JDHS looks to bring home state swim, dive titles from Anchorage
- Mark Sabbatini
- Nov 5, 2025
- 13 min read
20 Crimson Bears swimmers and five divers to compete in pool at Bartlett High School
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
There is strength in numbers, but quality can surpass quantity. Those two proverbs seem to both reflect the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé swim and dive team.
The Crimson Bears are traveling to Friday and Saturday's state championships at Anchorage’s Bartlett High School pool, with one of the highest participant counts of teams attending. Their contingent includes junior defending state champion Amy Liddle and junior Kennedy Miller, who was a part of the 2024 state-winning girls' 200 medley relay, as well as Valerie Peimann, a senior and top state-ranked breaststroke swimmer, and Liam Kiessling, a sophomore and top state-ranked backstroke swimmer.
“I got the privilege to be a team captain this year,” Miller said. “So for me I am really excited to see everyone swim and be a leader for them. It has been great getting to know our new swimmers and getting closer with our past swimmers, and I'm excited because I know we're all working hard and I know it's going to be a great meet for everyone.”
Miller qualified this season swimming the breaststroke as a member of the state-leading 200-yard medley relay along with Peimann (back), Liddle (fly) and junior Lily Francis (free) with the state’s fastest time of 1:50.89. She will also swim the 100 fly and 100 breast and is an alternate on the state third-ranked 400 free relay (Liddle, Francis, senior Deedee Mills and Peimann).
“I am really excited just because it makes it feel a lot more serious when we are at the Bartlett Pool,” Miller said. “I have been swimming in big meets there my whole life, so it is like you have got to work hard at this pool. To approach state I try my best to just take deep breaths, like stay calm, because sometimes I have trouble with getting a little too nervous for my races.”
JDHS will travel with 20 swimmers and five divers, along with powerhouse teams such as Dimond with 21 athletes, and Eagle River and Colony with 19 apiece. Other schools such as Ketchikan and Sitka have smaller strength components, but can upset rankings.
“Swimming is a long-term sport and it is hard,” senior captain Clive Mateo said. He originally swam for the Ketchikan Killer Whales club team before moving to Juneau. “To be able to go to state as a high scorer is a huge honor and a huge opportunity to really showcase your previous skill over the entire course of those years you've been swimming. You can be happy looking back on your past and saying, we did it and it was great and you're here now to do it again. Since I'm graduating now this is kind of like an end to a lot of things.”
Mateo has qualified in the 100 back and is an alternate on the boys' 400 free relay. He last was at the state Bartlett Pool as a Thunder Mountain High School freshman on a relay team with standouts PJ Foy, Matthew Godkin and Sven Rasmussen.
“I was the only freshman Filipino boy on that team so it was kind of funny,” Mateo said. “I was completely nervous, shell-shocked, it was my first time…I had a frantic swim and kind of bombed our relay because we got eighth even with our amazing lineup…But they were so nice. I learned a lot from them. From Sven, I learned about hard work and not giving up despite your physical attributes. It was amazing to see him train…Matthew welcomed me with open arms and helped me through the past three years of swimming and diving, and he was one of my biggest supporters…And PJ was like an older brother or cousin, he would show you the reality of stuff. He was a great person to swim with and an inspiring athlete.”
Other qualifying JDHS seniors include Mills (100Free, 200FreeRelay, 100Back, 400FR), Peimann (200MR, 100Free, 100Breast, 400FR), Vincent Hayes (500Free, 400FR-alternate) and Taylor Mesdag (dive).
“I am approaching it with the idea that I want to have fun,” Mesdag said. “It is my last year with people I have spent most of my high school experience with. I’m going to have fun, do my best. Hopefully I am going to final, that’s my goal. It is going to be a good time to hang out with them for the last time.”
Mesdag said of her dives, “I like my inwards and I am excited to complete my inwards at state because I tend to score well on them. And I think I am doing a front double again, even though I don’t like that dive, but it’s my last time at state so I can throw whatever I want to.”
