Both the Starr’s Mill men’s and women’s swim teams placed first at the Carrollton Holiday Invitational held last weekend at the Carrollton Natatorium.

The Panthers finished first out of 13 teams with new state cuts and many best times of the season. Adding state cuts for the Panthers were junior Katie Haycraft in both the 100 Freestyle (58:06) and the 100 Backstroke (107.30), junior Brett Matthews in the 100 Breastroke (107.33) and sophomore David Wright in the 100 free (50.73). With those additions, Starr’s Mill has qualified six relays and ten individual events for the state meet in February.

Placing in the top three for the ladies were junior Lauren Scott, who won the 100 butterfly and placed second in the 100 free, sophomore Kristen Bates, who took first in the 100 breast, Katie Haycraft 3rd in the 100 free and 3 in the 100 back, senior Megan Copeland (2nd 500 free) and Alex Curtis (3rd in the 500 free). In addition, the ladies won two out of the three relays, going one and two in both the 200 free relay and the 400 free relay. The members of the first place relays were Haycraft, Bailey Cartwright (JR), Rebecca Goodman (JR), and Bates, in the 200 free relay and Haycraft, Goodman, Cartwright, and Scott in the 400 free relay. Members of the relays placing 2nd wer: Curtis, Kierstan Mossburg (SO), Copeland, and Scott for the 200 free relay and Curtis, Copeland, Mossburg, and Bates in the 400 free relay.

For the men, Senior Matt Boyle finished 1st in the 100 fly and 4th in the 100 back, David Wright touched first in the 100 free and 3rd in the 500 free, and Brett Matthews took home first in the 100 breast. The men’s relay also brought home two first place finishes in relays, the 200 free relay it was Eric Presley (SO), Matthews, Chris Hall (SO), and Wright, and in the 400 free relay it was Ryan Haycraft (SO), Hall, Presley, and Wright that brought home the first place finish. The men also placed another relay in the top three, the 200 free relay the team of Haycraft, Scott Houghtaling (SR), and Eric Schroder (SO), and Boyle finished third.

Swimmers with best times for the season were in the 100 free: Wright, Hall, Matthews, Mark Buck (FR), Jonathon Trebble-Greening (JR), Paul Basilone (FR), Taylor Lego (JR), Audrey Safrit (FR), and Katie DellDonne (SO). In the 100, fly Scott, and Mossburg, 100 back Copeland and the 100 breast, Matthew, Schroder and DellDonne. Starr’s Mill will be back in action this Thursday when it travels to Fort Valley.

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