MORGANTOWN — Even late in the season, the University High swim team continues to improve.
The Hawks took the Region 1 Championship meet by storm, with the girls’ taking third as a team and the boys’ taking fourth. The Hawks qualified nine swimmers for the state swim meet, set for Feb 14-15 at the WVU Natatorium, in individual events, as well as four relays. More impressive, many of them did it faster than they have all year.
“We had a lot of relays and athletes either maintain or drop time today,” UHS coach Joanna White said.
“Every swimmer went out there and gave everything they had today and I know this is what they’ve been working towards all season.”
The Hawks faced the same wintry weather challenges as Morgantown leading up to the meet, and White said she was happy with the team’s response.
“I was really impressed with how the team rallied against such an obstacle, came together, and supported each other.”
Morgantown
MHS will send a large group to the state swim meet, but Mother Nature almost dashed its dreams before it could get started.
When the weather took a turn for the worse last week, it sidelined the Mohigans leading up to Region 1 Championship Meet. In spite of the conditions, they turned out a strong performance, with the boys’ nabbing sixth overall and the girls’ nabbing fifth. In total, eight swimmers advanced to states in individual events, as well as four relays.
“I feel the team did very well today, especially considering the weather we’ve had to face. [Three days prior] our swimmers didn’t have a chance to get in the water,” MHS coach Lisa Henline said.
“We’re in a tough region — several of my swimmers were taking 6-10 seconds off their time today, giving it all they had. With the obstacles we’ve had to face, I’m very happy with how we performed.”
Henline found herself impressed by the discipline and grit displayed by her team at her first regional meet as the Mohigans’ coach.
“In the past, disqualifications have been an issue at regionals. We didn’t face any today. We had good starts and finishes and the kids were super competitive,” she said.
“They all dug deep for the lack of being able to get in the water. I had seniors who maybe didn’t qualify for states, but they shaved ten seconds off their personal record. They know they might not be going to states, but they didn’t give up in their last competition.”
Boys state qualifiers
50 FREE: MHS – Carson Gresak; UHS – Nathan Mizener
100 FREE: MHS – Carson Gresak
500 FREE: MHS – Preston Householder; UHS – Frankie McCutchan, Daniel Phillips
100 BACK: MHS – Spencer Redelman
100 BREAST: MHS – Gavin Fragale
200 IM: MHS – Preston Householder; UHS – Frankie McCutchan
200 FREE RELAY: MHS
200 MEDLEY RELAY: MHS, UHS
400 FREE RELAY: UHS
Girls state qualifiers
50 FREE: MHS – Kate Blosser, Irina Stanescu; UHS – Jacqueline McCutchan
200 FREE: MHS – Rainey Block; UHS – Mia Rice
500 FREE: MHS – McKenna Moore; UHS – Elizabeth Warner
100 BACK: UHS – Victoria Maumbe
100 BREAST: UHS – Mia Rice
100 FLY: MHS – Rainey Block, Kate Blosser, McKenna Moore; UHS – Emma Kitzmiller, Jacqueline McCutchan
200 IM: MHS – Irina Stanescu; UHS – Emma Kitzmiller
200 FREE RELAY: MHS
200 MEDLEY RELAY: MHS, UHS
400 FREE MEDLEY: UHS
