Crimson Bears top Petersburg Invite

The Juneau-Douglas High School swim teams fought through fatigue, motivated competition and, worst of all, a two-hour layover to come away with convincing victories at both Petersburg-hosted meets over the weekend.

• Photos

Courtesy Of Klas Stolpe

The JDHS girls took Friday's title with 475 team points, finishing well ahead of second place Ketchikan's 244 points. The Juneau-Douglas boys also won the first meet with 474 team points to easily beat out second-place Ketchikan's 382 points.

The Crimson Bears dominated a lineup of Southeast opponents that included the hosting Vikings, Ketchikan, Haines, Sitka, Craig and Metlakatla.

Swimming may have been the easiest part of the weekend, though, after the Crimson Bears, who have been purposely worn out by their coaches this week, had their plane delayed for more than two hours in Ketchikan early Friday morning. The team was able to shake off cramping and skipping breakfast along their easy path to the day's team title.

"I thought we had some good swims this weekend. A lot of the kids were right over their best times if not at them," co-coach Jason Wilson said. "When we get some rest, chances are good that we'll beat all of their best times."

Wilson singled out boys swimmer Tatsu Monkman as one of the team's biggest surprises over the weekend. Monkman placed fourth in the 100-yard fly and sixth in the 200-yard freestyle. What really stood out from his performance, though, was a time in the 500-yard freestyle that bested his early-season times by nearly seven full seconds.

"(Better times) just came from hard work and focusing better than I had early in the season," Monkman said. "Everybody's sore right now, though. I think if I can start to rest I'll drop a few more seconds."

Lindsay Clark broke through with her first win of the season, taking top honors in the 200 freestyle. Clark had finished second on numerous occasions in 2008, but credits recent strength training for finally coming out on top.

"Now I just need to keep swimming fast and get my best times to make it to state," Clark said. "I think I'll make it in (200 and 500 freestyle) if I swim as fast as I did today."

The Crimson Bears divers also had another solid weekend, led by the emergence of freshman Peter Bellagh as a potential state-contender. Bellagh pulled out a new dive for him, the front double, and picked up a personal-best high score in return. He finished second in Friday's competition with a score of 149.70.

"Only the top 16 divers go to state and I've been in and out of the list all year," Bellagh said. "I think if I can score all fives and sixes at (the District V Meet) I can make it for sure. It's just harder dives, basically."

The JDHS boys led Saturday's meet handily with 139 team points through 24 events. At that point, the Juneau-Douglas girls were also way ahead of the pack with 108 team points. Final results and team scores were unavailable as of press time. Please see Monday's Juneau Empire for full results from Saturday's action.

Petersburg Invitational

Oct. 17, 2008

Coach: Kathrin Millhorn/Jason Wilson

Event # 1 Girls 200 Medley Relay

JDHS A Relay - 2:04.00

3rd place - 8 points

Linzie H. Norman (SR) 33.08

Kate J. Lukshin (JR) 35.79

Auri Clark (FR) 28.43

Lindsay B. Clark (JR) 26.70

Event # 2 Boys 200 Medley Relay

JDHS B Relay - 1:44.15

1st place - 14 points

Cody M. Brunette (JR) 25.29

Mircea M. Brown (SR) 32.84

Seth J. Cayce (JR) 25.06

Nick J. Rutecki (JR) 20.96

JDHS A Relay - 1:48.67

2nd place - 10 points

Cody Schick (FR) 27.14

Evan G. Norman (SO) 31.95

Tyler M. Mickelson (SO) 25.34

Nathan Messing (FR) 24.24

Event # 3 Girls 200 Free

2nd place - 5 points

2:18.42Y Hodgson, Haylee E.

3rd place - 4 points

2:19.93Y Robinson, Elsa G.

4th place - 3 points

2:20.01Y Busch, Katie E.

5th place - 2 points

2:24.60Y Gonwa-Ramonda, Anna R.

7th place

2:27.64Y Goodell, Katie A.

Event # 4 Boys 200 Free

1st place - 7 points

1:50.01Y Rutecki, Nick J.

2nd place - 5 points

1:55.37Y Messing, Nathan

4th place - 3 points

1:57.94Y Schick, Cody

5th place - 2 points

1:58.11Y Mickelson, Tyler M.

