Kate C. (Melanie Q./Staff)
After training hard over winter break, the Aquavikes hosted a meet on Thursday, January 11, and competed in the Northeast Classic at the Branin Natatorium on Saturday, January 13.
Dominating their home meet, both sides secured first against Bishop Hartley, Bishop Ready, and Teays Valley. On the boys side, the 200 medley, 200 free, and 400 free relays finished first with times of 1:45.37, 1:32.90, and 3:55.81, respectively. In addition to swimming for the relays, Andy L. captured two individual golds in the 100 free (1:05.30) and 100 breast (1:05.30). In the 200 free, Mircea B. swam 1:04.77, and in the 200 IM, Justin L. went 2:16.80, both finishing first. The boys ended with nine golds and 96 points, rounded off with William H.’s 22.38 in the 50 free and Luke L.’s 5:53.74 in the 500 free.
The girls achieved similar results, tallying eight golds and 85 points to pull ahead of second-place Bishop Hartley’s 45. Lillian B., Maddie E., Olivia L., and Ella L. comprised the 200 medley, 200 free, and 400 free relays, winning first in all of them with 1:56.83, 1:42.88, and 3:50.59, respectively. Lillian in the 50 free (25.88), Maddie’s 200 free (2:03.53), Olivia in the 100 breast (1:12.80), and Ella’s 100 fly (1:10.25) nabbed four more individual wins. Clara S. secured the final first-place of the night with 1:15.50 in 100 back.
After their Thursday victory, the Aquavikes traveled to Canton for the Northeast Classic, competing against 57 of Ohio’s best teams. There the boys placed 10th with 84 points, while the girls finished 9th with 74 points. Andy L.’s fifth-place 100 free (48.43) and William H.’s sixth-place 100 breast (58.93) were the boys’ individual placers. The 200 free relay came in sixth with 1:29.62, and the 200 medley relay captured seventh with 1:40.10. On the girls side, the 200 free relay’s 1:38.71 secured a podium bronze, while the 200 medley relay’s 1:50.41 put them in seventh.
Hoping for more victories in 2024, the Vikings will compete at Ashland University on Tuesday, January 16, and New Albany on Saturday, January 20.
