Berkoff, Urlando Take Two Top Seeds Each During Day Four of Juniors West Prelims

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

More fast swimming occurred this morning during day four prelims of the 2018 Junior National Championships West in Austin, Texas. Missoula Aquatics’ Katharine Berkoff had a strong showing and will be the top seed in the 200 back and 100 free tonight during finals while Gianluca Urlando is the top qualifier in the 200 back and 200 fly.

Click here for full results.

Finals will begin tonight at 5:00 p.m. CST (6:00 p.m. EST). Tonight’s lineup will see finals of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, 4×100 free relay as well as the top heat of the mile.

Women’s 200 Back

After winning the women’s 100 back in meet record-setting fashion last night, Missoula Aquatics’ Katharine Berkoff will aim to complete the backstroke sweep this weekend. She will be the top seed in the 200 back tonight after posting a time of 1:52.36 this morning

Aquajets’ Isabelle Stadden will be the second seed in 1:53.88 while Beach Cities Swimming’s Alexandra Crisera will be on the other side of Berkoff in 1:56.58.

Nitro Swimming’s Ana Herceg (1:57.02), YMCA Westside’s Kennedy Noble (1:57.27), Buenaventura’s Tea Laughlin (1:57.46), DART Swimming’s Zoe Cosgrove (1:57.49) and Lakeside Aquatics’ Natalie Whalen (1:57.50) will also complete in the top eight.

Event 27  Women 200 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
     Jrs West: * 1:50.59  12/14/2013Clara Smiddy, AquaKids Sharks
  SC Jrs Meet: # 1:50.59  12/14/2013Clara Smiddy, AquaKids Sharks-
    13-14 NAG:   1:51.07  2010      Missy Franklin
    15-16 NAG:   1:48.30  2018      Regan Smith
    17-18 NAG:   1:48.42  2013      Missy Franklin
    Name                  Age Team                 Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Berkoff, Katharine     17 Missoula Aquatic  1:51.40    1:52.36  
             26.06        54.53 (28.47)
        1:23.33 (28.80)     1:52.36 (29.03)
  2 Stadden, Isabelle      16 Aquajets Swim Te  1:52.04    1:53.88  
             26.60        55.53 (28.93)
        1:25.41 (29.88)     1:53.88 (28.47)
  3 Crisera, Alexandra     17 Beach Cities Swi  1:54.44    1:56.58  
             27.76        57.45 (29.69)
        1:26.85 (29.40)     1:56.58 (29.73)
  4 Herceg, Ana            15 Nitro Swimming-S  1:58.84    1:57.02  
             28.02        57.51 (29.49)
        1:27.45 (29.94)     1:57.02 (29.57)
  5 Noble, Kennedy         14 YMCA Westside Si  1:57.54    1:57.27  
             27.74        56.96 (29.22)
        1:27.08 (30.12)     1:57.27 (30.19)
  6 Laughlin, Tea          16 Buenaventura Swi  1:58.57    1:57.46  
             27.12        56.81 (29.69)
        1:26.88 (30.07)     1:57.46 (30.58)
  7 Cosgrove, Zoe          17 DART Swimming-SN  1:59.80    1:57.49  
             27.65        56.91 (29.26)
        1:26.93 (30.02)     1:57.49 (30.56)
  8 Whalen, Natalie        17 Lakeside Aquatic  1:59.01    1:57.50  
             27.96        57.35 (29.39)
        1:27.27 (29.92)     1:57.50 (30.23)

Men’s 200 Back

After setting two 15-16 National Age Group records yesterday in the 100 fly and 100 back, DART Swimming’s Gianluca Urlando will have another chance for a Junior National title in the 200 back today. He swam a lifetime best of 1:42.11 for the middle lane tonight.

Edina’s Peter Larson dropped a second from his seed time to qualify second in 1:42.48 while Foothills Swim Team’s Gavin Olson will be third in 1:43.83.

Billings Aquatics’ Ethan Harder (1:44.27), Harrison Lierz (1:45.85), Seattle Metro’s Tyler Lu (1:45.88), Sierra Marlins’ Colby Mefford (1:46.25) and Wichita Swim Club’s Ben Patton (1:46.50) will also swim in the A-final.

