By Betsy Haugh / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
Thousands of swimmers, coaches, parents, and volunteers descended on the University of Virginia’s Aquatic and Fitness Center Friday to begin competing at the annual Jefferson Swim League Championships. As beads of sweat fell from swimmers and spectators awaiting their races under the tents lining the entrance to the AFC, records were falling inside, as Fairview’s Andrew Williamson and Holly Harper each broke two records propelling their team to a first-place standing; two relay teams also scratched their name atop the record books, and City’s Avery Huang left her mark on a six and under record books.
Williamson broke a two-year-old record in the 13-14 100-yard individual medley (IM), besting Alex Montes de Oca’s 2009 record with a time of 55.50. Later in the session, Williamson fell just shy of breaking another one of Montes de Oca’s records, this time in the 50-yard freestyle.
“I’ve been working hard trying to get that [IM record]; that was the most important one to me,” Williamson said. “It’s the most fun. I like doing all the strokes – [it’s] the perfect event.”
Williamson went on to break Pat DiFazio’s 1980 record in the 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 27.94, besting DiFazio by 0.13 seconds.
Williamson’s Fairview teammate Holly Harper captured two records herself Friday, breaking Rebecca Cronk’s 1995 record in the 15-18 100 Yard IM with a time of 59.15.
“I wasn’t expecting it at all. For the IM I was completely surprised. Last year, everybody went under the minute and I got fourth place. It was so heartbreaking. This year was so much better to go under that minute again and crush (the record). It was awesome,” Harper said.
Harper shattered another one of Cronk’s records in the 50-yard freestyle, recording a time of 24.14.
The girls squad for Fairview in the 200-medley relay also ripped off a record setting time of 1:51.99 with Harper, her sister Hannah Harper, Corie Morton and Kelly Miller combining for the victory. Miller swam a sterling final leg to secure the win for Fairview and break the 2003 previous record by a Boar’s Head grouping.
Fairview wasn’t done making history yet, as the boys 200-freestyle relay team of Brian Donovan, Collin Hensien, Stephen Topping, and Matt Lockman recorded a record-time of 1:30.27.
In the same event, the girls relay squad from Boar’s Head of Brodde Lamb, Dania Jazouli, Allie Nicholson, and Storrs Lamb topped the previous record of 1:43.42 held by an ACAC foursome; Boar’s Head finished with a time of 1:41.30.
While races in the six and under age group do not count in terms of points for the Championship’s overall standings, Avery Huang’s performance will be recorded in the record books nonetheless. Huang’s time of 17.49 shattered the record in the girls 25-yard freestyle.
“Avery tends to be focused just generally. I mean she’s a focused individual. This year she’s been really good about listening to coaches’ advice about changing stuff,” said City coach Andrea Ross.
Huang tends to swim each distance, from 500 to 25 the same way, but the City coaching staff worked on taking it up a notch in the sprint.
“This week we really worked on teaching her how to swim fast,” Ross said. “You’ve got a moment and this is it. She almost got the freestyle record too. It’s pretty amazing.”
With the second day of the competition still to come, the possibility for more records to fall in 2011 seems promising. As Fairview continues in pursuit of its 21st straight title, swimmers will be tearing through the water looking to do their part to extend the historic streak.
False-start proof Seahorse
The Jefferson Swim League has several measures in place to bring swimmers back from a false start. There’s a buzzer that goes off right off the blocks. Then if that doesn’t work, a rope is dropped at the halfway mark of the pool. If that fails, volunteers try and grab the swimmer at the wall and if that desperate measure falls short, there’s that rope again on the return trip.
Apparently, when Fairview’s Luke Strickler is in the pool, the JSL is going to have to add something else to the mix.
Strickler took off during one of the 9-10 boys division’s 50-meter butterfly heats and another swimmer’s false start cut short the race for everyone but Strickler. The young swimmer powered past the rope, shook off a grab by a volunteer near the wall, then fought through the rope again in a resilient run that didn’t count. Fairview coach J.J. Bean jumped over to Strickler’s lane to compliment his focus. Continuing to swim after being grabbed by a couple of officials was particularly impressive.
“Well they did (get their hands on me)…. by the time I pushed off they touched me,” Strickler said.
Complete Results
The six and unders got things started in Session 1 on Friday, with Isablella Sonen, Megan Life, Silas Adam, and Gavin Harris earning the Crozet Gators the win in the Mixed 100 Yard Free Relay. Harris later picked up another victory in the Boys 25 Yard Free.
City’s Avery Huang picked up a pair of first-place finishes in the Girls 25 Yard Free and the Girls 25 Yard Backstroke. Nate Klipp was also a winner in the first session, grabbing first in the Boys 25 Yard Backstroke.
Session 1 was unscored, as always, and therefore results were not factored into the team overall standings.
