Kenai Central junior Abigail Price led the Kenai Peninsula at the state swimming and diving meet Friday and Saturday, Oct. 8 and 9, at Bartlett High School in Anchorage.
Price lowered a pair of her own school records in finishing second in the 100-yard butterfly and third in the 200 freestyle.
She now has five school records. Price was on a record-setting 400 freestyle relay team last season. This season, she set records in the 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley.
“I knew that I could probably get the 200 freestyle,” she said. “So I was coming into the season hoping I could drop time and at least get that one.
“I really did surprise myself with the other three.”
Kenai was the only peninsula team to score in the girls meet, finishing tied for 10th with Palmer at 15 points. Eagle River won with 117.
On the boys side, Colony won with 97, while Kenai was 15th with four and Soldotna tied for 17th with two.
Price said she accomplished her goals at state. She wanted to finish in the top four to get on the podium and set personal bests in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly.
First came the 200 freestyle. Price had the top time in preliminaries, but she explained everybody was holding back a bit for the final.
Amy Liddle of Juneau-Douglas: Yadaa.at Kale won at 1 minute, 55.96 seconds, while Price was third at 1:56.52.
“I basically got outconditioned,” Price said. “I was at the point where I was struggling to pull myself out of the pool. That means I did good.”
In the 100 butterfly, Eagle River junior Reese Woodward won at 57.64, while Price touched the wall second at 58.97.
“Going into this race, I had a good talk with one of my friends and basically said that there are no worries if I win or if I lose,” Price said. “Just swim and have fun and leave everything in the pool.”
Price said it was nice to defeat her friend Kylie Benner, a Palmer junior, in the race after Benner had defeated Price in the 200 freestyle.
In the 200 freestyle, all the state finalists were underclassmen. In the 100 butterfly, the top three were underclassmen.
Price knows the competition next season will be very tough and she has already enlisted the help of her father, Richard Price.
“I know what I need to work on now,” she said. “I know I need to do more cardio and more weightlifting.
“With my dad’s help, we’re going to try and put together a dry-land program.”
Price said she always thanks God, her coaches and her parents for her success. One element she won’t have next season is her brother, senior David Price.
David finished seventh in 100 breaststroke at 1:02.64 and seventh in 200 IM at 2:06.18.
“He’s faster than me, so every single practice, my goal is to beat him to the wall,” Abigail said. “That’s really helped me push myself and get into the mind-set where I’ve got to get to the wall first.”
Kenai head coach Will Hubler said David was great in both races. Hubler said David relaxed in the 200 IM and had a big time drop. In the 100 breaststroke, Hubler said David was just a second off the school record.
The Kenai 200 freestyle relay of senior Sierra Hershberger, junior Ra’ah Roady, sophomore Isla Crouse and Price was eighth in 1:45.75.
In the 400 freestyle relay, the Kards were disqualified for diving into the pool early.
Hubler said sickness was going through the team after traveling to Kodiak for regions the week before. The Kenai coach said he wished the Kards would have had an extra week between regions and state.
Hershberger, who was sick, was 10th in the 50 freestyle prelims in 15th in the 100 freestyle prelims in her final meet.
“For Sierra to drop time, she was a trooper because she was having a hard time breathing, and coughing,” Hubler said. “It was amazing.”
The coach said he also was proud of senior Benjamin Merritt for finishing 13th in the 100 butterfly prelims, cutting off a bit of time.
Also for Kenai, freshman Emma Castimore was 10th in the 500 freestyle prelims and 13th in the 200 freestyle prelims, sophomore Peyton Katzenberger was 16th in the 200 freestyle prelims, sophomore Isla Crouse was 10th in the 200 IM prelims, freshman Lyman McBride was 16th in the 100 backstroke prelims and freshman Fletcher Darr was 11th in the 100 breaststroke prelims.
Hubler said it was great to have so many underclassmen get state experience.
“We’re looking good,” he said. “And they’re year-round swimmers. They work hard.
“And we’ve got a good group of freshmen coming up next year too.”
Soldotna’s lone points came from junior Michael Davidson, who was seventh in the 100 breaststroke at 56.94. Davidson also was 11th in the 200 IM prelims.
Also for SoHi, junior Zoe Burns was 14th in the 500 freestyle prelims.
For Seward, sophomore Aubrey Wilder was 14th in the 200 freestyle prelims and 16th in the 100 freestyle prelims, and senior Oliver Trobaugh was 16th in the 100 butterfly prelims.
For Homer, senior Cassidy Carroll was 11th in the 100 freestyle prelims and 11th in the 100 backstroke prelims.
