The Thunder Mountain High School boys swimming team took third place at the state championships last season. During the meet, TMHS won the 200-yard medley relay by nearly two seconds over second-place South Anchorage. It was a rare feat — an all-sophomore relay team taking first in the most competitive meet of the season.
This year, Bergen Davis, Spencer Holt, Chris Ray and Casey Hamilton look to not only repeat as state champs in the event, but also set a new state record. In order to do so, they’ll have to take two seconds off their time from last season. Dimond High School holds the current all-time record in themedley relay with a 1:36.29. Still, with a new backstroker in Hamiliton, a senior transplant from Colorado, they’re confident they’re up to the task.
The Empire spoke to the team at the Augutus Brown Swimming Pool prior to Saturday’s high school swim meet.
Juneau Empire: As with any relay, you’re only as fast as your slowest swimmer. How much do you guys think about how lucky you are that you’re on the same team at the same time?
Bergen Davis: This year we were really lucky that we got Casey, just because we needed a better backstroker. He’s really going to take us to where we can break the state record this year. And it puts it so we have someone at every stroke that’s really good at what we do.
Chris Ray: I mean, all of us being in the same high school, it’s obscenely lucky that we’re all four here.
Spencer Holt: Being able to train together is really nice. We push each other really hard in practice each day.
JE: How special was it to take the state title in your home pool last year in such a fun event like the medley?
Holt: It was pretty cool to start off the meet that way.
Davis: Especially last year because (the team) was all sophomores. Other teams, they were all seniors and juniors and we were all underclassmen last year.
JE: Casey, what has your experience been joining the Thunder Mountain team and getting to be on a relay that can win another state title?
Hamilton: It’s definitely different because I’m from Colorado and guys and girls high school swimming is different seasons. So it’s different getting to actually practice with a girls high school team and guys high school team at the same time. It’s fun and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.
JE: What was your initial reaction when you found out that Casey was a great backstroke swimmer?
Ray: We won the lottery. (laughs) That was basically my reaction, we got a relay team now, let’s go all the way.
Davis: It’s not even just for the high school season, we’re really excited for club season afterward — to be able to have him on the relays.
JE: Because you won the event last year at state, how do you approach the event this year? How do you take it to the next level?
Davis: Well this year with Casey, we should be able to break the state record. That’d be an awesome way to start the meet.
JE: How much time have you spent looking at the state records to entertain yourself and think about setting a new record?
Holt: Not all that much. I just get told what records I broke after their done. (laughs) I don’t research it.
Davis: It’s fun with relays though, being able to look at what pace everyone needs to go and needing each person to pull their weight on it as opposed to just looking at individual records.
JE: If I ask you guys right now what the Alaska state high school 200-yard medley relay record is, you guys could rattle it off?
Unknown: Bergan probably knows it right now.
Davis: It’s a 1:36.2, I believe.
JE: I’d like each of you to make a pitch about why your relay stroke is the best in the medley.
Hamiliton: I don’t have to do math on my split and it’s always just fun to lead off everything. You set a pace, and everyone else gets to follow.
Ray: Being freestyle, being the last guy, I either love it or I hate it. I think, ‘It’s all up to me,’ at the end. And usually I love it, but sometimes I don’t.
Holt: It’s just fun swimming fast butterfly. It’s fun seeing your opponent on the turn, looking (over) and just racing him the rest of the way home.
Davis: If we’re slightly down on the first 50 (yard leg), or slightly ahead, it’s fun to catch up that second leg or you can get farther ahead for Spencer’s leg going into the butterfly.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
