With a handful of schools from the Jefferson District participating in the Group AA championship at Old Dominion University over the weekend, it was the Western Albemarle girls swim team that came away with some significant hardware. Behind a young but deep field, the Warriors one-upped their performance from last year by taking second overall as a team.
“The girls team despite, our inexperience and injuries persevered to finish one spot higher than the year before,” said Western girls coach Diana Bowen. “We had girls swim personal bests, we had records broken, and we did it all with one senior. Next year, we will have another shot at the title as we continue to build on this year’s success.”
JD swimmer of the year Natalie Cronk led the way for the girls by placing sixth in the 200 yard freestyle and 100 butterfly. She also helped the Warriors to a fourth place showing in the 200 free relay and was also a member of the 400 free relay team that came in fifth.
Seanna Acker also earned placed in the top-ten in all four of her races. The sophomore finished seventh in both the 200 individual medley and 100 breastroke. Acker swum a leg on the 200 medley relay team that took sixth and was also a member of the fourth place 200 free relay squad. Emma McKinley earned an eighth place finish in the 500 free and was a member of the 200 and 400 free relay teams. Katherine Nicholson, Allie Nicholson, Mattie Webb and Elsa Strickland were also members of the three relay teams to finish sixth or better.
In the diving portion of the competition, Alex Poletti brought home a fourth place finish to follow up her first place performance at the Jefferson District championship the previous week.
The Charlottesville girls 200 medley relay team of Dania Jazoulia, Annie Foky, Charlotte Keely and Brodde Lamb came in eighth. Lamb also took third in the 200 IM and fourth in the 100 fly. Jazouli was the ninth place finisher in the 100 breastroke. As a result, Charlottesville earned a ninth place overall as a team.
Fluvanna County’s Chelsea Tomko was the third place finisher in the 50 free, while William Monroe’s Alex Cave came in seventh. Tomko also placed eighth in the 100 fly and helped the Flucos to ninth place in the 400 free relay. Fluvanna took 12th as a team.
For the boys side of the competition, Orange County sophomore Justin Barden placed second in the second in the 100 backstroke and seventh in the 200 IM and freshman teammate Alex Montes De Oca took fifth in the 100 fly. The two chipped in solid legs to for the Hornets to take sixth in the 200 free relay. The Hornets came away with ninth overall.
Jim Shelley put together a strong outing for Western with his fifth place race in 50 free and eighth place showing in the 100 fly. Shelley was also a member of two eighth place relay squads – the 200 medley and 400 free. Western placed 11th as a team was one point shy of ninth.
Monticello’s Ryan Mitchell took fifth place in the 200 free and ninth in 500 free to wrap up an impressive freshman year.
