MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The first day of the West Virginia state swim meet was as smooth as divers cutting the water’s surface off the launch boards, and Morgantown area girl swimmers made their splash heading into the title and consolation races.
“We’re feeling very well,” Morgantown coach J.C. Pettit said. “Our focus now is going to be on the boys this afternoon, but we got things started off fantastic. Everyone did well, they were right on their times from regionals if not better. The entire field is swimming fantastic, so it’s wonderful competition.”
Morgantown freshman Caroline Riggs was the first to get into the finals placements, taking 2nd in the 200 free in 1:58.52. She was just behind regional foe Parkersburg’s Grace Cox at 1:57.70. Riggs would find another second-place finish, hitting the back wall in the 500 free at 5:18.05. She was bested by George Washington’s Madilyn McGlothen who took 1st with a speedy 5:04.49.
McKenna Moore was the final individual title-race qualifier, picking up 5th in the 200 IM in 2:16.31 and the 100 backstroke in 1:02.94.
“We always hate having to graduate people – McKenna has been such an important piece of this team for four years and you wonder how you’re going to replace that,” Pettit said. “But there’s always someone coming in. This year, here’s Caroline Riggs coming in as an individual that, for the remainder of this meet and the following years, is going to be an important person for her own development and the overall development of the team. When you have a swimmer like [Moore and Riggs] it makes the others want to do better.”
Irina Stanescu and Katelyn Blosser will also be racing on the second day of the state meet, but not for a title in an individual competition. Stanescu’s 11th-place finish in the 50 free (26.16) will take part in the consolation race. Stanescu was just shy of placing in the title race, as the final girl to place, Huntington’s Lindsey Kelly, hit the back wall in 25.87. Blosser will race in two consolation races, the 100 butterfly and 500 free. Blosser placed 9th in the 100 fly (1:07.03) and 7th in the 500 free (5:47.07) – just 6 seconds shy of the title race.
All four will team up in hopes to clinch a title, however, as their 200 free relay team placed 2nd with a time of 1:44.16. They were 2 seconds shy of matching Buckhannon-Upshur’s team (1:42.80), and the Mohigans only beat third-place finisher Bridgeport (1:44.81) by less than a second. The team of speedsters teamed up once more in the 400 free relay, taking 3rd in 3:46.62 behind 2nd place Wheeling Park (3:46.26) and 1st place Parkersburg (3:43.48).
“Having the experience like this, [going against] the best swimmers in the state is amazing,” Pettit said. “You see the girls from GW, Hampshire and southwestern part of the state, and it’s an amazing opportunity to say, ‘If I want to accomplish what these girls are doing, I know what I need to do to get to work.’ It’s a dedication not just in the pool, but out of the pool so they’re improving their physical capabilities..”
University found just one event to swim in on day 2, as the Hawks’ 400 free team placed 12th with a time of 4:15.64. They will take part in the consolation heat.
BOPP SETS STATE MEET RECORD
Wheeling Park’s Jenna Bopp flew down her lane in the 100 breaststroke, clocking a fast 1:05.13. It was her lone top finish but added another top-6 finish in the 200 IM at 3rd place (2:13.56).
PARKERSBURG MAKES A STAND
The Parkersburg High girls’ team dominated the preliminary races, picking up four first-place wins out of eight total title qualifying placements.
The Big Reds started with a win in the 200 medley relay and ended the first day with a win in the 400 free relay. Cox picked up 1st place in the 200 free and 100 fly, while Jaden Welsh finished 2nd in the 100 breast and Mary Michael Strobl had two fourth-place finishes in the 100 fly and 100 back.
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