If East swimmer Sam Wicks wants to break the state record in the girls 100-yard backstroke for the second straight season, she will likely have to beat Ketchikan's Janelle Stacey.
Stacey finished fourth at the state meet last season, but her time of 56.33 this season is the fastest ever posted in the event, just .01 seconds ahead of Wicks' fastest time this season.
Both swimmers bested the state-record time of 56.61 Wicks posted at last season's state championships, but because state records can only be posted at the state meet, Wicks' record from last year is still on the books. For now.
State championship preliminaries start today at Bartlett High at 1 p.m., with finals beginning Saturday at 1 p.m. State records can be set either day.
Kodiak's Ila Hughes is another swimmer with state records in her sights. Her season-best of 23.80 in the girls 50 freestyle, recorded at last week's region meet, was the second-fastest time ever posted. She was less than a half second slower than the 23.33 state record set by Lathrop's Maria Reeves in 1998.
Hughes also posted the sixth-fastest all-time performance in the 100 freestyle. Her 52.13 from last week is almost a second behind the 2006 record set by Ketchikan's Laura Miller.
Juneau's Nathan Messing may have the best chance to set a state record for the boys. His 53.05 in the 100 backstroke is sixth on the all-time list and 1.01 seconds slower than the state record set by Dimond's Chris Geitz in 1994.
2011 times in the top 12 all-time
As compiled by East coach Cliff Murray
(Ranking appears before name)
Boys
100 butterfly -- 9) Richard Ginter, Homer, 51.98.
100 backstroke -- 6) Nathan Messing, Juneau, 53.05.
Girls
200 medley relay -- 5) Ketchikan, 1:49.89
200 freestyle -- 7) Sam Wicks, East, 1:53.53
50 freestyle -- 2) Ila Hughes, Kodiak, 23.80
100 butterfly -- 4) Janelle Stacey, Ketchikan, 56.44
100 freestyle -- 6) Ila Hughes, Kodiak, 52.13
500 freestyle -- 11) Tahna Lindquist, Kodiak, 5:09.50
100 backstroke -- 1) Janelle Stacey, Ketchikan, 56.33; 2) Sam Wicks, East, 56.34
400 free relay -- 7) Ketchikan, 3:40.37
State records
Boys
200-yard medley relay -- Juneau-Douglas, 1:36.33.
200 freestyle -- Cody Brunette, Juneau, 1:40.58, 2008
200 individual medley -- John Rogers, Lathrop, 1:53.51, 1995
50 freestyle -- Andrew Tainter, Service, 20.91, 1996
1-meter diving (11 dives) -- Alvin Spencer, Chugiak, 517.25 points, 1982
100 butterfly -- Cody Brunette, Juneau, 49.19, 2008
100 freestyle -- Derek Gibb, Petersburg, 46.27, 1998
500 freestyle -- Ben Smith, Service, 4:37.85, 1990
200 freestyle relay -- Dimond, 1:26.56, 1998
100 backstroke -- Chris Geitz, Dimond, 51.91, 1994
100 breast stroke -- Joshua Gemmell, Soldotna, 56.40, 2000
400 freestyle relay -- Dimond, 3:09.70, 1998
Girls
200 medley relay -- Juneau-Douglas, 1:47.86, 2007
200 freestyle -- Meghan Cavanaugh, East, 1:50.02, 2007
200 individual medley -- Sarah Rockwell, West, 2:07.05, 2002
50 freestyle -- Maria Reeves, Lathrop, 23.33, 1998
1-meter diving -- Alaina Patterson, Chugiak, 463.45, 1998
100 butterfly -- Meghan Cavanaugh, East, 55.59, 2007
100 freestyle -- Laura Miller, Ketchikan, 51.17, 2006
500 freestyle -- Kayla Meiergerd, Chugiak, 4:56.55, 1998
200 freestyle relay -- Lathrop, 1:36.36, 1999
100 backstroke -- Samantha Wicks, East, 56.61, 2010
100 breast stroke -- Laura Griffing, Kodiak, 1:04.50, 2006
400 freestyle relay -- Lathrop, 3:31.88, 1999
(Note: all state records must be established at the state championships, in either prelims or finals)
Anchorage Daily News