JDHS junior Kaelyn Szefler qualified in the 100 free and 100 back and is an alternate on the 200 and 400 free relays. She swam in Anchorage early in her career and competed for Dimond as a freshman. She moved to Juneau last year.
“I definitely went and swam and had meets at Bartlett,” Szefler said. “I think I am most excited just to be able to swim with everybody and just be able to compete and just be there for the experience and just have a fun time with my teammates. And I have been talking with a few of my old teammates and asking them if they are swimming, so I am really excited to see them again too. State is definitely a high competition. It is a lot of stress sometimes because of who you are competing with and you are just trying to get good times. But I definitely think it is a good experience to have because it gets you out there.”
Region V dive champion Moira Bahn, ranked sixth in the state, said, “I just want to have fun and my goal is to make it to finals, but I’m going to be happy if that doesn’t happen, too. I like going up to Anchorage and seeing all the teams from up there that you don’t see during the conference meets down here, so that is exciting.”
The dive competition is also scored as an individual event.
“I have competed at Bartlett in both swimming and diving,” JDHS junior Adeline Williams said. “I’m excited to go up there. I love the environment and the atmosphere, it is so fun to see all the teams come together and really put their best forward. I think it is super cool we have individual qualifiers in every event for boys and girls, which is a really big thing, and both our boys and girls teams took first at regions, which is super cool to see. I’m just excited to go up and have fun, show off what we have been working on all season, especially since I missed some of the smaller meets. It is cool to go to some of the bigger ones. I think those are more enjoyable.”
Other qualifying JDHS juniors are Liddle (200MR, 200IM, 100Fly, 400FR), Avery Smith (200MR-alt., 200IM, 100Fly, 200FR-alt.), Bailey Fisher (50Free, 200FR, 400FR-alt.), Gabriel Aldrich (200MR-alt., 100Fly), Kaden Aldrich (200MR, 100Free, 400FR), Joshua Edwards (200MR, 200IM, 100Breast, 400FR), Lily Francis (200MR, 50Free, 100Free, 400FR), Maddox Rasmussen (200Free, 500Free, 200FR-alt.), Riley Soboleff (200IM, 100Breast), Alexander Davis (dive) and Easton Berger (dive).
“For me high school swimming is all about spending time with my team,” Rasmussen said. “And having fun. I think regions was good for most people, a lot are striving to do better at state, but I think that state is just having fun with the team while doing that. Seeing what we can do, trying our best. The Bartlett pool is an interesting pool. I much prefer my home pool, but it is 50 meters so it is nice to have a large, cool-down pool and it definitely does get us into that race mentality.”
Said Berger, “I am really preparing to throw my back double. That is one of the dives I have struggled on a little bit. I haven’t been able to get it completely the way I wanted to. I either over-rotate or just don’t quite land it. And I’ll be working on the inward one and a half. Just making the entry look a lot better…I will definitely learn from all the other divers that will be there too.”
Also state-bound are sophomore Kiessling (200MR, 200IM, 100Back, 400FR) and freshmen Annabelle Woodruff (200MR-alt., 200Free, 100Fly, 200FR), Cora Soboleff (200MR-alt., 200Free, 500Free), Katylina “Katya” Foy (200MR-alt., 50Free, 200FR, 100Back) and Levi Phelps (200MR, 200Free, 100Fly, 400FR).
“Friday is prelims, and ninth to 16th place don’t score,” JDHS coach Carole Triem said. “But if they make it to finals then it counts for scoring.”
It is a simple fact. The season has come down to two races. The preliminary qualifying swims on Friday and the championship finals on Saturday. The top eight placings in each event are scored on Saturday. Individual events score 9, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1.
Relays are a key component of state scoring as they are worth double the points.
The JDHS boys' medley relay (Kiessling, Edwards, Phelps, K. Aldrich) tied a Ketchikan pool record with their 1:39.16 region title swim, a time that has them seeded first across the state.
