The Rockbridge County High School boys swimming team won the Shenandoah District meet, while the RC girls placed second of four teams at the Rockbridge Aquatics Center on Thursday night in Lexington.
It was a convincing win for the RC boys, who scored 177 points to beat runner-up Waynesboro’s 106. Wilson Memorial placed third with 20 points, while Alleghany (16) finished third. RC head coach Erica Bisaillon was named Shenandoah District boys’ coach of the year.
Waynesboro won the girls’ meet with 164 points, while the Wildcats, who have about half as many swimmers as Waynesboro, scored 107 points to place second. Rounding out the standings were Alleghany (62) and WM (30).
This is the Wildcats’ first year in the Shenandoah District, following seven years in the Valley District.
The RC boys won six individual races and all three relays. Junior Lincoln Steele claimed the 200-yard freestyle in 2:01.91 and the 100-yard butterfly in 1:05.3, while his younger brother, freshman Elliot Steele, captured the 200-yard individual medley (2:19.25) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:39.18). Senior Keagan Black won the 100-yard backstroke in 56.99 seconds, while sophomore Jacob Barney claimed the 100-yard breaststroke 1:10.17.
The Wildcats won the 200-yard medley relay in 1:48.11 before claiming the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:38.47 and the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:56.99.
Three RC girls earned runner-up finishes. Senior Alice Gresham placed second in both the 200-yard IM (3:10.36) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:28.48), senior Lexi Walters was the runner-up in the 500-yard freestyle (7:11.28), and freshman Aliana Braman finished second in the 100-yard freestyle (1:09.53).
The top five individuals and the top four relay teams, as well as those qualified by time, advanced to the Region 3C meet, which will take place on Tuesday at the Brooks Family YMCA in Charlottesville.
From the Region 3C meet, the top five individual and the top four relay teams will advance to the Class 3 state meet, which is scheduled to take place on Thursday, Feb. 19 in Richmond.
For the full story and photos from the district meet, with all of the regional qualifiers mentioned and comments from Bisaillon, please see our Feb. 11 newspaper.
