Rogers High Qualifies Five For State Meet
Rogers High coach Rob Bray said he was encouraged by his team’s performances during last week’s Hendrix Invitational in Conway.
Five swimmers automatically qualified for the state swim meet with their times. Megan Piotrowski met the requirement for the 100-yard backstroke with her time of 1 minute, 6.53 seconds, and the foursome of Jacob Carroll, Matt Brown, Jerum Sederholm and Brandon Lithalangsley qualified in the 400 freestyle relay with their time of 3:50.93.
“It’s a good pool down there, and our times were pretty close to what we did at Bryant,” Bray said. “We had some others that were very close to qualifying for state, and we’re hoping they can use what they did there and catapult themselves into one of the top 16 spots for the state tournament.”
Rogers traveled to Siloam Springs for a meet Thursday before taking part in the Har-Ber Invitational next week as the Jones Center.
Holtzen Splashes Into Pool Record Book
Jenny Holtzen highlighted Fayetteville’s performances in the Hendrix Invitational by setting a pair of pool records last weekend.
Holtzen set marks in the 200 intermediate medley with a time of 2:09.3 and in the 500 freestyle with her time of 4:54.33. She also helped the Lady Purple’Dogs qualify for state in the 200 freestyle relay, teaming with Hannah Martin, Macy Valentine and Kaylea Collins for a time of 1:55.25.
On the boys side, a pair of swimmers turned in state-qualifying times in two events. Colton Courtway qualified for the 100 freestyle (53.45) and the 200 freestyle (1:58.28), while Josh Parisi did the same in the 100 backstroke (1:02.54) and the 200 freestyle (2:01.95).
Fayetteville also swept the 1-meter diving competition. Senior Parker Meinecke won the boys competition with 215 points, while freshman Erin Farrah scored 178.85 points to capture the girls division.
“I really enjoyed the meet,” coach Michael Kaminski said. “The pool was fast, and we had numerous people set personal bests. It was our best meet of the year, and I was pleased with how we swam.”
Heritage Reaches Hardest Stretch
Rogers Heritage coach Julie Sakalares admits that her swimming teams have reached the hardest part of their schedule.
“January is always a tough time,” she said. “They’re starting to get tired and run down, and we’re also getting a few swimmers sick right now. We’re going to be feeling it this week.”
Sakalares said she expected Heritage to have six swimmers absent for Thursday’s meet at John Brown University in Siloam Springs. That wasn’t the case last weekend as Heritage finished seventh in the girls division and 11th in the boys division at the Hendrix Invitational.
Shelby King stood out on the girls side when she cut several seconds off her time in the 200 intermediate medley and the 100 backstroke. On the boys side, Samuel Schafer had a state-qualifying performance in the 200 freestyle, finishing in 1:54.29, and in the 100 backstroke with a time of 59.74.
Lamestra Makes Most Of Trip
Springdale High coach Matt Hervey didn’t send his full teams to the Hendrix Invitational, but Lauren Lamestra made the trip for an additional opportunity for a state-qualifying time.
The freshman made the trip a worthwhile one. She qualified in the 50 freestyle with a time of 27.16 seconds, and Hervey said Lamestra may have become the school’s first female swimmer to automatically qualify for state since the split with Springdale Har-Ber.
Lamestra just missed qualifying in a second event when she finished the 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:22.52.
“She’s just now getting into swim shape,” Hervey said. “She bettered her 100 time, and I think she’ll get to go to state as one of the top 16 in that event.”
Springdale’s full teams participated in Thursday’s meet at John Brown and will do so at next week’s meet at the Jones Center.
“That’s usually a good meet for us,” Hervey said. “I don’t think we’ve peaked yet, but we’ve had some solid practices. I’m looking forward to the conference meet and seeing where we are when everything’s settled.”
Tigers Claim Hendrix Title
Bentonville’s swimming teams now have 19 people who have earned automatic qualifications to next month’s state meet following their performance at the Hendrix Invitational.
Bentonville won the boys division as the Tigers accumulated 359 points to 318 for second-place Little Rock Catholic and 298 for Little Rock Central. Meanwhile, Bentonville’s girls finished second to Conway by a 452-409 margin in a two -team race as Fayetteville was a distant third with 189.
Those who have qualified for the state meet include Lane Bland, Gage Crosby, Brandon Haefner, Andrew Halliburton, Austin Hunt, Jason Hunt, Joey Nemesi, Austin Passmore, Alex Miller and Tyler Rousey on the boys side. The girls that have qualified include Eun Sol Chon, Jennifer Haefner, Taylor Hunt, Jessica Kjellberg, Alexa Tininenko, Lauren Tininenko, Anna Wilkinson, Claire Zettle and Melanie Ripple.
Har-Ber Tries Something New
Springdale Har-Ber coach Samantha Brown said her swimmers are using this week’s meet at John Brown and next week’s meet at the Jones Center to compete in new events and try new strokes.
On the girls side, seniors Katie Huff and Kelsey Odell are trying to qualify in the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, while sophomore Margo Osterloh has worked on the 500 freestyle.
A number of boys swimmers are trying to drop their times in events, including junior Corey Evans in the 100 and 200 freestyle and sophomore Ben Turek in the 100 butterfly. Freshmen Andrew Lisle, meanwhile, has been practicing at the 500 freestyle.
At a glance
Hendrix Invitational Results
Team scores
GIRLS
Conway 452
Bentonville 409
Fayetteville 189
Mountain Home 184
Bryant 164
Rogers High 71
Rogers Heritage 64
Springdale High 27
BOYS
Bentonville 359
LR Catholic 318
LR Central 298
Conway 218
Mountain Home 161
Rogers Heritage 141
Fayetteville 130
Rogers High 72