2018 U.S. Winter Junior Championships – West: Day 2 Prelims Recap

2018 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – WEST

• December 5th-8th, 2018
• Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, Austin, Texas
• SCY (25y) pool
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results

GIRLS 500 FREE – PRELIMS

1. Regan Smith (Riptide) – 4:41.16
2. Kaitlynn Sims (Magnolia Aquatic Club) – 4:42.59
3. Nicole Oliva (Santa Clara Swim Club) – 4:43.23
4. Ashley Strouse (Scottsdale Aquatic Club) – 4:43.45
5. Sarah Dimeco (Bellevue Club Swim Team)  – 4:44.97
6. Rachel Stege (Fox Valley Swim Team) – 4:46.84
7. Zoe Gawronska (Magnolia Aquatic Club) – 4:48.81
8. Hayley Pike (Northwest Arkansas Aquatics) – 4:49.10

Riptide’s Regan Smith, who isn’t entered in any backstroke events this weekend, registered a new lifetime best by about a half second to take the top seed going into tonight’s finals by over a second. Her old best was a 4:41.69 from almost exactly a year ago at the 2017 Riptide Chilly Dip Invite in Minnesota.

Clustered behind Smith were Kaitlynn Sims of Magnolia Aquatic Club at 4:42.59 and then SCSC’s Nicole Oliva (4:43.23) and Scottsdale Aquatic Club’s Ashley Strouse (4:43.45). That’s a new best by a second for Oliva, while Strouse has been 4:41 before, which could make for a great battle tonight.

BOYS 500 FREE – PRELIMS

1. Coby Carrozza (Longhorn Aquatics) – 4:18.43
2. Peter Larson (Edina Swim Club) – 4:22.83
3. Trent Frandson (Central Iowa Aquatics) – 4:23.15
4. Jude Williams (Riverside Aquatics) – 4:24.44
5. Luke Thornbrue (Hillsboro Swim Team) – 4:24.50
6. Jack Hoagland (Charger Aquatics) – 4:24.55
7. Michael Petrides (Kamehama Swim Club) – 4:24.55
8. Ethan Heasley (Hillsboro Swim Team) – 4:25.75

Longhorn Aquatics’ Coby Carrozza had an outstanding swim this morning, breaking 4:20 for the first time to hit a huge new personal best of 4:18.43. The high school junior came in with a best of 4:23.50, so that’s a good five whole seconds off of his old best. Carrozza is the younger brother of Texas senior Quinn Carrozza on the Longhorn women’s team.

Texas commit Peter Larson of Edina Swim Club, who also has an older sibling at Texas (Johnthomas Larson, a sophomore), was 2nd with a 4:22.83, about two seconds ahead of his old best. The biggest time drop, though, came from Central Iowa Aquatics’ Trent Frandson — the 16-year-old went from 4:29.47 all the way down to a 4:23.15 this morning, which slots him at 3rd going into tonight.

4th place (Riverside’s Jude Williams at 4:24.44) through 7th place Kamehama’s Michael Petrides, a Cal commit, at 4:24.57) are not separated by much. Two Hillsboro Swim Team swimmers, Luke Thornbrue (4:24.50) and Ethan Heasley (4:25.75) made it into the A-final. Tonight, don’t count out Petrides and Heasley, who hold lifetime bests of 4:20.07 and 4:19.82, respectively. Thornbrue is a Notre Dame commit, while Heasley ranks #6 on SwimSwam’s Way Too Early NCAA Recruit Ranks for 2020.

GIRLS 200 IM – PRELIMS

1. Zoie Hartman (Crow Canyon Country Club) – 1:56.90
2. Katharine Berkoff (Missoula Aquatic Club) – 1:57.66
3. Coleen Gillilan (Fort Collins Area) – 1:57.74
4. Lillie Nordmann (Magnolia Aquatic Club) – 1:59.14
5. Samantha Pearson (Brea Aquatics) – 1:59.62
6. Janelle Rudolph (PRO Swimming) – 1:59.67
7. Callahan Dunn (Lyons Aquatics) – 2:00.00
8. Charity Pittard (Boise YMCA) – 2:00.04

Zoie Hartman led the way this morning, posting a 1:56.90. The Crow Canyon Country Club swimmer was nine-tenths off of her personal best, but still was the top finisher by seven tenths.

Missoula Aquatic Club’s Katharine Berkoff had a huge personal best for 2nd, going 1:57.66 to slice more than two seconds off of her old best. Berkoff made a recent commitment to NC State, and her 28.05 backstroke leg was the fastest in the field by almost a full second. Fort Collins’ Coleen Gillilan posted a 1:57.74 for 3rd this AM, a second off of her best.

