Peninsula = Clarion - High School Sports

The former standout swimmer from Kenai = Central owned=20 five individual records, three team records and = three=20 relay records. He also exhibited an exorbitant = amount of=20 drive and leadership that's tough to come by.=20

With Hall lost to graduation, however, = Kardinals'=20 coach Lee Moore is now looking for a = replacement.=20

And he thinks he's found one the entire team. =

"Big shoes to fill when you lose Chris Hall," = Moore=20 said. "He just had a phenomenal work ethic and = just=20 brought everyone else along with him. It might = take a=20 team to step in and fill that void."=20

Moore believes Hall and others gone to = graduation=20 including Taylor Moore, Hannah Watkins and = four-time=20 state qualifier Amy Jahrig instilled their high = levels=20 of motivation into other returners.=20

"That's really all you can ask for. You can = wish your=20 life away hoping and wishing that you were as = well as=20 somebody else, but really you've only got = yourself to=20 compete with and that's all you can do is try to = get=20 better every single time," he explained. "We = preach that=20 all the time. The kids really buy into it.=20

"They understand that you can want to be a = lot=20 faster, but you're given the body that you have, = you're=20 given the strength that you have, you're given = that mind=20 that you have and that's what you have to work = with,"=20 Moore added. "So, let's go make the most of it. = And=20 they're all doing it."=20

Leading the 28-member team, up from roughly = 21 last=20 season, is Dylan Wannamaker, the squad's lone = state=20 returner in the backstroke.=20

"He hasn't had a chance to swim a lot this = summer.=20 He's been working real hard doing some other = stuff,"=20 Moore said. "But when he gets back in the water = and gets=20 going we're hoping to see some good things from = him."=20

Other returners include Anders Nyquist, Billy = Ritchie, Gradey Iverson, Freddie John and Alex=20 Sonnichsen, who Moore said could develop into = one of the=20 stronger team leaders.=20

"He's really kind of taken the lead and taken = it upon=20 himself to make sure that work ethic gets taken = care of=20 in practice," he said. "He's really working = hard. That's=20 nice to see."=20

On the girls side, returner Lee Ann Majiera = has=20 beautiful stroke technique, according to Moore, = and is=20 working on becoming a stronger swimmer while = returning=20 senior Rebecca Gilman is stepping into a major=20 leadership role herself.=20

"(Gilman's) really is not afraid of hard work = in=20 practice. It's great to see her to try to lead = the other=20 girls that are around, to really try to = encourage them=20 on," Moore said. "She is a very diplomatic = leader. She's=20 a wonderful one to have on the team."=20

With four returning state qualifiers, Stars' = coach=20 Sohail Marey has high hopes for the 2007 season. =

"It would be nice if we have the whole trophy = in=20 there or banners," Marey said of region titles. = "The=20 girls, I believe, have a greater shot than the = boys, but=20 if the boys put it together and we have a good = strategy=20 going into regions, we have a shot at it."=20

Captained by senior state qualifier Lyla = Marey, it's=20 understandable why he has such lofty = expectations.=20

"That's what they wanted. That's their goal = for the=20 year, to win regions," coach Marey said, "and = the other=20 goal is to hopefully take 10 swimmers to state." =

Along with Lyla Marey, Randi Freestone is = also=20 expected to advance to the state competition = again.=20

It's the youngsters, though, who could = determine how=20 far this team can go.=20

Freshman Olivia Bowen is coming off her best = time=20 ever in the 100-yard backstroke and Kristina = Truesdell=20 also won 200 freestyle at the same home = tri-meet.=20

Senior Colin Dudley, fresh off a state = appearance,=20 will anchor a boys team that also includes state = qualifier Forrest Eissler (400 IM, 100 = breaststroke),=20 Michael Pugh and Daniel Speegle.=20

Another newcomer, freshman Winter Heaven, = recently=20 set new personal bests in both the 200-yard = individual=20 medley and the 500-yard freestyle.=20

"Winter Heaven and Olivia Bowen are = definitely key=20 for us," coach Marey said. "They both will be = making=20 state."=20

Despite already capturing boys and girls' = victories=20 in their first two home meets of the season, he = said a=20 lot will be determined at the Homer Invite today = and=20 Saturday.=20

"The next meet in Homer will be a test for us = because=20 most of the region teams will be there and that = will=20 really give us a good picture as to where we are = at the=20 region level," coach Marey explained. "We don't = know=20 Kodiak and Wasilla yet. They are going to be a = key for=20 us and hopefully this coming weekend we'll find = out what=20 they have."=20

Skyview Panthers=20

In her first year at the helm, Angie Brown is = looking=20 to spread the word about swimming in hopes of = increasing=20 the numbers for years to come.=20

"We have a lot of new ones that haven't been = around=20 the sport and haven't done the club swimming," = she said,=20 adding they have 17 swimmers, down from about 21 = last=20 year. "I'm trying to make it real fun this year = to get=20 the word out that's it not competitive that = much. It's=20 more fun and just beat your own time, not the = person=20 next to you."=20

