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RC Boys Place Third Of 13 Swim Teams
With just five boys competing, the Rockbridge County High School boys swimming team placed third of 13 teams at the Region 3C meet on Saturday at the Brooks Family YMCA in Charlottesville. Three individuals and two relay teams for RC advanced to the Class 3 state meet for the RC boys.
The RC girls concluded their season, placing 11th of 11 teams.
Both teams were competing in their first meet in a little over two weeks, following the cancellation of the Valley District meet, scheduled for Feb. 8, due to inclement weather. Swimmers advanced to the regional meet based on their best times during the season. After two postponements due to last week’s winter storm, swimmers were finally cleared to compete on Saturday afternoon.
In addition to qualifying by time, individuals advanced to the state meet by placing in the top five, and relay teams qualified by placing in the top four.
The RC boys scored 62 points, trailing only winner Western Albemarle (144) and runner-up Liberty Christian Academy (62). Rounding out the top five were RC’s Valley District rival Turner Ashby (48) and Heritage (38). Western Albemarle also won the girls’ meet, tallying 178 points, while Monticello (79) placed second, and Fluvanna County (64) finished third. Completing the top five were Valley District teams East Rockingham (51) and TA (48). RC tallied five points, finishing a spot behind 10th-place Brookville (14).
For the RC boys, junior Keagan Black won his third consecutive regional title in 100-yard backstroke in 53.8 seconds, nearly a second ahead of the runnerup, LCA’s Eli Lawrenson (54.62). Black placed second in the 100-yard butterfly in 53.75 seconds, trailing only LCA’s Brody Wall (52.66). After the meet, Black was named the Region 3C male swimmer of the year.
Also advancing for the RC boys was senior Spencer Pfaff, winning the 50-yard freestyle in 21.4 seconds, with Western Albemarle’s Richard Wang placing second in 21.72. Pfaff, the Valley District male swimmer of the year, placed second in the 100-yard freestyle in 47.69 seconds, trailing only WA’s Jack Hathaway (47.52).
RC freshman Ru Bucy advanced in the 500-yard freestyle, placing fifth in 5:38.43, and finished 11th in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:05.05.
The RC boys qualified in the 200-yard freestyle relay by placing second in 1:34, behind only WA (1:25.29). Team members were Black, Bucy, Pfaff and freshman Ben Gresham. The Wildcats also advanced in the 200yard medley relay, finishing third in 1:42.84 with team members Black, Gresham, Pfaff and freshman Jacob Barney.
Barney competed in the 100-yard breaststroke, placing ninth in 1:11.04.
Leading the RC girls was senior Rio Bucy, placing sixth in the 500-yard freestyle in 6:07.09 and finishing 13th in the 50-yard freestyle in 28.43 seconds.
Also competing for the RC girls, junior Alice Gresham finished 14th in the 100yard breaststroke in 1:25.98, while junior Lexi Walters came in 16th in the 500-yard freestyle in 7:00.98. In the 100-yard backstroke, senior Willow Moles placed 16th in 1:29.12, and freshman Liesl Niebur finished 17th in 1:30.44.
In the girls’ 400-yard freestyle relay, the Wildcats placed eighth in 4:41.21. Team members were Gresham, Walters, Rio Bucy and sophomore Camille Fuentes.
The Class 3 state meet is scheduled for Friday at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center, starting at 9 a.m. For weather-related schedule changes, visit www. thenews-gazette.com.
At last year’s state meet, the RC boys placed fourth, tying the 2004 team for the highest finish in program history. In addition to the Wildcats trying to match or improve on that finish, Pfaff will attempt to defend his state title in the 50-yard freestyle.