“All of our relay teams are on fire,” Triem said. “Relays tend to get really great swims out of people because being on a team gives extra motivation and the crowds get really loud. I am so stoked about our relays.”
Sitka coach Robby Jarvill and the Wolves boys cut one individual swim from their fastest athletes and stacked their three relay times, a move that helped them score high at regions and could help them challenge for a state title.
“I look at where the state competition is and where those boys would be if they did a second individual event,” Jarvill said of his strategy. “Would they score points or if they were in a third relay, would they get double points? Like third place is 12 points.”
At state there is no margin for error in individual events. A swimmer seeded second or third in a field of the 16 fastest in Alaska can go down to 12th place in a blink of an eye and not make finals. A strong region relay has already advanced to the state finals and is guaranteed points.
Ketchikan followed a similar tactic but a disqualification knocked one boys' relay team out of the championships. Kayhi is ranked first in the boys' 400 free relay, Sitka second and JDHS third. Sitka is ranked second in the 200 free relay and third in the medley.
“It is just a numbers game,” Jarvill said. “A chess match. The athletes really have to buy into it. It is taking away from their personal achievements and putting the emphasis on what the team can do. You are asking a 16-year-old to not do a second individual event and do three relays. If they don’t buy into it, it doesn’t work. That is the big part of it. We started talking about it five weeks ago and they decided that is how they wanted to do it.”
Another key element is rest and nutrition. JDHS will stay in a hotel, as they did at regions.
“This lets them get better rest than they do when we sleep in the schools during the regular season,” Triem said. “We’ll fly up Thursday morning and have time to get a shake-out swim in. All of the kids on the team have competed at the pool, but it is another chance for them to familiarize themselves with a different facility…just to keep a feel for the water…maybe do some shopping in the big city.”
Triem said the team will have a light dinner of carbohydrates and protein on Thursday and Friday evening, but nothing new or unusual that will cause stomach trouble. A "leisurely" breakfast will start the swim mornings. Water is important, but sports drinks suffice.
“Savona (assistant dive coach Kiessling) always brings a giant box of fruit snacks,” Triem said. “And light snacks like granola bars are good.”
The pool environment is humid.
“Nutrition varies person to person,” Mesdag said. “I never eat anything too heavy. We energize with stuff that is going to make you feel good but not to full…caffeinate, caffeinate, caffeinate…I think nutrition is a little more important for swimming than diving during meets…hydration is the big thing.”
Hypotetically, if the 2025 state top eight qualifying rankings were scored today, the Eagle River girls would win the title with 141 points, JDHS 113, Dimond 56, West Valley 37, Service 32, South Anchorage 24, Kenai 23, Palmer 23, Petersburg 19, Colony 19, West Anchorage 17, Sitka 10, Kodiak 8, Monroe 3 and East Anchorage 2.
Hypothetically the Ketchikan boys would win with 83 points, JDHS 66, Dimond 66, Sitka 61, Colony 59, Eagle River 53, Chugiak 44, West Valley 30, Kodiak 21, Service 18, Petersburg 14, South Anchorage 13, Kenai 11, Soldotna 6, Wasilla 6 and Monroe 4.
In reality however, teams have a training strategy where swimmers gradually reduce their training volume while maintaining or increasing intensity to prepare for peak performance… tapering. And teams differ in how they approach it.
“We definitely hope for some time drops from regions,” coach Triem said. “Some of the kids didn’t really taper for regions so we are hoping they will be quite a bit faster this weekend… We swim fewer yards and the focus shifts to shorter and faster swims, with more rest in between. So the intensity is staying high with the speed, but there is a lot more rest. We are doing about 40-50% of the yardage we were doing during the regular season.”
