Monticello’s girls swim team wasn’t messing around on Friday in the Class 3 swim championships.
The Mustangs exploded out of the gate, breaking their own state record in the 200 medley relay in the first event of the night, a record that was set in prelims earlier in the day.
“The relays were amazing, it’s like the best feeling ever to re-break your own record,” said Monticello’s Athena Vanyo.
It was just the start of a huge night from the Mustangs who led the team competition at the end of the night but await diving results with no divers while second place Western Albemarle has multiple entries.
That opening salvo in the first event wasn’t the last record for the Mustangs. Sophomore Izzy Bradley ripped off a 23.23 to set a new record in the 50 free and then swam a leg of a record setting 200 free relay squad along with Vanyo, Kayleigh Stebbings and Eloise Weary. Bradley, Stebbins, Vanyo and Elisabeth Bendall combined for the 200 medley record.
Bradley finished with a huge night, taking home individual titles in the 50 free and 100 backstroke in addition to those two record-setting relays. Vanyo won an individual title in the 100 fly and took second in an extremely fast 200 IM. She swam legs on both title-winning relay teams. Bendall rounded out her own big night with a runner-up finish in the 100 breaststroke after taking eighth in the 200 IM and swimming on the medley relay winner. Weary chipped in with 11th place finishes in the 100 and 200 free events in addition to that leg on the 200 free squad while Katie Jordan and Josefine Van Beek also scored for the Mustangs.
Holding the lead at the end of the swim portion of events, winning five individual events and setting a trio of state records was yet another huge step forward for the Mustangs’ program that has been on a rapid ascent the last three years.
“The girls get along so well — all of us working together for one goal, we just really pulled through,” Vanyo said. “I think we’re getting stronger and stronger every year.”
On the boys side for the Mustangs, Jack Culbreath led the way with a 14th in the 50 free while also swimming legs of the 200 free relay and 200 medley relay that each took 13th.
For Fluvanna County who finished Xth in the girls team race, Abigail Fuller had a big meet, taking second in the 50 free and third in the 100 free. She swam legs of a fourth-place 200 free relay squad and a fifth place 200 medley relay squad.
The Flucos’ Abigayle Harlow took fifth in the 100 breast and eighth in the 50 free while joining Fuller on those two relay performances. On the boys side, Ahmad Woodson finished eighth in the 500 free, 11th in the 200 free and swam on a 10th-place 400 free relay squad. Teammate Hunter Strickland took eighth in the 100 fly, 12th in the 200 IM and swam legs of an eighth place 200 medley squad and a sixth place 200 free relay team.
Goochland’s Anneliese Rogerson placed 11th in the 200 IM and took 15th in the 100 breaststroke.
For William Monroe, Ryan Taylor had a big night, finishing eighth in the 200 IM and fourth in the 100 breaststroke while also leading a 15th-place 200 freestyle relay team.