Event 28  Men 200 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
     Jrs West: * 1:40.79  12/10/2011Jacob Pebley, Corvallis Aquati
  SC Jrs Meet: # 1:40.79  12/10/2011Jacob Pebley, Corvallis Aquati
    13-14 NAG:   1:43.15  2014      Michael Andrew
    15-16 NAG:   1:40.90  2011      Ryan Murphy
    17-18 NAG:   1:37.35  2014      Ryan Murphy
    Name                  Age Team                 Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Urlando, Gianluca      16 DART Swimming-SN  1:43.37    1:42.11  
             23.64        48.69 (25.05)
        1:14.66 (25.97)     1:42.11 (27.45)
  2 Larson, Peter          17 Edina Swim Club-  1:43.51    1:42.48  
             23.77        49.27 (25.50)
        1:16.02 (26.75)     1:42.48 (26.46)
  3 Olson, Gavin           17 Foothills Swim T  1:43.40    1:43.83  
             24.52        50.77 (26.25)
        1:17.51 (26.74)     1:43.83 (26.32)
  4 Harder, Ethan          18 Billings Aquatic  1:43.04    1:44.27  
             24.54        50.79 (26.25)
        1:17.58 (26.79)     1:44.27 (26.69)
  5 Lierz, Harrison        16 Una EA-CO         1:43.76    1:45.85  
             24.70        51.26 (26.56)
        1:18.48 (27.22)     1:45.85 (27.37)
  6 Lu, Tyler              15 Seattle Metropol  1:45.54    1:45.88  
             24.78        51.47 (26.69)
        1:18.23 (26.76)     1:45.88 (27.65)
  7 Mefford, Colby         17 Sierra Marlins S  1:47.80    1:46.25  
             24.61        51.44 (26.83)
        1:18.85 (27.41)     1:46.25 (27.40)
  8 Patton, Ben            18 Wichita Swim Clu  1:47.10    1:46.50  
             24.62        51.06 (26.44)
        1:18.22 (27.16)     1:46.50 (28.28)

Women’s 100 Free

It will be a busy night for Berkoff as she is also the top qualifier in the women’s 100 free. She swam a new lifetime best of 48.91 this morning as the only swimmer in the field to sneak under the 49-second barrier.

PRO Swimming’s Janelle Rudolph will try to chase Berkoff down as the second seed in 49.38 while Scottsdale Aquatics’ Ashley Strouse earned the third seed in 49.55.

Also vying for the Junior National title will be Arkansas’ Kobie Melton (49.57), Brea Aquatics’ Samantha Pearson (49.59), Longhorn Aquatics’ Quinn Schaedler (49.60), Bellevue’s Gracie Felner (49.73) and Crow Canyon’s Zoie Hartman (49.73).

Event 29  Women 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
     Jrs West: * 46.29  12/13/2014Abbigail Weitzeil, Canyons Aquatic
  SC Jrs Meet: # 46.29  12/13/2014Abbigail Weitzeil, Canyons Aquatic
    13-14 NAG:   47.94  2010      Missy Franklin
    15-16 NAG:   47.73  2013      Simone Manuel
    17-18 NAG:   46.09  2015      Simone Manuel
    Name                  Age Team                 Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Berkoff, Katharine     17 Missoula Aquatic    49.18      48.91  
    r:+0.75  23.83        48.91 (25.08)
  2 Rudolph, Janelle       16 PRO Swimming-PN     49.33      49.38  
    r:+0.72  23.64        49.38 (25.74)
  3 Strouse, Ashley        16 Scottsdale Aquat    49.24      49.55  
    r:+0.77  24.04        49.55 (25.51)
  4 Melton, Kobie          18 Univ Arkansas Sw    49.17      49.57  
    r:+0.66  23.73        49.57 (25.84)
  5 Pearson, Samantha      17 Brea Aquatics-CA    49.33      49.59  
    r:+0.75  23.86        49.59 (25.73)
  6 Schaedler, Quinn       16 Longhorn Aquatic    48.84      49.60  
    r:+0.73  23.86        49.60 (25.74)
  7 Felner, Gracie         17 Bellevue Club Sw    50.20      49.73  
    r:+0.74  23.90        49.73 (25.83)
  7 Hartman, Zoie          17 Crow Canyon Coun    49.92      49.73  
    r:+0.83  23.99        49.73 (25.74)

