Editorial coverage for U.S. Junior Nationals proudly sponsored by Q Swimwear!
IRVINE, California, August 2. MICHAEL Andrew, the much-talked-about 15-year-old professional swimmer, had a breakthrough tonight with his first junior national title at the USA Swimming Junior Nationals in Irvine.
Scheduled Events
- Women’s 100 back
- Men’s 100 back
- Women’s 200 free
- Men’s 200 free
- Women’s 200 breast
- Men’s 200 breast
- Women’s 800 free relay
Women’s 200 free
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Roadrunner’s 16-year-old prodigy Stanzi Moseley broke through the 2:00 barrier for the first time in the 200-meter freestyle finale. She rocked a 1:59.88 after behind under meet-record pace through 150 meters. That’s under her 2:00.37 lifetime best from the morning as Moseley moved to 15th all time in the 15-16 age division. Lia Neal’s amazing 1:58.26 meet record from 2011 remained for another day – unless of course a leadoff breaks it tonight in the 800 free relay.
Scottsdale’s Taylor Ruck, a 14-year-old phemon, turned in a second-place 2:00.14. That clipped her best of 2:00.27 from sectionals last month. Pleasanton’s Erika Brown raced to third in 2:00.29, while City of Mobile’s Paige Madden (2:00.50) and Loveland’s Eryn Eddy (2:00.78) finished fourth and fifth. Saint Andrew’s Megan Moroney also posted a 2:00 with a sixth-place 2:00.83.
Rockville-Montgomery’s Anna Kolanowski (2:02.02) and Bloomington Waves’ Melissa Pish (2:02.18) also competed in the finale.
Tallahassee’s Cece Wililams dropped a second-and-a-half from her best time with a 2:01.12 to win the B final. That’s a big drop from her 2:02.51 here at juniors a year ago. Marietta Marlins’ Stephanie Peters (2:01.61) and Upper Valley’s Hannah Cox (2:01.80) finished just a bit behind in second and third. Lakeside’s Lauren Pitzer (2:01.85) and JCC’s Lauren Barber (2:01.99) also had a shot at the heat win before Williams pulled away down the stretch.
Bolles’ Claire Rasmus turned on the jets down the stretch to claim a one-second win in the C final. She clocked a 2:01.59, smashing her previous best of 2:03.03 from earlier in the day. Tennessee’s Erica Laning picked up second in 2:02.69, while Chattahoochee Gold’s Lauren Case snared third in the bonus final with a 2:03.13.
Men’s 200 free
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
NOVA of Virginia’s Townley Haas has had himself a meet. On top of winning the 100 free and 400 free already this week, he just added a third title with a come-from-behind win in the 200 free. He raced his way to a 1:48.75 to take sixth in the 17-18 age division all time. That’s a big personal best, down from his 1:50.26 at Virginia senior states.
Pleasanton’s Maxime Rooney, who led at the 100, wound up taking second in 1:49.54. That clipped his personal best of 1:49.70 from this morning, and edged him closer to Caeleb Dressel’s 15-16 national age group record of 1:48.64. Tennessee’s Walker Higgins wrapped up third-place honors in 1:50.68.
Dayton Raiders’ Brock Turner (1:51.15), AGUA’s Michael Domagala (1:51.45), Iowa Flyers’ Aidan Keen (1:52.09), Machine’s James Murphy (1:52.53) and Terrapins’ Michal Zyla (1:52.83) also competed in the big final.
Tualatin’s Patrick Mulcare put together a speedy time in the B final to win in 1:51.10. That’s a lifetime best, clearing the 1:51.85 he clocked at sectionals earlier this summer. Last summer, he posted a 1:52.79, so that’s a nice drop since last year’s juniors. La Mirada’s Ryan Kao edged Quest’s Jeff Newkirk for second in the consolation heat, 1:51.81 to 1:51.86.
IUST’s Max Irwin cut another second off his best with a 1:51.87 in the C final. That’s exactly a second better than his 1:52.87 from this morning during prelims. Livermore’s Trent Trump (1:52.70) and Phoenix Swim Club’s Ryan McCoy (1:52.81) placed second and third with Crimson’s Liam Egan also being in the hunt with a fourth-place 1:52.83.
Women’s 200 breast
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Swim Fort Lauderdale’s Emily Kopas raced her way to a 2:29.53 to top a disqualification-laden championship heat. That’s a large amount of time cut from her personal best of 2:31.61 set at sectionals just a month ago. Aspen’s Emma Cain, a 14-year-old transplant from Great Britain who represents GBR internationally, took second in 2:30.25. Cain is now in the top 10 all time in the 13-14 age division with that swim. Livonia’s Miranda Tucker finished third in 2:31.81.
Y-Sparta’s Savanna Faulconer (2:32.47), SwimMAC’s Maija Roses (2:32.49) and Ozaukee’s Katie Drabot (2:33.61) placed fourth through sixth in the championship heat. Nashville’s Tatum Wade and Spokane Waves’ Emma Schanz both drew disqualifications.
Atlantis’ Lindsey Horejsi cut a huge amount of time off her personal best with a B final time of 2:32.33 to win. That’s down from her 2:34.63 this morning in prelims. Bellevue’s Kim Williams chased down second in 2:33.51 with Lincoln Select’s Ashley Pales just behind in third with a 2:33.65 in the consolation heat.
Berkeley’s Erin Barry held off a hard-charging Julia Poole of Triangle in the C final for a win, 2:35.20 to 2:35.34. That’s a best for Barry, taking down her 2:35.73 from last summer, while Poole lowered her 2:35.86 from prelims. Pine Crest’s Lindsey Swartz took third in the bonus with a 2:35.69.
