The Wrangell swim team continued a season of improvement last weekend, with individual swimmers posting personal-best times and steady performances at Mount Edgecumbe High School on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3-4.

Andrei Bardin-Siekawitch shaved nearly five seconds off his 100-yard backstroke, finishing in 1 minute, 9.95 seconds after a stronger start, faster turns and better endurance.

“He’s been working hard,” coach Tory Houser said. “That new personal best in the backstroke shows what he’s capable of when he stays focused.”

Arabella Nore has been remarkable for Wrangell, Houser noted, calling her consistency “incredible.” Nore has posted the same 50-yard freestyle time of 32.57 seconds in three consecutive meets, a testament to maintaining pace down to the millisecond.

Johanna Sanford also kept pace, maintaining her times while adding new events and taking on leadership roles in and out of the pool, Houser said.

“These kids have all been working so hard, and it shows,” the coach said.

“Andrei got a new personal best time in the backstroke, and Johanna and Arabella also worked really hard. They continue to make improvements.”

Looking ahead, she said the team will keep its focus on fundamentals, with a particular emphasis on kicking this week, while Houser continues to run the practices without her assistant coach Matt Nore, who has started his training at the state-run police academy in Sitka.

Wrangell is set to compete Friday and Saturday, Oct. 17-18, at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center, hosted by Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. The meet will provide a chance for swimmers to qualify for the Southeast championships in Ketchikan Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.