The Steve Lundquist Aquatics Center in Clayton County was the setting for the first Wildcat “BIG SPLASH” Invitational swim meet on Saturday, Dec. 2. Whitewater High School’s swim team hosted the meet featuring nine teams traveling from as far away as Columbia county. Jonesboro High School, Starr’s Mill, McIntosh, Sandy Creek, Fayette County, Lakeside, Blessed Trinity , and Evans High School competed fiercely in this beautiful new Clayton County facility for the top three places to earn trophies to add to the school case.

The Lakeside High School men claimed first, Starr’s Mill placed second and Whitewater took third.

Strong performances were made across the board by area teams. State qualifiers were the Starr’s Mill’s 200 medley and free relay teams, Jonesboro in both the 200 and 400 free relays and McIntosh qualified in the 200 medley relay. Whitewater qualified in two relays, the 200 medley (senior David Menchinger, junior Jeremy Wingate, and seniors Jared Toro and Daniel Harlow) and the 400 free relay (Toro, sophomore Brandon Mason, Harlow and Menchinger).

Starr’s Mill was led by a pair of freshman. David Wright was second in the 100 free and Chris Hall took second in the 200 free. Wright and hall were a part of the 200 free relay team with senior Alex Tovani and freshman Eric Presley. The 200 medley team is made up of Wright, Tovani, Presley and junior Matt Boyle. Also scoring points for Starr’s Mill were seniors Nathan Raymond and Alex Rithchie, freshmen Ryan Haycraft and Eric Schroder, and junior Scott Houghtaling.

Area men qualifying for the state meet in individual events include Sandy Creek junior Zach Payne, McIntosh freshman Alex Harmon and sophomore Adam Otaki and Whitewater’s Menchinger in the 500 free and the 100 back. Point earners for the Wildcats include Peter Menke, the above relay swimmers as well as Chad Lawrence, Kelly Menchinger, Zach Talley, and Jaron Beckwith.

On the ladies’ side, Starr’s Mill walked away with first place, Lakeside placed second and McIntosh took home third place. The Lady Panthers were led by double wins by sophomore Katie Haycraft (200 and 500 freestyle), and individual wins by senior Lauren Cartwright (200 individual medley), and junior Sarah Larson (50 free).

In addition the Lady panthers won two out of three relays, the 200 medley with Lauren Cartwright, sophomores Bailey Cartwright and Lauren Scott and Haycraft, and the 400 free relay of Scott, Haycraft, Cartwright and freshman Kristen Bates. Other top five finishes for Starr’s Mill were Bates, second in the 100 free, Bailey Cartwright, second in the 50 free, junior Megan Copeland, fifth in the 500 free, Rebecca Goodman, third in the 100 breastroke, Sarah Larson, fourth in the 100 free and Scott second in the 200 free and third in the 100 backstroke.

Other Lady Panthers scoring points were sophomore Lauren Beatty and seniors Kristen Schroder and Hanna Tompkins.

All three relay teams for the Lady Panthers qualified for State. McIntosh qualified in the 200 medley. Area State qualifiers in individual events include Starr’s Mill’s Lauren Cartwright, Lauren Scott, Katie Haycraft, Sarah Larson and Kristen Bates. Nicole Roddenberry qualified in both her individual events for the Lady Chiefs.
The Whitewater Lady Wildcats swam to a sixth place finish with the help of points earned by senior Catherine Groover, junior Cassandra Heimann, sophomores Catherine Clark, Morgan Seckinger, Grace Abshire, Allison Moore and Tanya Feilke, senior Jena Adams, junior Megan Bidelman and freshman Danielle Greico.

“The meet went as smooth as clockwork. We enjoyed this beautiful facility and volunteers from every school helped make the Wildcat Big Splash Invitational an enjoyable meet for spectators, swimmers and coaches.” Wildcat head coach Elizabeth Loewecke said. “Teams are telling me they are looking forward to coming back next year.”

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