Men’s 100 Free

Houston Bridge Bats’ Jack Armstrong threw down a personal best by nearly a full second during prelims to earn the top spot in the men’s 100 free heading into tonight. He powered home in 43.68 as the only swimmer so far under 44 seconds.

Armstrong will face tough competition from Rockwood Swim Club’s Jack Dolan who took second in 44.16 as well as Lake Country’s Lucas Farrar who is third in 44.23.

Longhorn Aquatics’ Coby Carrozza (44.25), Santa Clara Swim Club’s Max Saunders (44.25), St. Charles Swim Club’s Will Myhre (44.26), Bellevue’s Matt King (44.30) and Chicago Wolfpack’s Bence Szabados (44.54) have qualified fourth through eighth, respectively.

Event 30  Men 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
     Jrs West: * 41.23  12/12/2015Ryan Hoffer, Scottsdale Aquat
  SC Jrs Meet: # 41.23  12/12/2015Ryan Hoffer, Scottsdale Aquat
    13-14 NAG:   43.90  2014      Michael Andrew
    15-16 NAG:   42.67  2013      Ryan Hoffer
    17-18 NAG:   41.23  2015      Ryan Hoffer
    Name                  Age Team                 Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Armstrong, Jack        17 Houston Bridge B    44.52      43.68  
             21.11        43.68 (22.57)
  2 Dolan, Jack            17 Rockwood Swim Cl    44.06      44.16  
             21.13        44.16 (23.03)
  3 Farrar, Lucas          18 Lake Country Swi    44.37      44.23  
             20.97        44.23 (23.26)
  4 Carrozza, Coby         17 Longhorn Aquatic    45.28      44.25  
             21.22        44.25 (23.03)
  4 Saunders, Max          17 Santa Clara Swim    44.15      44.25  
             21.38        44.25 (22.87)
  6 Myhre, Will            18 St Charles Swim-    52.66L     44.26  
             21.34        44.26 (22.92)
  7 King, Matt             16 Bellevue Club Sw    44.50      44.30  
             21.33        44.30 (22.97)
  8 Szabados, Bence        17 Chicago Wolfpack    45.23      44.54  
             21.54        44.54 (23.00)

Women’s 200 Breast

Boise YMCA’s Charity Pittard knocked off over a second from her previous best time to earn the top seed for finals. She will get a second swim in the middle lane with a seed time of 2:12.08.

Fort Collins’ Coleen Gillilan is close behind in 2:12.18 for the second seed while Hartman posted the third fastest time of the morning in 2:12.36.

Central Iowa’s Gillian Davey (2:12.45), North Coast Aquatics’ Tegan Preston (2:14.50), Colorado Springs’ Edena Chen (2:14.76), The Dolphins Portland’s Kaitlyn Dobler (2:14.79) and Lakeside Aquatics’ Jenna Watson (2:14.92) rounded out the top eight.

