Back-to-back meets a way to prepare Aqua Ads for KISL, state
Wanting to give her swimmers “a back-to-back swim meet ‘test run,’” Farragut Aqua Admirals head coach Jessica Abrahamson saw her team achieve 23 best times in a dual meet versus Maryville and Anderson County in UT’s Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center Sunday, Dec. 18.
Doubling up the Aqua Red Rebels 219-106, with ACHS ending with 49, Farragut was coming off competing in Ray Bussard Invitational at UT the day before — a 47-team meet where only individual results were recorded Saturday, Dec. 17.
“For larger meets like KISL Championships and TISCA Championships, swim meets are extended across multiple days with prelims and finals,” Abrahamson said. “Giving our athletes a test run will help them know how they can prepare themselves for our championships that are coming up end of January and early February.
“That being said, the athletes performed very well at this meet, but were definitely working through fatigue from Ray Bussard Invitational,” she added.
Ray Bussard Invitational
“The men’s 200-yard medley relay came in 1st place, and swam within a half-second from the school record,” the coach said about Yohan Le Pape, Evan King, Leo Karnitz and Camden Gerchar. “They are likely to achieve this at ‘City (Meet)’ or state.”
Grace LaCharite finished first in the 50-freestyle with a personal best time of 24.66. “I was very excited for her — her journey to this best time was a hard-fought one,” Abrahamson said. “She deserved that achievement. Karley Wolfgram, a sophomore, took third and Ayden Skelton was 13th.
Gerchar was second in the 50-free with a time of 21.99. Le Pape also picked up a new state qualifying time in the 50-free at 23.48. Adam Webster, a freshman, qualified for state (23.64).
In the 200 IM, Noah Roettger took second with a personal best time of 1:59.19, while Karnitz finished fourth. King took 10th, while Cordelia Hu was 16th and achieved a state qualifying time.
For the ladies, Sophie Lu was 10th, Ella Roettger was 11th and Kendall Hudgens 12th.
In the 100-backstroke, Lu claimed fifth overall, while Skelton was 11th and Kate Kramer 15th. Taylor Webster cut nine seconds off his previous best time, while Raina Desai also qualified for KISL.
For the boys, Karnitz finished fourth in the 100-back, while LePape was fifth and Elliot Mandl 14th.
In the 100-breaststroke, Roettger and King both broke 1 minute and took first and second place, respectively.
For the girls in 100-breastroke, Karolina Nosarzewski finished first at 1:06.68. Wolfgram was third, while Roettger took sixth, Hudgens finished eighth. Katie Edmunds dropped 3.5 seconds off her previous best time.
LaCharite took first in the 200-freestyle. Nosarewski was 10th, Riley Brown 12th and Kramer 14.
In the 100-butterfly, Lu was fourth and Skelton 11th. For the boys, Kartniz took fifth and Gerchar was 10th, with King qualifying for state. Mandl picked up his state cut.
In the 100-free, LaCharite took second and Wolfgram fourth. Among the boys, Gerchar took first (48.49).
FHS girls were second, 12th and 15th in 200-free relay, while the boys were fifth and 17th.
Farragut’s ladies took first in the 400 free A relay with the foursome of Kramer, LaCharite, Lu and Roettger.
The B relay was fifth: Taylor Webster, Riley Brown, Desai and Sarah Morgan Godbold
“Taylor Webster achieved a state qualifying time,” Abrahamson said.
The FHS boys took third in the 400-free A relay: Karnitz, Gerchar, Mandl and Roettger The Ads’ B relay finished 10th: Webster, King, Ethan Hu and Hisato Kurosaki
Among divers, Cam Croy was third and Olivia Kohl 15th.