6th place - 1 point

2:00.83Y Monkman, Tatsu D.

Event # 5 Girls 200 IM

1st place - 7 points

2:20.86Y Clark, Auri

2nd place - 5 points

2:41.35Y Busch, Lauren M.

Event # 6 Boys 200 IM

1st place - 7 points

2:07.26Y Cayce, Seth J.

5th place - 2 points

2:26.79Y Norman, Evan G.

Event # 7 Girls 50 Free

4th place - 3 points

27.14Y Clark, Lindsay B.

5th place - 2 points

27.84Y Lukshin, Kate J.

15th place

33.07Y Reishus, Alex

Event # 8 Boys 50 Free

1st place - 7 points

21.92Y Rutecki, Nick J.

Event # 9 Girls 1 Meter 6 Dives

1st place - 7 points

152.95 Sanchez, Zeeba

Event # 10 Boys 1 Meter 6 Dives

2nd place - 5 points

149.70 Bellagh, Peter

3rd place - 4 points

131.45 Scanton, Dillion

4th place - 3 points

112.90 Andrews, Keith

Event # 12 Boys 100 Fly

1st place - 7 points

51.81Y Brunette, Cody M.

2nd place - 5 points

57.25Y Mickelson, Tyler M.

4th place - 3 points

1:02.94Y Monkman, Tatsu D.

Event # 13 Girls 100 Free

3rd place - 4 points

1:01.92Y Norman, Linzie H.

4th place - 3 points

1:02.65Y Robinson, Elsa G.

5th place - 2 points

1:03.82Y Reishus, Alex

Event # 14 Boys 100 Free

2nd place - 5 points

52.28Y Schick, Cody

Event # 15 Girls 500 Free

2nd place - 5 points

5:40.49Y Clark, Lindsay B.

Event # 16 Boys 500 Free

1st place - 7 points

4:56.77Y Brunette, Cody M.

2nd place - 5 points

5:16.33Y Messing, Nathan

Event # 17 Girls 200 Free Relay

JDHS A Relay - 1:59.15

3rd place - 8 points

Katie A. Goodell (SO) 30.40

Haylee E. Hodgson (SO) 28.33

Lauren M. Busch (JR) 30.32

Alex Reishus (SR) 30.10

Event # 18 Boys 200 Free Relay

JDHS A Relay - 1:50.40

5th place - 4 points

Peter Bellagh (FR) 32.99

Nathan Messing (FR) 24.83

Evan G. Norman (SO) 27.22

Tatsu D. Monkman (FR) 25.36

Event # 19 Girls 100 Back

1st place - 7 points

1:05.87Y Clark, Auri

5th place - 2 points

1:10.08Y Norman, Linzie H.

7th place

1:14.71Y Gonwa-Ramonda, Anna R.

8th place

1:20.86Y Goodell, Katie A.

Event # 21 Girls 100 Breast

3rd place - 4 points

1:17.95Y Lukshin, Kate J.

4th place - 3 points

1:18.96Y Busch, Katie E.

5th place - 2 points

1:19.11Y Hodgson, Haylee E.

8th place

1:26.90Y Busch, Lauren M.

Event # 22 Boys 100 Breast

2nd place - 5 points

1:04.99Y Cayce, Seth J.

4th place - 3 points

1:09.92Y Brown, Mircea M.

6th place - 1 point

1:13.39Y Norman, Evan G.

Event # 23 Girls 400 Free Relay

JDHS B Relay - 4:18.45

1st place - 14 points

Elsa G. Robinson (SO)

Anna R. Gonwa-Ramonda (SO)

Linzie H. Norman (SR)

Kate J. Lukshin (JR)

JDHS A Relay - 4:25.47

2nd place - 10 points

Haylee E. Hodgson (SO)

Katie E. Busch (SR)

Alex Reishus (SR)

Katie A. Goodell (SO)

Event # 24 Boys 400 Free Relay

JDHS A Relay - 3:29.14

1st place - 14 points

Tyler M. Mickelson (SO)

Seth J. Cayce (JR)

Cody M. Brunette (JR)

Nick J. Rutecki (JR)