Eagle River earned the girls state title last year with four individual events won and two relays, JDHS placed second with one individual and one relay winning. The Crimson Bears have top rankings in the medley relay and 100 breast (Peimann) this state meet, while Eagle River returns senior state champ Reese Woodward in two events, junior state champ Lelania Trembath in another and sophomore state champ Keira Gust in a fourth. They are also ranked first in two relays. Petersburg returns sophomore state champ Lexie Tow.
Colony won the boys' title last year with one individual (Isaiah Hulien) and one relay winner over Eagle River’s two relay, two individual wins and Service High School's four individual wins. Hulien, a senior, returns, as does Chugiak defending senior state champion Blake Fazio, who is ranked first in two events. JDHS is ranked first in the 100 back (Kiessling) and the medley relay.
2025 Girls Top State Swim/Dive Qualifying Times and SE Qualifiers:
200 Medley Relay — 1) Juneau-Douglas - V. Peimann, K. Miller, A. Liddle, L. Francis 1:50.89; 6) Petersburg - B. Miller, L. Tow, B. Whitethorn, O. Hinde 1:57.70.
200 Free — 1) Lelaina Trembath (Eagle River) 1:55.22; 5) Cora Soboleff (JD) 2:02.22; 10) Annabelle Woodruff (JD) 2:05.37; 14) Maddox Rasmussen (JD) 2:06.20; 15) Mia Turner (Sitka) 2:06.67; Alt. — Bella Miller (Petersburg) 2:08.85 (Alt).
200 IM — 1) Reese Woodward (Eagle River) 2:05.96; 3) Amy Liddle (JD) 2:13.91; 6) Avery Smith (JD) 2:20.20; 12) Josephine Jackson (Kayhi) 2:28.87; 16) Riley Soboleff (JD) 2:33.33.
50 Free — 1) Charlotte Griffith (South) 24.76; 3) Lily Francis (JD) 24.91; 5) Bailey Fisher (JD) 25.22; 6) Lexie Tow (Petersburg) 25.27; 11) Brooklyn Whitethorn (Petersburg) 25.81; 14) Katya Foy (JD) 26.05.
1-meter diving — 1) Claire Wallstrum (Colony) 462.55; 6) Moira Bahn (JD) 315.10; 9) Taylor Mesdag (JD) 272.30; 12) Ellie Johnson (Kayhi) 238.45; 13) Lina Merrill (Kayhi) 231.15; 14) Adeline Williams (JD) 229.00.
100 Butterfly — 1) Reese Woodward (Eagle River) 55.66; 2) Amy Liddle (JD) 57.82; 5) Taryn Fleming (Sitka) 59.45; 7) Annabelle Woodruff (JD) 1:00.98; 8) Kennedy Miller (JD) 1:02.12; 9) Avery Smith (JD) 1:02.20.
100 Free — 1) Sophia Trembath (Eagle River) 53.33; 2) Valerie Peimann (JD) 53.90; 3) Lily Francis (JD) 55.04; 6) Deedee Mills (JD) 55.68; 9) Brooklyn Whitethorn (Petersburg) 56.21; 11) Kaelyn Szefler (JD) 56.85.
500 Free — 1) Lelaina Trembath (Eagle River) 5:09.51; 4) Cora Soboleff (JD) 5:27.75; 5) Bella Miller (Petersburg) 5:33.52; 10) Maddox Rasmussen (JD) 5:42.65; 13) Mia Turner (Sitka) 5:45.47.
200 Free Relay — 1) Eagle River 1:38.94; 4) Juneau-Douglas - D. Mills, B. Fisher, K. Foy, A. Woodruff 1:44.13; Alt. — Petersburg - L. Tow, B. Miller, O. Hinde, B. Whitethorn 1:47.42.
100 Backstroke — 1) Keira Gust (Eagle River) 58.29; 3) Taryn Fleming (Sitka) 59.73; 6) Deedee Mills (JD) 1:01.46; 8) Katya Foy (JD) 1:04.23; 15) Kaelyn Szefler (JD) 1:06.16.
