Junior swimmers Hornikel, Kluttz out-touch pool foes for top honors

Stratford swimmer Bjoern Hornikel admits it's hard following in his brother's wake.

Older brother Armin won state championships last fall in the 100-yard freestyle and the 100 breaststroke, in which he set a state record.

"I was hoping I would win like Armin, but I did not quite achieve that," the younger Hornikel said. "I definitely want to win next year and perhaps set a state record."

Hornikel, a junior, didn't win a state championship like his brother, but he was the only male swimmer in the Lowcountry to medal at the High School League's Class AAAA state meet, capturing silver in the 50 and 100 freestyles.

No gold, but he does follow his brother as The Post and Courier's male high school swimmer of the year. He edged out Wando's Jonathan Lierley and Stewart Gress for the top honor.

James Island's Samantha Kluttz is the female high school swimmer of the year. The competition for the top honor was close among the girls, too, as Kluttz edged out Wando's Danielle Morrin and First Baptist's Lindsay Moore.

A.J. Parks, who coaches both the Academic Magnet boys and girlsteams, is the coach of the year. The Raptors girls and boys both finished in fifth place in the Class AAA-AA-A state meet.

Joining Hornikel on the boys team are brothers Jonathan and Zach Lierley, and Gress, all from Wando, and Ian Martinez from Goose Creek.

Joining Kluttz on the girls team are Morrin, Moore, Brianne Jones of Summerville, Elizabeth Brown of Academic Magnet and Melanie McDonough of Bishop England.

The German-born Hornikel practiced with his older brother, who now swims at South Carolina. He listened to his advice.

"He always tells me to work hard and not to give up," Hornikel said.

Hornikel, who placed at the state meet as a sophomore, will try to grab that elusive gold next year. He has ambitions to swim at the college level and is interested in Georgia, Auburn and USC.

Kluttz is a junior and successfully defended her state title in the 200 free, posting a winning time of 1:56.44. She placed second in the 500 free.

"There was a lot more pressure on me because I won last year," Kluttz said. "But the pressure helps because I know these people are all supportive of me, and they are proud of me. Next year, I would like to set a state record, but that means swimming extremely, extremely fast. That would mean working extra hard. I also would like to win more than one event."

She says her dream is to swim for LSU.

POST AND COURIER ALL-LOWCOUNTRY SWIM TEAM

SAMANTHA KLUTTZ

Junior

James Island

200 Freestyle

500 Freestyle

DANIELLE MORRIN

Sophomore

Wando

200 Individual Medley

100 Breaststroke

LINDSAY MOORE

Junior

First Baptist

100 Backstroke

ELIZABETH BROWN

Senior

Academic Magnet

100 Butterfly

MELANIE McDONOUGH

Sophomore

Bishop England

50 Freestyle

BRIANNE JONES

Sophomore

Summerville

100 Freestyle

BJOERN HORNIKEL

Junior

Stratford

50 Freestyle

100 Freestyle

STEWART GRESS

Junior

Wando

200 Freestyle

100 Backstroke

JONATHAN LIERLEY

Sophomore

Wando

100 Butterfly

500 Freestyle

IAN MARTINEZ

Senior

Goose Creek

100 Breaststroke

ZACH LIERLEY

8th Grade

Wando

200 Individual Medley

HONORABLE MENTION SWIM TEAM

GIRLS

Jessie Bridgham — Acad. Magnet

Christina Brown — Acad. Magnet

Rhiannon Gluhosky — Summerville

Gracie Herlong — Bishop England

Caty Hueske — James Is. Christian

Hanna Humphreys — Bish. England

Katie Iannace — Pinewood Prep

Meredith Lackey — First Baptist

Chase Muller — Wando

Chelsea Roberts — West Ashley

Jenna Rogalski — Wando

Summer Santos — Acad. Magnet

Emily Stein — Bishop England

BOYS

Elijah Bohon — Ashley Ridge

Phil Carey — Wando

Ben Detar — Bishop England

Conner Hickenbottom — Wando

Vincent Leonguerrero — Ft. Dorch.

Daniel Lowry — Wando

Michael Massey — Summerville

Eddie Mason — Academic Magnet

Chris Santos — Academic Magnet

Lydon Schultz — Bishop England

Haldeman Shelbourne — Summerville

Andrew Watson — First Baptist

Will Wright — Wando

Reach Philip M. Bowman at pbowman@postandcourier.com or 937-5592.

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