Event 31  Women 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
     Jrs West: * 2:07.44  12/9/2017 Zoe Bartel, Fort Collins Are
  SC Jrs Meet: # 2:07.44  12/9/2017 Zoe Bartel, Fort Collins
    13-14 NAG:   2:10.22  2012      Allie Szekely
    15-16 NAG:   2:06.45  2018      Alex Walsh
    17-18 NAG:   2:05.99  2013      Annie Zhu
    Name                  Age Team                 Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Pittard, Charity       18 Boise YMCA Swim-  2:13.38    2:12.08  
    r:+0.71  30.27      1:03.59 (33.32)
        1:37.71 (34.12)     2:12.08 (34.37)
  2 Gillilan, Coleen       17 Fort Collins Are  2:09.77    2:12.18  
    r:+0.66  29.00      1:02.03 (33.03)
        1:36.32 (34.29)     2:12.18 (35.86)
  3 Hartman, Zoie          17 Crow Canyon Coun  2:08.60    2:12.36  
    r:+0.80  29.52      1:03.01 (33.49)
        1:37.54 (34.53)     2:12.36 (34.82)
  4 Davey, Gillian         17 Central Iowa Aqu  2:10.48    2:12.45  
    r:+0.78  30.45      1:03.80 (33.35)
        1:37.92 (34.12)     2:12.45 (34.53)
  5 Preston, Tegan         17 North Coast Aqua  2:17.25    2:14.50  
    r:+0.70  30.65      1:04.73 (34.08)
        1:39.00 (34.27)     2:14.50 (35.50)
  6 Chen, Edenna           17 Colorado Springs  2:15.87    2:14.76  
    r:+0.72  31.07      1:05.09 (34.02)
        1:39.46 (34.37)     2:14.76 (35.30)
  7 Dobler, Kaitlyn        16 The Dolphins Por  2:11.49    2:14.79  
    r:+0.73  30.40      1:04.89 (34.49)
        1:39.65 (34.76)     2:14.79 (35.14)
  8 Watson, Jenna          16 Lakeside Aquatic  2:19.43    2:14.92  
    r:+0.80  30.56      1:04.81 (34.25)
        1:39.25 (34.44)     2:14.92 (35.67)

Men’s 200 Breast

It will be a close battle for the men’s 200 breast title tonight during finals as only 0.14 separate the top four qualifiers. Yesterday’s 100 breast champion Forrest Frazier of Eastern Iowa Swim Federation demolished his best time by nearly four seconds to earn the top seed in 1:56.35. This was the first time the future Cal Bear has broke two minutes.

Sitting right behind Frazier in second is King Aquatic Club’s Ethan Dang in 1:56.37 while Sierra Marlins’ Ben Dillard is also right in the mix with the third seed in 1:56.38.

Team Rebel Aquatics’ AJ Pouch (1:56.49), Myhre (1:57.37), Aquajets’ Hayden Zheng (1:58.36), Phoenix Swim Club’s Zachary Tan (1:58.52) and Mission Viejo’s Jason Schreiber (1:58.95) also broke two minutes to make up the rest of tonight’s top heat.

Event 32  Men 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
     Jrs West: * 1:55.08  12/9/2017 Zane Backes, Team Rebel Aquat
  SC Jrs Meet: # 1:52.37  12/10/2016Reece Whitley, Penn Charter  AC
    13-14 NAG:   1:55.52  2014      Reece Whitley
    15-16 NAG:   1:52.37  2016      Reece Whitley
    17-18 NAG:   1:51.43  2017      Reece Whitley
    Name                  Age Team                 Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Frazier, Forrest       16 Eastern Iowa Swi  2:00.03    1:56.35  
             26.03        55.48 (29.45)
        1:25.56 (30.08)     1:56.35 (30.79)
  2 Dang, Ethan            16 King Aquatic Clu  1:55.56    1:56.37  
             26.21        55.85 (29.64)
        1:25.63 (29.78)     1:56.37 (30.74)
  3 Dillard, Ben           17 Sierra Marlins S  1:58.08    1:56.38  
             25.73        54.95 (29.22)
        1:25.09 (30.14)     1:56.38 (31.29)
  4 Pouch, AJ              18 Team Rebel Aquat  1:56.47    1:56.49  
             26.11        55.50 (29.39)
        1:25.63 (30.13)     1:56.49 (30.86)
  5 Myhre, Will            18 St Charles Swim-  1:59.73    1:57.37  
             26.07        55.64 (29.57)
        1:26.44 (30.80)     1:57.37 (30.93)
  6 Zheng, Hayden          15 Aquajets Swim Te  1:59.84    1:58.36  
             27.14        57.28 (30.14)
        1:27.32 (30.04)     1:58.36 (31.04)
  7 Tan, Zachary           15 Phoenix Swim Clu  2:00.55    1:58.52  
             26.91        56.68 (29.77)
        1:27.40 (30.72)     1:58.52 (31.12)
  8 Schreiber, Jason       17 Mission Viejo Na  1:59.65    1:58.95  
             26.98        57.31 (30.33)
        1:28.57 (31.26)     1:58.95 (30.38)

Women’s 200 Fly

Riptide’s Regan Smith will be tonight’s top qualifier in the women’s 200 fly after posting a time of 1:54.87. If she can hang on to the lead, this would be her third win of the weekend after taking the gold in the 200 free and 500 free earlier.

