The Panther swim team out-lasted McIntosh last Wednesday in Douglasville 314 to 251. The Starr’s Mill men won four out of 11 races, two relay and two individual events. Senior Scott Adams won the 100 backstroke with a state qualifying time of 59.58 and Sophomore Matt Boyle won the 100 butterfly in 59.33. In addition, the men won the medley and the 200 freestyle relays. Members of the relay were, Adams, Boyle, junior Austin Ellyson and senior Danny Clasen. The Freestyle Relay members were, Boyle, junior Alex Tovani, sophomore Scott Houghtaling and Clasen. Other men with a top three finish included senior Winston Fredrick, third in the 200 freestyle, Clasen, second 50 Freestyle, third in the 100 breastroke, Tovani, third in the 50 freestyle, Adams, second in the 100 freestyle, and senior Matt Lee in the 100 backstroke.

The women won an impressive nine of 11 events. The ladies swept all three relays and had several new state qualifiers. Junior Lauren Cartwright had double wins in the 200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle. Her freestyle time was a new state time of 5:21.64. Others who won individual events include freshman Lauren Scott in the 200 freestyle in a new state time of 2:04.02, sophomore Sarah Larson in the 100 freestyle in a new state time of 57.61, senior Georgia Highsmith in the 100 backstroke and senior Mackenzie Garrot in the 100 breastroke 1:14.36 a new state time. In addition, others who finished in the top three are freshman Katie Haycraft, second in the 200 and 500 freestyle, 2:04.20 and 5:39.63 respectively, freshman Bailey Cartwright, second in the 50 freestyle and third in the 100 butterfly 26.38 and 103.59 (all these are new state times), Scott, second in the 100 butterfly (already state qualifier), Kristen Schrode, second in the 100 backstroke, sophomore Kelly Adams, third in the 100 backstroke, junior Bailey Garrot, third in the 100 freestyle, and freshman Rebecca Goodman, third in the 100 breastroke.

The relay members were: 200 Medley - Bailey and Lauren Cartwright, Lauren Scott, and Larson, The 200 freestyle relay consisted of Cartwright, Cartwright, Larson, and Haycraft, and the 400 freestyle relay was Haycraft, Mackenzie Garrot, Scott and junior Kristen Schroder.

Starr’s Mill now has six girls qualified in 17 events all have more than one individual events) all three relays and the men have one man qualified in two events and two relays.

Chiefs senior Thomas Lucak again led the men’s team, which placed first, with two individual first place finishes and a first and a second place finish in relays. Lucak’s individual victories were in 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. McIntosh swept the men’s 200 individual medley, with senior Bryan Mitchell first, followed by freshman Adam Otaki and sophomore Kevin Dietze. First-place finishers for McIntosh also included sophomore Matt Manley, 200 freestyle; freshman Alex Harmon, 500 freestyle; and Mitchell, 100 breaststroke. Day captured second in the 100 butterfly and Otaki took third. Lee added a second in the 100 backstroke and Day also finished second in the 100 breaststroke.

The McIntosh men also took first in the 400-freestyle relay (Lucak, Mitchell, Harmon and freshman Josh Day) and second in the 200-medley relay (Lucak, Mitchell, Day and senior Matt Lee).

Best finishers for McIntosh women were junior Nicole Roddenberry with a first in the 50 freestyle and second in the 200 individual medley, and sophomore Keaton Hannon with a first in the 100 butterfly. Junior Rose Tortora took third in the 500 freestyle and third in the 200 freestyle. Their best finish in relays was second in the 400 free relay (Roddenberry, Hannon, Tortora and senior Bailey Abercrombie).

Sandy Creek’s boys and girls swim team combined for a win over Creekside, Jonesboro and Our Lady of Mercy. The boys placed second overall and the girls finished first overall. Zach Payne finished first in both the 100 butterfly and the 200 individual medley.

Whitewater’s swim team did well at the Clark-Oconee Swimming-Diving Invitational, placing 18th overall. The boys, who placed eighth overall, had two relay teams qualifying for the state meet in both the 200 medley and the 200 freestyle relay. The relay teams consist of Kyle Friez, David Menchinger, Peter Menke and Jared Toro. Chad Lawrence, Matt Rose and Dustin Brown all posted best times in their events. Menchinger placed first in the 100 backstroke and second in the 200 individual medley. Toro also placed ninth in the 100 freestyle and Menke placed 10th in the 100 breaststroke.

Coach Elizabeth Loewecke stated that the girls also had a strong showing with Catherine Clark, Catherine Groover, Allison Moore, Tanya Feilke and Grace Abshire all turning in great times.

Northgate’s boys placed 16th and the girls placed 17th, while the East Coweta boys placed 17th and the girls placed 23rd. The Northgate boys and girls combined for a 19th place finish, while East Coweta placed 22nd, Landmark Christian placed 24th and Fayette County placed 26th overall at the meet.

Swimmers who placed in the top 10 for those schools were Northgate sophomore Casey Deridder, fifth in the 100 backstroke, Northgate senior Ashley Prokopiak, tenth in the 200 freestyle, junior Sam Kang, sixth in the 50 freestyle, Landmark freshman Lauren McGuire, fifth in the 50 freestyle and ninth in the 100 freestyle and Fayette County’s Katelyn Davis, fourth in 100 butterfly and seventh in the 100 breaststroke. East Coweta’s 200 freestyle relay team of Jamie Wright, Andrew Pepper, Jason Weeks and Robert Angsten placed ninth, while Northgate’s team of Dan LeDee, Jamie Harkins, Zach Woods and Kang placed 10th.

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