzy Johnson, Kera Jones, Mattie Moyer, Jake Nelson, Luke Nollar, Hazel Pearson, Sailey Rhodes, Skyler Rodriguez, Wynand Strydom, Eleanor Sweeney, Selah Weisser;

100 percent individual and relay PRs: Bethany Engebretsen, Katelyn Engebretsen, Olivia Etzwiler, McKenzy Johnson, Kera Jones, Luke Nollar, Hazel Pearson, Sailey Rhodes, Eleanor Sweeney;

New Age Group Championship cuts: Gabriel Bales, Ella Blanton-Yourkowski, Theodore Castellani, Griffin Downey, Bethany Engebretsen, Teddy Handley, Hartley Miller, Carly Nelson, Jake Nelson, Luke Nelson, Sailey Rhodes, Lucas Story, Wynand Strydom;

New Alaska Junior Olympic Championship cuts: Ella Blanton-Yourkowski, Griffin Downey, Aurora Shadle;

Individual event winners: Kaylin Anderson, Ella Blanton-Yourkowski, Theodore Castellani, Griffin Downey, Iris Downey, Kane Graham, Jakob Nelson, Luke Nelson, Nathan Overson, Hazel Pearson, Skyler Rodriguez;

Relay winners: Mixed 8u 100 medley of Jamen Anderson, Hazel Pearson, Nathan Overson, and Aria Hill (1:41.34); Mixed 9-10 200 medley of Carly Nelson, Lucas Story, Luke Nelson, and Gabriel Bales (2:48.07); Mixed 9-10 200 free of Lucas Story, Carly Nelson, Luke Nelson, and Gabriel Bales (2:35.04);

Relay Big Award: Olivia Glasman dropped 11 seconds in freestyle leg of 200 medley (56.19 and dropped 5 seconds in 200 free relay leg (1:02.00);

Spirit Award: Jakob Nelson was vociferously cheering teammates from end and side of pool;

Sportsmanship Award: Theo Castellani raced aggressively and congratulated competitors;

Helper Award: Lucas Story noted and recorded acts of distinction.

The Kings compete next in Juneau at the Alaska Age Group Championships, Feb. 13-15.

KSC is a non-profit, year-round youth sports organization that practices in the Kate Kuhns Aquatic Center and competes around the peninsula, the state and the region. Anyone age 6 or older who can swim the width of the pool in freestyle and backstroke is encouraged to tryout. For more information, contact Head Coach Neil Romney at neilromney@gmail.com or 405-795-3392, or visit the club website at ksc.tundratechnologies.com.