100 Breaststroke — 1) Valerie Peimann (JD) 1:06.83; 3) Lexie Tow (Petersburg) 1:07.80; 6) Kennedy Miller (JD) 1:10.42; 9) Evi Rice (Sitka) 1:12.40; 13) Riley Soboleff (JD) 1:14.17.
400 Free Relay — 1) Eagle River 3:40.70; 3) Juneau-Douglas - A. Liddle, L. Francis, D. Mills, V. Peimann 3:50.75.
2025 Boys Top State Swim/Dive Qualifying Times and SE Qualifiers:
200 Medley Relay — 1) Juneau-Douglas - L. Kiessling, J. Edwards, L. Phelps, K. Aldrich 1:39.16; 3) Sitka - Elliott Galanin, Zach Martens, Tommy McCarthy, Colin Colliver 1:40.90.
200 Free — 1) Blake Fazio (Chugiak) 1:44.40; 4) Logan Tow (Petersburg) 1:46.99; 5) JP Robbins (Kayhi) 1:48.97; 8) Levi Phelps (JD) 1:53.27; Alt — Phin Edwards (Sitka) 1:57.88.
200 IM — 1) Gavin Harold (Kayhi) 1:59.84; 2) Zach Martens (Sitka) 2:00.02; 4) Josh Edwards (JD) 2:03.86; 5) Liam Kiessling (JD) 2:04.47.
50 Free — 1) Clint Kopp (Dimond) 20.74; 3) Parker Hagan (Kayhi) 22.06; 6) Kaden Aldrich (JD) 22.45; Alt. — Elliott Galanin (Sitka) 23.82.
1-meter diving — 1) Reubin Williams (Service) 400.85; 2) Liam Woodward (Kayhi) 377.90; 4) Easton Berger (JD) 317.40; 7) Jett Miller (Kayhi) 228.50; 9) Alex Davis (JD) 186.40.
100 Butterfly — 1) Blake Fazio (Chugiak) 49.99; 3) Evan Dash (Kayhi) 50.80; 11) Levi Phelps (JD) 56.44; 14) Gabe Aldrich (JD) 58.56; 15) Nate Duran (Kayhi) 59.12.
100 Free — 1) Logan Tow (Petersburg) 47.69; 2) Parker Hagan (Kayhi) 48.04; 6) Kaden Aldrich (JD) 48.99; 7) Corin Colliver (Sitka) 49.60; 13) Isaiah McCoy (Craig) 51.96; 14) James Nellis (Sitka) 52.45.
500 Free — 1) Nate Shockley (Eagle River) 4:53.88; 2) Zach Martens (Sitka) 4:59.87; 4) JP Robbins (Kayhi) 5:03.84; 7) Phin Edwards (Sitka) 5:13.87; 11) Vincent Hayes (JD) 5:25.03; 12) Aiden Eldridge (Kayhi) 5:26.25; Alt. — Henry Thatcher (JD) 5:39.20.
200 Free Relay — 1) Dimond 1:29.65; 2) Sitka - T. McCarthy, E. Galanin, Z. Martens, C. Colliver 1:30.82; Alt. — Kayhi - L. Woodward, H. Eckert, M. Meredith, JP Robbins 1:35.45.
100 Backstroke — 1) Liam Kiessling (JD) 53.47; 3) Gavin Harold (Kayhi) 54.84; 16) Clive Mateo (JD) 1:03.59.
100 Breaststroke — 1) Evan Dash (Kayhi) 58.89. 3) Josh Edwards (JD) 1:03.08; 5) Max Meredith (Kayhi) 1:03.86.
400 Free Relay — 1) Kayhi - P. Hagan, G. Harold, JP Robbins, E. Dash 3:16.07; 2) Sitka - T. McCarthy, E. Galanin, Z. Martens, C. Colliver 3:17.14; 3) Juneau-Douglas - K. Aldrich, L. Phelps, L. Kiessling, J. Edwards 3:19.78.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
