The Rockbridge County High School boys swimming team defeated both Turner Ashby and William Monroe at a tri-meet last Wednesday in Harrisonburg, while the RC girls came up short to both teams.
Despite missing two swimmers due to illness and travel, the RC boys beat TA 58-36 and overcame WM 52-35 at Westover Swimming Pool. In the other dual, TA edged WM 46-43. The opponents were Valley District rivals for RC last year, but the Wildcats moved into the Shenandoah District this year.
Pleased with how her boys performed, RC head coach Erica Bisaillon said, “I’m trying not to come across as too enthusiastic, but I’m truly stoked.”
In the girls’ meet, WM eked out a 42-41 win over RC, while TA beat the Wildcats 64-26, and TA overcame WM 48-38.
Bisaillon noted that there were plenty of personal records set for both the boys and girls. The RC boys won five individual races and two relays.
RC senior Keagan Black won both of his individual races, claiming the 100-yard butterfly in 56.21 seconds, more than 13 seconds ahead of the runner-up, and taking the 100-yard backstroke in 59.52, more than nine seconds ahead of the runner-up. Both times qualified Black for the Region 3C meet. Junior teammate Lincoln Steele placed second in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:09.59.
Also winning both of his individual races was RC freshman Elliot Steele, taking the 200-yard individual medley in 2:24.54 and capturing the 100-yard freestyle in 56.06. Impressed by the younger Steele, Bisaillon said, “He is swimming sophomore year Spencer Pfaff times as a freshman.” Pfaff won Class 3 state titles in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle last winter before graduating.
RC sophomore Ru Bucy won the 500-yard freestyle in regional-qualifying time of 5:39.69, almost as fast as his Region 3C meet time last winter. “Ru’s doing awesome,” said Bisaillon, noting that, unlike at the regional meet, Bucy wasn’t at a peak taper last Wednesday. “He’s gonna drop a bunch of time. I have really high hopes,” she added. Bucy placed second in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:04.58.
The RC boys won the 200yard medley relay in 1:55.48. Team members were the Steele brothers, Black and junior Miles Holland. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, the RC boys won in 4:03.69 with the Steele brothers, Bucy and Holland.
The RC boys placed second in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Team members were Bucy, Holland, Black and Lincoln Steele.
Other individuals placing in the top three for the RC boys were Holland (third, 100-yard breaststroke, 1:23.18) and sophomore Emil Hierman (third, 100-yard backstroke, 1:18.92).
Of her top six boys, Bisaillon said, “I could put them in any event, and they would do well.”
The top finish for the RC girls was by senior Lexi Walters, placing second in the 500-yard freestyle in 7:32.02. Also stepping up were sophomore Alice Gresham, placing third in both the 200-yard IM (3:18.93) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:32.43), and junior Camille Fuentes, finishing third in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:33.06.
Freshman Aliana Braman, who took the last two years off swimming to play junior varsity volleyball, stepped up with a fifth-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle in 1:15.12. “She’s splitting just as fast as some of the junior and senior girls,” said Bisaillon.
The RC girls placed second in the 400-yard freestyle relay in 5:14.49. Team members were Braman, Walters, senior Liesl Biebur and freshman Dasha Billias.
In the other two relays, the RC girls placed third. Niebur, Fuentes, Gresham and Walters teamed up to finish the 200-yard medley relay in 2:37.63. In the 200-yard freestyle relay, Billias teamed up with Braman, Gresham and Fuentes to finish in 2:13.51.
The Wildcats will continue to practice over winter break before returning to competition with two meets in early January. On Tuesday, Jan. 6, the Wildcats will swim at the University of Virginia Aquatic & Fitness Center, with Albemarle playing host. They’ll follow that meet with their only scheduled home meet of the season against Shenandoah District rival Alleghany on Friday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m. at the Rockbridge Aquatics Center.
MEMBERS OF the RC girls and boys swimming teams are (front row, from left) Lelia McCown, Luke Eichholz, Lexi Walters, Camille Fuentes, Liesl Niebur, Dasha Billias, (second row) Keagan Black, Elliot Steele, Aliana Braman, Emil Hierman, Ru Bucy, Alice Gresham, Lincoln Steele, (back row) assistant coach Ell Tomlinson, Jude Braman, Jacob Barney, Dmitriy Billias, Benjamin Grisham, Fisher Howald and head coach Erica Bisaillon. Not pictured are Elliott Allen and Miles Holland.