Magnolia’s Lillie Nordmann is right behind her in 1:54.91 for second while Brea Aquatics’ Zephy Koh is seeded third with a time of 1:56.73.

Katy Aquatics’ Emma Sticklen (1:57.11), Metroplex Aquatics’ Lindsa Looney (1:57.58), Mission Viejo’s Katie Crom (1:58.89), Greater Des Moines’ Berit Quass (1:58.94) and Springfield Aquatics’ Kate McCarville (1:59.11) complete the top heat for finals.

Event 33  Women 200 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
     Jrs West: * 1:54.37  12/13/2014Ella Eastin, SOCAL Aquatics A
  SC Jrs Meet: # 1:53.49  12/9/2017 Olivia Carter, Enfinity Aquatic
    13-14 NAG:   1:56.01  2013      Cassidy Bayer
    15-16 NAG:   1:52.99  1981      Mary T. Meagher
    17-18 NAG:   1:51.04  2016      Ella Eastin
    Name                  Age Team                 Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Smith, Regan           16 Riptide-MN        1:53.50    1:54.87  
    r:+0.73  25.37        54.18 (28.81)
        1:24.06 (29.88)     1:54.87 (30.81)
  2 Nordmann, Lillie       16 Magnolia Aquatic  1:56.28    1:54.91  
    r:+0.74  25.90        55.19 (29.29)
        1:24.89 (29.70)     1:54.91 (30.02)
  3 Koh, Zephy             17 Brea Aquatics-CA  1:54.68    1:56.73  
    r:+0.74  26.15        55.49 (29.34)
        1:25.74 (30.25)     1:56.73 (30.99)
  4 Sticklen, Emma         16 Katy Aquatic Tea  1:54.88    1:57.11  
    r:+0.68  25.49        54.46 (28.97)
        1:24.56 (30.10)     1:57.11 (32.55)
  5 Looney, Lindsay        17 Metroplex Aquati  1:58.05    1:57.58  
    r:+0.76  26.39        56.70 (30.31)
        1:26.49 (29.79)     1:57.58 (31.09)
  6 Crom, Katie            15 Mission Viejo Na  1:56.00    1:58.89  
    r:+0.69  26.55        57.04 (30.49)
        1:28.13 (31.09)     1:58.89 (30.76)
  7 Quass, Berit           16 Greater Des Moin  2:00.84    1:58.94  
    r:+0.80  26.89        56.91 (30.02)
        1:27.17 (30.26)     1:58.94 (31.77)
  8 McCarville, Kate       15 Springfield Aqua  1:58.80    1:59.11  
    r:+0.72  26.46        56.66 (30.20)
        1:27.50 (30.84)     1:59.11 (31.61)

Men’s 200 Fly

Urlando will have yet another chance for a gold medal, this time in the men’s 200 fly after taking the top seed during prelims. He stopped the clock in 1:44.84 this morning and will be chasing the 15-16 NAG record of 1:42.10 set by Michael Phelps in 2002.

Szabados dropped over four seconds from is previous lifetime best to grab the second seed in 1:46.12 while Tigard Tualatin’s Ben Miller is close behind in 1:46.19 for third.

Carrozza (1:46.70), Palo Alto Stanford’s Brooks Taner (1:46.96), Greater Omaha’s Rush Clark (1:47.28), Mission Viejo’s Noah Brune (1:47.32) and Parkway Swim Club’s Noah Scheuermann (1:47.73) complete the top eight qualifiers.

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use