.jpg)
Swimmers Start Strong At Waynesboro, Christiansburg Meets
Parry McCluer High School senior Olive King swam state-qualifying times in three events in her first two meets, while Rockbridge County High School junior Keagan Black qualified by time in the boys’ 100-yard backstroke to lead the Wildcats’ boys swimming team last Wednesday in Waynesboro.
King, a regional champion and state placer in the girls’ 50-yard and 500-yard freestyle races last winter, qualified for the Class 1 and 2 state meet in the girls’ 200-yard freestyle last Wednesday at the Waynesboro YMCA, winning the race in 2:06.67. She also won the girls’ 100-yard breaststroke in 1:22.13. On Saturday, competing at the Southwest Virginia High School Invitational at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center, King qualified for the state meet in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke. She placed ninth in both races, finishing the freestyle race in 27.09 seconds and completing the backstroke race in 1:06.28.
Black, who holds the school record in the 100-yard backstroke, won the race at Waynesboro in 57.36 seconds to qualify by time for the Class 3 state meet. He also stepped up in the 200yard freestyle, placing fifth in 1:55.49.
There were four boys’ teams at the Waynesboro meet. In boys’ duals, the Wildcats defeated Wilson Memorial 80-41. RC didn’t do as well against Valley District rivals, falling to Waynesboro 83-64 and to Rocktown 80-65.
The RC girls defeated Rocktown 53-24 but lost to WM 77-40 and fell to Waynesboro 71-50. King was the lone swimmer for the Blues, but she was credited with 12 team points.
“The meet on Wednesday was a great showing,” said RC and PM head coach Erica Bisaillon. “Many new swimmers had great swims.”
One of those swimmers was freshman Ru Bucy, who placed second in the boys’ 500-yard freestyle in 6:08.36.
The RC boys won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:47.58. Team members were Black, junior River Jenkins and freshmen Ben Gresham and Leif Guse.
In the other two relays, the RC boys placed third. They finished the 200-- yard medley relay in 1:56.13 with team members Black, Gresham, Guse and Bucy. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Bucy teamed up with Black, senior Roman Stanley and freshman Emil Hierman to finish in 4:27.12.
For the RC girls, senior Rio Bucy won the 500-yard freestyle in 6:21.23, while junior teammate Lexi Walter placed third in 7:28.5.
In the 100-yard backstroke, junior Alice Gresham placed second in 1:36.03.
The RC girls placed second in the 200-yard freestyle relay in 2:10.55. Team members were Walters, Gresham, Rio Bucy and sophomore Camille Fuentes.
RC Boys Fifth Of 23
The RC boys placed fifth of 23 teams at the Southwest Virginia High School Invitational on Saturday at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center, while the RC girls had strong individual finishes and relays.
Science Hill won the invitational with 431 points, while Patrick Henry (240) placed second, and RC’s Valley District rival Turner Ashby (212) finished third. Rounding out the top five were Christiansburg (146) and RC (139), just ahead of Carroll County (137) and district rival Spotswood (119).
Senior Spencer Pfaff won both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle races in state-qualifying times. He finished the shorter race in 20.98 seconds and completed the longer race in 48.18 seconds.
Black won the 100-yard backstroke in 55.13 seconds and placed fifth in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:55.49.
The RC boys placed second in the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:38.01, only trailing TA (1:37.68). Team members were Pfaff, Black, Ben Gresham and Ru Bucy.
In the boys’ 400-yard freestyle relay, the Wildcats placed sixth in 3:55.49 with team members Black, Hierman, Stanley and Pfaff.
Two RC boys performed well in the 100-yard breaststroke. Freshman Jacob Barney placed 14th in 1:19.25, and Greshahm finished 15th in 1:19.34.
In the girls’ standings, King scored 18 points to place 18th of 25 teams. Science Hill won the meet with 358 points, Blacksburg (342) placed second, and Cave Spring (266) finished third. Rounding out the top five were Hidden Valley (188) and William Byrd (151). RC didn’t have a team score.
Leading the RC girls was Rio Bucy, placing 21st in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:21.01 and finishing 22nd in the 50-yard freestyle in 28.9 seconds.
In the 400-yard freestyle relay, the RC girls placed 17th in 5:04.35. Team members were freshman Carson Slaydon, Fuentes, Gresham and Bucy.
The RC girls placed 20th in the 200-yard freestyle relay in 2:07.48 with team members Walters, Fuentes, Gresham and Bucy.
“I’m really proud of all the kids,” said Bisaillon. The Wildcats and King will hold their first home meet of the season when they face RC’s Valley District rival Broadway on Friday at 6 p.m. at the Rockbridge Aquatics Center in Lexington.
