MORGANTOWN — The Morgantown High swim team was represented by 11 total swimmers (eight girls and three boys) on Friday at the WVSSAC state swim meet championship round at Mylan Park.
The girls were up first and it would be a busy morning for the Mohigans as they were represented in nine out of 11 total championship races, and one consolation final (200-yard freestyle relay), making it 10 out of 11 races that included a swimmer from MHS.
To begin the day, the MHS 200-yard medley relay team, consisting of sophomore Delaney Householder, junior Caroline Riggs, and seniors Katelyn Blosser and Irina Stanescu, won the state championship, posting a time of 1:50.23. Riggs herself posted a split time of 29.76, the fastest of any swimmer in the event, which helped MHS decrease a slight deficit it was facing going into her leg (breaststroke).
“After my relay splits from prelims [Thursday], I was just looking to maintain my speed through the course of the race,” she said. “I wanted to keep my stroke count at 6-to-8 strokes per lap before heading into the 100-yard breast this morning.”
Riggs would also compete in the next event, the 200-yard freestyle, alongside her teammate, sophomore Lillian Linscheid. Caroline went on to make in 2-for-2 titles for the Mohigans, posting a time of 1:51.21 to take her first individual state title (second overall). Linscheid took fifth overall in the state as the youngest swimmer in the championship heat.
The impressive finishes continued for MHS, as Delaney Householder took second overall in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:08.23. She was followed by Stanescu, securing fourth in the 50-yard freestyle event.
In the 100-yard butterfly final, Katelyn Blosser posted a time of 1:00.10 to take home second overall. Stanescu stepped to the block again in the 100-yard freestyle, where she took third place with a time of 54.94.
The next championship race, the lengthy, 500-yard freestyle, saw three Mohigans occupy half of the lanes in the race. Householder, Blosser and Linscheid all qualified for the final heat and finished the event in a 2, 4, 6-format with Householder posting a time of 5:12.26, followed by her teammates Blosser at fourth and Linscheid at sixth overall.
Riggs would then, once again, take another championship for the Mohigans. She posted a time of 1:04.98 in the 100-yard breaststroke, nearly five seconds ahead of second place.
The final event saw MHS in the water again with its relay team of Riggs, Householder, Blosser, and Stanescu competing in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The Mohigans were able to swim their best race of the day, posting a new state-meet record time of 3:35.51 to claim their second relay title of the meet.
The girls swim team caps off a great season for MHS. Riggs and Householder were named to the all-tournament team, as well.
For the MHS boys team results were as follows:
- 100-yard butterfly: Junior Carter Redelman 5th place
- 500-yard freestyle: Senior Preston Householder 3rd place, Junior Lake Embrey 4th place
- 100-yard backstroke: Carter Redelman 3rd place
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