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Friday, Jan. 6 – In its final home meet of the season, the Rockbridge County High School boys swimming team defeated Valley District rival Turner Ashby, while the RC girls lost to TA on Friday night at the Rockbridge Aquatics Center in Lexington. Also competing well was Parry McCluer High School’s lone swimmer, sophomore Olive King, placing second in her two races.
The RC boys, who had suffered a 78-77 loss to TA on Dec. 7 at Bridgewater College, overcame the Knights 99-63 on Friday night. TA, which had defeated the RC girls 92-49 on Dec. 7, again beat RC girls, who had several swimmers recovering from sickness, 101-54.
At Friday’s meet, the RC boys won four individual races and all three relays, while the RC girls won two individual races.
For the RC boys, junior Will Gibbs won two races, claiming the 200-yard freestyle in 2:56.16 and capturing the 100-yard butterfly in 58.91 seconds. Senior Well Pearson won the 50-yard freestyle in 25.88 seconds, and sophomore Spencer Pfaff took first in the 100-yard freestyle in 52.22.
The RC boys won the 200-yard medley relay in 1:48.08. Team members were Pearson, Gibbs, Pfaff and freshman Keagan Black. In the 200-yard freestyle relay, the RC boys took first in 1:39.71 with team members Black, Pearson, Pearson and junior Grayson Garcia. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Pfaff teamed up with Garcia and seniors Benjamin Barney and Max Johnson to win in 3:54.45.
For the RC girls, senior Ali Pfaff won the 50-yard freestyle by nearly three seconds, finishing in 24.83. Senior Sofia Vargas claimed the 500-yard freestyle in 6:24.68, winning by about 19 seconds.
For PM, King got close to state-qualifying times in both of her second-place races, finishing the 50-yard freestyle in 27.7 seconds and completing the 100-yard freestyle in 1:00.84.
Before the meet, the Wildcats honored their seven seniors: boys Barney, Johnson and Pearson and girls Pfaff, Vargas, Abby Hickman and Emma Watkins.
The Wildcats will return to action when they compete in the Ben Hair Memorial Meet on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the University of Virginia Aquatic and Fitness Center in Charlottesville.
For the full story and photos on the home meet, please see our Jan. 11 newspaper.
