Getting the season off to a strong start, the Rockbridge County High School boys swimming team placed third of 17 teams at the Southwest Virginia High School Invitational, while the RC girls finished 12th of 19 teams on Saturday at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center.
The RC boys scored 193 points, trailing only winner Science Hill (432) and runner-up Franklin County (204). Rounding out the top five were Christiansburg (191) and Bristol Tennessee (165).
“The boys did extremely well,” said RC head coach Erica Bisaillon, noting there were many personal-record times.
“The goal of this meet was a check-in, to get 50 freestyle times and appraise where we were at the beginning of the season,” added Bisaillon, starting her fourth season as the Wildcats’ head coach.
“The placement of the boys overall was unexpected, simply because it wasn’t my priority when setting entries for this meet,” continued Bisaillon, noting that the Wildcats were missing four boys and two girls due to sickness and schedule conflicts. “I’m so proud of how they swam and am optimistic for this season.”
The RC girls scored 48 points to finish a spot behind Franklin County (59) and just ahead of Pulaski County (45). Science Hill won the girls’ meet with 445.5 points, Hidden Valley (228) placed second, and Abingdon (186) finished third. Completing the top five were Patrick Henry (181) and Christiansburg (174).
Starting the RC boys off, the Wildcats placed fourth in the 200-yard medley relay in 1:54.28. Team members were junior Elliot Steele, sophomores Ben Gresham and Jacob Barney, and freshman Elliot Steele.
Elliot Steele led RC in the 50-yard freestyle, placing eighth in 24.77 seconds. Other Wildcats in the top 25 in the race were Gresham (10th, 25.7), Lincoln Steele (11th, 25.95), sophomore Ru Bucy (15th, 26.39), Barney (16th, 26.79) and junior Miles Holland (21st, 27.62).
Bucy was the top RC boy in the 100-yard freestyle, placing sixth in 58.37 seconds, while Gresham finished eighth in 59.28.
Sophomore Emil Hierman led the Wildcats in the boys’ 100-yard backstroke, placing 11th in 1:17.67, while sophomore teammate Luke Eichholz finished 15th in 1:29.75.
In the boys’ 100-yard breaststroke, Elliot Steele placed fourth in 1:12.01, while Barney finished fifth in 1:13.22, and Lincoln Steele came in eighth in 1:16.09.
The Wildcats placed fourth in the boys’ 400-yard freestyle relay in 4:03.69. Team members were Holland, Bucy, Gresham and Lincoln Steele.
The RC boys were missing senior backstroke and butterfly swimmer Keagan Black, who was competing in a meet elsewhere for the Virginia Gators, a Roanoke-based club team.
For the girls, the Wildcats placed ninth in the 200-yard freestyle relay in 2:07.73. Team members were seniors Alice Gresham and Liesl Niebur, junior Camille Fuentes and freshman Aliana Braman. The same four Wildcats teamed up to place 12th in the 200-yard medley relay in 2:34.25.
Gresham led the RC girls in the 100-yard breaststroke, placing seventh in 1:30.34. Also competing was Fuentes (19th, 1:37.69).
Braman paced the Wildcats in the girls’ 50-yard freestyle, placing 21st in 31.03 seconds. Also making the top 25 were Fuentes (24th, 31.54) and Gresham (25th, 31.74). In the 100-yard backstroke, Braman finished 22nd in 1:33.48.
The Wildcats had a strong season last year, with the boys placing fourth in the Region 3C meet before finishing sixth at the Class 3 state meet. The RC girls placed 11th at the Region 3C meet.
RC graduated four seniors, two boys and two girls. Leading the boys was Spencer Pfaff, who won the 50yard and 100-yard state titles, breaking a state meet record in the 50-yard freestyle. Pfaff now swims for Division III school Grinnell College. They also graduated freestyle swimmer Roman Stanley.
The RC girls graduated Rio Bucy, a regional qualifier in the 50-yard and 500-yard freestyle races, who swims for Division III school Randolph College in Lynchburg. Also graduating was Willow Moles, a regional qualifier in the 100-yard backstroke.
Both teams return several experienced swimmers and bring promising newcomers, and Bisaillon looks forward to seeing them compete in the Shenandoah District after seven years in the Valley District.
“Everything is unknown this year,” said Bisaillon. “I’m grateful to have a good relationship with our new district and their coaches and am excited for us to really begin district competition.”
Bisaillon, who is working with returning assistant coach Ell Tomlinson in guiding the Wildcats, said, “The team has been working hard the past month, and it’s paying off.”
The Wildcats have five captains. For the boys, they are Black, senior Fisher Howald and junior Dmitriy Billias. The girls’ captains are Gresham and senior Lexi Walters, a regional qualifier in the 500-yard freestyle last winter. “Captains have been integral to promoting our team culture and motivating the team,” said Bisaillon.
The RC coach said the Wildcats “have a good blend of new and returning swimmers,” noting they have three transfer students: Holland from Cave Spring High School in Roanoke and the Steele brothers, who moved here from North Dakota.
In their last meet before the holiday break, the Wildcats will take on former Valley District rival Turner Ashby at Westover Swimming Pool in Harrisonburg tonight, Wednesday, starting at 6:30 p.m.