Men’s 200 breast
Photo Courtesy: Kristin Karkoska
Cardinal’s Todd Owen emerged from a close contest in the championship finale as he clocked a time of 2:16.25. That’s his first time under 2:17 as he beat his previous best of 2:17.01. Arizona Marlins’ Matthew Anderson raced his way to second in 2:16.71 He also broke 2:17 for the first time, lowering his best of 2:17.29 as he placed second in the finale.
Penn Charter’s giant Reece Whitley, the 13-14 national age group record holder with a 2:16.48 from the Middle Atlantic senior states, came up just a bit shy of the 6-8 swimmer’s record with a third-place time of 2:16.81.
HEAT’s Ross Palazzo (2:17.63), SwimAtlanta’s Joseph Portillo (2:18.16), Xcel’s Ethan Browne (2:18.23) and Current’s Tommy Brewer (2:20.15) finished fourth through seventh in the finale. PASA’s Curtis Ogren drew a disqualification in the event.
Barracuda’s Daniel Chang (2:18.71) edged Canyon’s Peter Kropp (2:18.78) and Minnetonka’s Corey Lau (2:18.85) for the B final win. Chang just missed is personal best of 2:18.69 set at sectionals a month ago.
Brea’s Derek Kao won the C final by half-a-second with a time of 2:19.32, while Rockwood Swim’s Phillip Willett placed second in 2:19.86. Aquazot’s Judd Howard rounded out the top three in 2:20.38.
Women’s 100 back
Photo Courtesy: David Farr
The Carmel girls have been on fire this week. Tonight, they went 1-2 with Amy Bilquist edging teammate Claire Adams for the title, 1:01.04 to 1:01.12. That’s a best for Bilquist, lowering her 1:01.27 from prelims. Adams also bettered her best of 1:01.59. T2’s Elise Haan raced her way into third with a time of 1:01.67 to account for all of the 1:01s tonight. That’s a trio of 16 year olds at the top of the podium.
Y-Sparta’s Danielle Galyer (1:02.29), BCH’s Abby Richter (1:02.47), Bryon Center’s Taylor Garcia (1:02.52), CyFari’s Cameron McHugh (1:02.73) and SoCal’s Emily Easton (1:03.17) also vied for the junior national title tonight.
PASA’s Ally Howe cruised to victory in the B final with a time of 1:02.79, while Aquazot’s 14-year-old Eva Merrell touched second in 1:03.06. Tualatin’s Keaton Blovad tied with Hopkins Mariner Erin Earley for third with matching 1:03.12s.
Lifetime best for Grace Ariola of the Bloomington Waves as she won the C final in 1:03.19. That’s just a bit better than her 1:03.87 from sectionals. Longhorn’s Victoria Edwards raced to second in 1:03.40 with Emma Seiberlich earning third in 1:03.54.
Men’s 100 back
Photo Courtesy: Azaria Basile
The 15-year-old professional swimmer Michael Andrew had the biggest breakthrough of his career as he captured a junior national championship with a 55.73 in the A final. In his first time under 56 seconds, Andrew moved to sixth all time in the 15-16 age division. He still has a bit to go to track down Ryan Murphy’s national age group record of 53.76 from 2012, but he still has more than a year to make that happen. While Andrew draws an exorbitant amount of attention as the youngest swimmer to ever turn pro and his unreal amount of national age group performances in 14-and-under categories, tonight’s win is a big step in his career.
Dynamo’s Michael Taylor finished second in 56.07 with Badger’s Patrick Conaton taking third in 56.68. Roadrunner’s Brock Bonetti (56.74), Tualatin’s Patrick Mulcare (56.93) and Cheyenne Mountain’s Daniel Carr (56.97) also posted 56s. FAST’s Joey Reilman (57.04) and KING’s Thomas Anderson (58.00) finished seventh and eighth.
Class’ David Puczkowski shaved a bit from his personal best in the event with a B final-winning effort of 56.58. That’s under the 56.58 he clocked at the Fran Crippen Memorial meet in June in Mission Viejo. Munster’s Wilson Beckman hit the wall second in 57.58, while Pleasanton’s Maxime Rooney tied Tampa Bay’s Wesley McGovern for third with 57.70s just a bit after swimming the 200 free.
Terrapins’ Brandon James clipped Canyons’ Cole Cogswell in the C final, 57.32 to 57.41. That’s a bit better than James’ personal best of 57.52, while Cogswell also cleared his best of 57.90. Bellevue’s Todd McCarthy touched third in 57.50.
Women’s 800 free relay
Photo Courtesy: Kristin Karkoska
The foursome of Mary Pelton (2:04.08), Easop Lee (2:02.15), Maddie Runge (2:04.74) and Heidi Miller (2:02.36) chased down the title in the women’s 800 free relay with a time of 8:13.13. That’s a few seconds off York YMCA’s meet record of 8:10.13 from last year, but still speedy enough by more than two seconds for the win.
Carmel finished second to keep piling up the team points. Veronica Burchill (2:05.23), Emma Nordin (2:04.14), Claire Adams (2:03.90) and Amy Bilquist (2:02.29) turned in an 8:15.56 to finish second in the relay. PASA’s Jennifer Campbell (2:02.81), Lisa Kaunitz (2:06.52), Leah Goldman (2:05.02) and Ally Howe (2:02.16) earned third-place honors in 8:16.51.
Davis Arden (8:19.32), Y-Sparta (8:19.65), Dynamo (8:19.71), SwimMAC (8:20.40) and Santa Clara (8:20.93) also earned spots on the podium tomorrow night rounding out the top eight in the timed final event.