Academy Swimming Club jumped head first into a big pool over the weekend and liked what it felt at the 2016 Hawaiian Swimming Age Group SCY (short course) Championships. ADVERTISING Academy Swimming Club jumped head first into a big pool
Academy Swimming Club jumped head first into a big pool over the weekend and liked what it felt at the 2016 Hawaiian Swimming Age Group SCY (short course) Championships.
The annual event, which was held this year at Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center on Oahu, signified the arrival of the club as a complete team on one of the state’s biggest stages. Academy finished fifth overall and was the top Big Island team, edging out regular Hawaii Island front-runner Kona Aquatics 438.5-432 in points.
Led by Hawaii Preparatory Academy head swimming coach Mark Noetzel, and boasting a team with several Ka Makani swimmers, Academy recorded a Big Island high three first place finishes at the Age Group Championships, as well as several top 3 finishes.
“This was our best finish ever,” Noetzel said. “We had contributions from everyone, from the 10-and-under division all the way up to the 17 to 18 year olds. It was such a fun thing to watch happen.”
Leading the way on the boys side was the four-person relay team of Frederik Moller, Michael Duggan, Jackson Evans and Aapo Eerola. The quick quartet picked up a victory in the 17-18 year old, 800-yard freestyle relay, edging out a competitive Kamehameha Swim Club team in the final leg with a race time of 7 minutes and 11.96 seconds.
“The team is a fun, international blend of swimmers,” Noetzel said. “I knew going into the meet that we had a chance to see our first state champion in quite a while, and it happened on the first night in the relays.”
Aerola anchored the relay team and that is where the race was won as he pulled to the lead on the final leg. Aapo also finished second in the 500, 1,000 and 1,650 freestyle, setting a club record in the latter.
The same four members of Academy’s winning relay team went on to place second in three more events, the 400 yard freestyle, and the 200 and 400 medley. Three of the four swimmers, Moller, Duggan and Eerola, went on to win the 200 yard freestyle along with teammate Andres Collazo-Olmos filling in for Evans.
Moller went on to have a stellar singles run at the meet, finishing fist in the 200 yard backstroke with a time of 1:54.64. He also recorded a second place finish in the 200 yard freestyle, and a third place finish in the 100 yard backstroke. His times in the 200 backstroke and freestyle events were good enough to qualify him for Sectionals.
“Frederik is a senior at HPA and this is his second year at the school and second year on the club team,” Noetzel said. “He was the runner-up at last year’s high school state championships in the back stroke despite having little experience. He has worked hard to improve and is a unique student of the sport.”
In the girls competition, longtime Academy swimmer Taylor Doherty had a great weekend. She recorded a first place time of 57.72 in the 17-18 year old, 100-yard backstroke. She also recorded four individual top 3 finishes, placing third in the 100, 200 and 500 yard freestyle, as well as the 200 yard backstroke.
Doherty also had five top 3 performances in relay races. She finished second in the 400 and 800 yard freestyle relay, as we as the 200 and 400 medley relay. Doherty also had a third place time in the 200 yard freestyle relay.
Doherty’s times in the 100 and 200 freestyle, and 100 backstroke qualified her for Sectionals. She also broke four club records which came in the 100, 200 and 500 freestyle, and 100 backstroke.
“Taylor has been a stalwart of the Academy for eight years,” Noetzel said. “She was competing at 10-and-under on her own until we added some teammates to compete with her. There were some meets where we would have only four kids and she was one of them. Her success is especially pleasing.”
Kira Parker picked up the other first place finish for Academy, leading the way in the 15-16 age group 200 yard backstroke with a time of 2:06.76. She also finished second in the 100 yard backstroke. Parker’s times in 50 and 100 freestyle, as well as the 100 and 200 backstroke were good enough to qualify her for sectionals. She set club records in the 100 and 200 backstroke, as well as the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle.
“Kira has been with the program for a few years now and has worked hard over the summer,” Noetzel said. “She and her lane-mates compete everyday and she really helps to push the group. It was a real treat seeing her become a champion.”
Finn Arrillage, Sean Weyrick (10-and-under), Kanoa Birdsall (11-12), Anna Sorenson, Jacob Schnitzler (13-14) and Matt Ostrem (15-16)) also set club records at the state championships for Academy.
Kamehameha Swim Club dominated the competition, running away with the team title with a total of 2,653.5 points. Rounding out the top three were Hawaii Swim Club (1,177) and Punahou Aquatics (654).
For the Big Island, following the fifth and sixth place finishes of Academy and Kona Aquatics were Hilo Aquatic Club (15th place, 85 points), Warrior Aquatic Club (18th, 56), Hawaii Island Swim Club (20th, 42) and Kona Dolphins Swim Club (22nd, 25)
Hawaii Island Swim Club had the only other local winner at the Age Group Championships. Dakota Domingo finished first in the boys 10-and-under, 50 yard breaststroke with a time of 36.87.
Kona Aquatics was led by Duke Becker on the boys side, and Maile Lawson and Jada Keen on the girls side.
Becker recorded five individual top 3 finishes, placing second in the boys 11-12 year old, 100 and 400 yard IM, and 100 yard breaststroke. He finished third in the 50 and 200 yard breaststroke.
Lawson had three individual second place finishes, competing in the girls 15-16 year old, 100 and 200 yard breaststroke, and 400 yard IM.
Keen had four top 3 finishes. She placed second in the girls 10-and-under, 40 yard breaststroke, and third in the 100 yard breaststroke, 200 yard IM and 50 yard freestyle.