The older kids hit the pool in Session 2, with Bracken Eddy of Key West earning the first win of the session in the Boys 9-10 100 Yard IM. Fairview’s Andrew Williamson, one of the aforementioned record-breakers, won the Boys 13-14 100 Yard IM, as well as the Boys 13-14 50 Yard Fly. Corie Morton earned Fairview another win in the Girls 13-14 100 Yard IM.
Zach Switzer of Fluvanna Aquatic Sports Team (FAST) snagged the victory in the Boys 15-18 100 Yard IM, before Holly Harper put Fairview back in victory lane with a record-breaking performance in the Girls 15-18 100 Yard IM; Harper later picked up the win in the Girls 15-18 50 Yard Backstroke.
As the relays got underway, Fairview proved hard to beat, winning seven of the ten events. Owen Pence, Christopher Messimer, Clay Chadwick, and Jack Culbreath teamed up to win the Boys 9-10 200 Yard Medley Relay. Up an age group in the same event, Alex Frazier, Andrew Williamson, William Chadwick, and Swabi Toms won the 13-14 year-old race. The Fairview boys completed the sweep of the medley relays, as Tim Webb, Robert Robison, Brian Donovan, and Ryan Mitchell won in the 15-18 age group.
Fairview swept the medley relays on the girls side as well, with Caroline Keller, Mia Garland, Madison Noga, and Abby Wuensch winning in the 13-14 year-old race, and Holly Harper, Corie Morton, Hannah Harper, and Kelly Miller capturing first for the 15-18 year olds.
Back with the individual races, Clay Chadwick continued Fairview’s dominance, picking up the victory in the Boys 9-10 50 Yard Free. Glenmore’s Ben Holstege won the 13-14 race of the same event, and Fairview’s Abby Wuensch finished first on the girls side of the spectrum in the same event and age group. In the 15-18 year-old race, Fairview’s Matt Lockman came in first for the boys, while Holly Harper of Fairview won for the girls.
Fairview’s Clay Chadwick found victory again in the Boys 9-10 50 Yard Butterfly. Andrew Williamson came up just a hair shy of breaking the record in the Boys 13-14 50 Yard Fly en route to picking up the victory, and Matt Lockman got first again in the Boys 15-18 running. For the girls, ACAC’s Madison Haise captured first in the 13-14 year-old age group, followed by Fairview’s Hannah Harper picking up the victory for the 15-18 year olds.
As the session progressed into the backstroke events, Boar’s Head picked up its first event win on the evening, as August Lamb won the Boys 9-10 50 Yard Back. In the next age group up, Nick Switzer of FAST picked up another win, and his older brother Zach won the same event in the highest age group. Keller Whitlock of Farmington found first in the 13-14 year-old running of the event, with Holly Harper winning the 15-18 race.
Key West’s Bracken Eddy picked up his second win of the afternoon in the Boys 9-10 50 Yard Breaststroke before Fairview’s Andrew Williamson continued his fruitful evening with a win in the next age group up. FAST’s Zach Switzer won his second-straight race when the 15-18 year olds hit the water. Corie Morton also extended her successful session, winning the Girls 13-14 50 Yard Breast before Boar’s Head’s Brodde Lamb captured first in the eldest age group.
Freestyle events rounded out the evening, with Key West’s Bracken Eddy (9-10), FAST’s Nick Switzer (13-14), and Fairview’s Matt Lockman (15-18) adding additional victories to their already-impressive days. Corie Morton continued her winning streak in the Girls 13-14 100 Yard Free, and FAST’s Chelsea Tomko found the winner’s circle in the 15-18 year-old age group.
Boar’s Head earned the victory in the first 200 Yard Freestyle Relay, as Noah Hargrove, Cleve Packer Jr., AJ Given, and August Lamb won the 9-10 year-old race. ACAC’s team of Jeff Leckrone, Christopher Oliver, Martin Geiger, and Matthew Porter won in the subsequent age group, followed by Fairview’s Brian Donovan, Collin Hensien, Stephen Topping, and Matt Lockman in the 15-18 year-old event. Mia Garland, Daly McHugh, Emma Lockman, and Abby Wuensch picked up the win for Fairview in the Girls 13-14 200 Yard Free Relay, while Brodde Lamb, Dania Jazouli, Allie Nicholson, and Storrs Lamb of Boar’s Head finished off the event winning in the 15-18 age group.
At the conclusion of the first day, Fairview sits atop the leader board with 1018 points, seemingly well on their way to a 21st straight JSL championship. FAST is in second with 888.25 points, followed by the Crozet Gators (778.75 points) and Forest Lakes (768.25 points); Boar’s Head rounds out the top-five with 766 points.
Farmington is close behind in the sixth place with 761.75 points, followed by the Greene Hills Gators (746.25 points), ACAC (717.75 points), Hollymead (693.5 points), and Fry’s Spring (666 points).
Glenmore occupies the eleventh slot with 543.5 points, in front of the City Swordfish (520.5 points), Lake Monticello (470.75 points), Key West (457 points), the Louisa Gators (354.75 points), and Elks (264.5 points).
