Eight from the Unalaska swim team traveled to Lathrop High School in Fairbanks for the Lathrop Invitational swimming and diving meet at Hamme Pool. Ten teams from Fairbanks, North Pole, Palmer, Unalaska, Valdez, and Wasilla competed in the event. Each swimmer was allowed to compete in four events but no more than two individual events. Unalaska student athletes competed in 18 out of 24 events Friday evening.
Unalaska boys had a great night. Freshman Adam Nguyen took first place in both the boys 50 yard freestyle and 100 yard backstroke with times of 24.23 and 59.46, his personal best. Nguyen also broke schools records with those times. Freshman Nicholas Upton placed 2nd and 3rd place in the boys 100 yard and 50 yard freestyle with times of 58.74 and 24.81, his personal best. And Junior Jonathan Le finished 3rd place in the boys 100 yard freestyle with a time of 59.28. Other highlights from the meet include Freshman Kayla Villamor placing 5th out of 27 swimmers in the girls 50 yard freestyle with a time of 29.76. Freshman Sasha Rankin finishing 6th out of 18 swimmers in the girls 100 yard breaststroke with a time of 1:23.39, her personal best. And the girls medley relay team consisting of Kiara Villamor, Sasha Rankin, Delanney McConnell, and Kayla Villamor setting a new school record with a time of 2:15.66. All swimmers improved their times from the Time Meet held in Unalaska on August 20th.
Unalaska finished fifth in total points behind Fairbanks' West Valley High - 30 swimmers, Palmer's Colony High - 33 swimmers, North Pole High - 19 swimmers, and Fairbanks' Hutchison High - 22 swimmers. Unalaska swim team will host an exhibition meet September 02nd, 6:00 p.m. at the Unalaska Aquatics Center. The Community Swim Meet is scheduled for September 09th. Community members are needed to swim against the Jr. high and high school teams. Please contact head coach, D. Tyrell McGirt, if you are interested in participating.