Three girls went 1:59’s: Magnolia’s Lillie Nordmann (1:59.14), Brea’s Samantha Pearson (1:59.62), and PRO Swimming’s Janelle Rudolph (1:59.67). Those were all best times, and Pearson’s and Rudolph’s first swims under 2:00. Lyons Aquatics’ Callahan Dunn dropped over 1.5 seconds for a 2:00.00, as close to breaking that barrier as one could get without actually doing so.

Fox Valley Park District Riptide’s Leah Hayes, who has broken multiple NAG records across the 10&u and 11-12 age groups, clocked a 2:01.01 to make the 200 IM B final. At 13, she’s the 6th-best 13-year-old 200 IMer in history.

BOYS 200 IM – PRELIMS

1. Luca Urlando (DART Swimming) – 1:43.53
2. Shane Blinkman (St. Croix Swim Club) – 1:45.71
3. Ethan Hu (Peak Swimming) – 1:47.98
4. Jordan Tiffany (Scottsdale Aquatic Club) – 1:48.00
5. Jace Brown (Rockwall Aquatic Center of Excellence) – 1:48.06
6. Zachary Tan (Phoenix Swim Club) – 1:48.07
7. Ethan Harder (Billings Aquatic Club) – 1:48.16
8. Ben Dillard (Sierra Marlins) – 1:48.25

Luca Urlando popped off with a 1:43.53, cutting a good three seconds off of his old best time, and registering at #2 in 15-16 age group history. Only Michael Andrew and his 1:42.77, which also is the meet record, have been faster. Urlando was 22.4/26.5 going out, and really turned it on with a 29.1 breaststroke split, coming home in 25.3.

St. Croix’s Shane Blinkman, who’s headed to Stanford next fall, was 1:45.71 for a lifetime best, while 3rd place Ethan Hu of Peak Swimming (1:47.98) up through Sierra Marlins’ Ben Dillard (1:48.25) are all bunched up. Scottsdale Aquatic Club 16-year-old Jordan Tiffany dropped over four seconds for a 1:48.00, while 15-year-old Zachary Tan of Phoenix Swim Club was 1:48.07, almost a full second drop.

GIRLS 50 FREE – PRELIMS

1. Emma Sticklen (Katy Aquatic Team) – 22.54
2. Emma Wheal (Western Hills) – 22.65
3. McKenna Stone (Fox Valley) – 22.68
4. Alexandra Crisera (Beach Cities) – 22.69
5. Abby Kapeller (Aquajets) – 22.82
6. Kyanh Truong (Western Hills) – 22.88
7. Mandy Brenner (SOCAL Aquatics)/Samantha Pearson (Brea) – 22.92 *TIE*

Emma Sticklen leads a tightly-bunched A final in the 50 free with her 22.54 this morning, which is a half-second drop from her seed time. Wester Hills’ Emma Wheal, a Stanford commit, was 22.65 for 2nd, with her club teammate Kyanh Truong at 22.88 and her future Stanford teammate Alexandra Crisera at 22.69 to join her in the A final.

15-year-old McKenna Stone of Fox Valley Swim Team hit a new best of 22.68 for the 3rd-best time this morning.

In regards to the B-final, there was a five-way tie for 14th, with Janelle Rudolph, Katharine Berkoff, Zoie Hartman, Coleen Gillilan (all of whom will be in the 200 IM A-final tonight) and 14-year-old Sophie Fiske of Madison Aquatic Club ALL registering a 23.01. Ultimately, Rudolph, Gillilan, and Berkoff were quick enough in the swim-off to head to the B-final.

BOYS 50 FREE – PRELIMS

1. Jack Armstrong (Houston Bridge Bats) – 19.96
2. Luca Urlando (DART Swimming) – 20.08
3. Jack Dolan (Rockwood Swim Club) – 20.09
4. Peter Larson (Edina Swim Club) – 20.11
5. Will Myhre (St. Charles Swim Team) – 20.21
6. Aiden Hayes (Sooner Swim Club)/ Matt King (Bellevue Club Swim Team) – 20.31 *TIE*
7. —
8. Bence Szabados (Chicago Wolfpack) – 20.34

17-year-old Jack Armstrong of the Houston Bridge Bats had a big swim, taking over three tenths off of his old best to break 20.0 for the first time, going 19.96. He was just ahead of Luca Urlando‘s 20.08, which is a best for Urlando by over three tenths, as well, and Rockwood’s Jack Dolan (20.09). Dolan has been 19.62, so look for him to potentially sneak in for the win tonight.

Edina’s Peter Larson showed off his range, clocking a 20.11 to finish 4th this morning after going the 2nd-fastest time in the 500 earlier this morning.