Led by seniors Krissy Strange (diving, 500=20 freestyle), Kari Daly (500 freestyle, 100 = breaststroke)=20 and Miranda Pollard (100 breaststroke, 100 = backstroke),=20 Brown is just hoping to improve upon last = season.=20

"We didn't have anyone make finals at regions = last=20 year," she said. "So, my goal is hopefully make = finals=20 this year."=20

Two of the four boys on the team, Brandon = Jones and=20 Ryan McMaster, both newcomers, are holding their = own=20 already, she said.=20

At this point, though, it's more about = getting most=20 of them into the water.=20

"Getting them in and up on the blocks and = when we=20 just learned to dive last week, getting them off = the=20 blocks and diving is a big step."=20

Seward Seahawks=20

Veteran coach Janet VanDriessche has only = nine=20 swimmers out for the team this year.=20

All of them, however, are dynamic, dedicated = and=20 striving to achieve at a top-tier level.=20

"There's potential and good team camaraderie. = I'm=20 real happy with this group," she said. "I always = have=20 people going to state. I don't expect it to be = any=20 different."=20

Returners include Kenny Audette = (breaststroke,=20 freestyle, 200-yard individual medley), Taylor = Seaver=20 (50, 100-yard freestyle), Meghan O'Leary = (backstroke,=20 freestyle, butterfly) and Serena Melville = (freestyle,=20 butterfly, backstroke).=20

Freshman Ryan O'Leary (50, 100-yard = freestyle,=20 butterfly, breaststroke) is already placing = first in=20 everything he swims, VanDreissche said.=20

Other newcomers include freshmen Sam Werner=20 (freestyle, butterfly), Lilla Hedrick = (freestyle,=20 breaststroke), junior Grace Hawkins (butterfly,=20 backstroke, freestyle) and Laure Bellivier, a = senior=20 from Switzerland who competes in the backstroke, = freestyle and butterfly.=20

VanDriessche expects the numbers to grow as = the year=20 moves on.=20

"I usually start out with less than this," = she said.=20 "It will increase when football is over and = cross=20 country."=20

Homer Mariners=20

With roughly 30 kids out for the team, = smaller than=20 last year, coach Thad Gunther is seeking a = strong season=20 out of the defending Kenai Peninsula Borough = champions.=20

"Me personally, I think this is a good year = for them=20 to break out, to get out of their comfort zone," = Gunther=20 told the Homer News. "You can't be racing the = same=20 people all the time."=20

Seniors Brian Ritchie, Jorden Greiner and = Jennifer=20 Bitterman have been pushed by a large junior = class along=20 with some strong freshmen and sophomores.=20

"I tell them if you put in the effort, anyone = can=20 beat a champion," Gunther said.=20

Other swimmers include Jaclyn Arndt, Grace = Harrison,=20 Saanti Steyer and John Roedl.=20

Information on Homer was obtained from the = Homer=20 News.=20

Matthew Carroll can be reached at=20 matthew.carroll@peninsulaclarion.com.

Marketplace

View=20 Today's Ads

Place an=20 Ad

Local News

Updated September 11, 2007

News

Borough economy=20 strong

Program keeps cars out of the = landfill,=20 woods

Favorable winds reach HEA=20 members

Photo feature: Mushroom mystery =

Community=20 News

Around the Peninsula=20

Letters to the=20 Editor

Community support fills the = boots again=20

Support makes golf tourney a = swinging=20 success

Efforts allow children chance = to going to=20 camp

Schools

Around the District=20

Models of fitness=20

KPC offers variety of short=20 courses

Obituaries

Katherine 'Kate' Lee Gribble=20

Larry E. Ryburn=20 =

College

Updated 5:46 PM ET
=97 UNH=20 player pleads not guilty to murder
=97 = Michigan=20 QB Henne out vs. Notre Dame
=97 LSU=20 gaining on USC in AP Top 25 poll
=97 Panic=20 in Ann Arbor & South Bend
=97 More=20 News

US & World

Updated 1:18 PM ET
=97 Quake=20 triggers tsunami in Indonesia
=97 Mattel=20 pledges to make toys safe
=97 Storm=20 warnings issued for Texas, La.
=97 New=20 life expectancy figures at new high
=97 = Putin=20 names surprise nominee for PM
=97 Japan's=20 prime minister says he'll resign
=97 Paulson:=20 market turbulence may linger
=97 Jon=20 Stewart will host Academy Awards
=97 Despite=20 demand, libraries won't add PCs
=97 More = = News

Comments or questions about the = web site?=20 Check the FAQ or...
Contact= =20 Peninsula Clarion New Media Director Vincent = Nusunginya.
To=20 send a letter to the editor, Pen= insula=20 Clarion letter submission page.

Peninsula = Clarion, PO Box=20 3009, Kenai, AK 99611. Phone 907/283-7551
Copyright =A9 = Peninsula=20 Clarion, a Division of Morris Communications. Privacy = and terms of=20 use.

This text is replaced by = the Top Ads=20 display.