Marist Swimming Sweeps Westminster

In the last weekend before county championships, many of the state’s top teams clashed in dual meets throughout the metro Atlanta area. Several swimmers qualified for state while others fine-tuned their skills heading into an important week of swimming.

Last Tuesday at Marist, the host War Eagles edged Westminster by one point 158-157 in the girls meet while the War Eagle boys won by a more convincing margin, 178-136. Westminster freshman Derek Cox, however, won both the 200 freestyle and the 500 freestyle while senior teammate Nicole Stafford won both events in the girls meet. Westminster junior Gabriel Bellott-McGrath took the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke events and Katie Christy won the 100 backstroke and 200 IM. Marist freshman Christian Lorys won the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly. On Saturday, the Wildcats were swept by visiting Baylor (Tenn.) 175-138 in the girls meet and 171-140 in the boys meet. Baylor won five of the six relays, losing in just the girls 400 freestyle. For the Wildcats, Gaffney Taylor won the girls 1-meter dive, Cox won the 100 butterfly and Stafford took the girls 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.

Collins Hill and host Wesleyan split a meet, but the visitors won 352-265 in the combined scores. Wesleyan won the girls meet 166-148 but lost in the boys 204-99. Wesleyan saw swimmers Caroline White (girls 50 freestyle) and Luke Hedrick (boys 100 freestyle) qualify for the state meet. White won both the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle, Rachel Koch took the 200 IM and 100 butterfly, Drew Middleton triumphed in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Collins Hill’s Cody Bekemeyer was victorious in both the 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke and Richard Kim won the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM.

Woodward Academy’s Kathleen Cook has now qualified for the state meet in every individual event. Cook accomplished this feat Wednesday as the War Eagles bested host Lovett 129-56 in the girls meet. The Woodward boys won 121-59 while losing in just the 400 freestyle relay. The War Eagle girls were winners in all events except the 100 butterfly. Cook triumphed in the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle, Rebecca Justus took the 100 freestyle and 200 IM, Madison Garvey won the 50 freestyle, Caitlin Cooper was victorious in the 500 freestyle and Sarah Coats won the 100 backstroke. For the Woodward boys, Beldon Lin won the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM, James King won the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke, Spencer Clapes captured the 100 and 200 freestyles, Stefan Gresham won the 100 butterfly and Grant West was the victor in the 500 freestyle. Samantha Sloman won the 100 butterfly for Lovett.

In Saturday’s Brookwood-Parkview affair, which the teams split and Parkview won overall 329.5-289.5, Parkview’s Dillon Kasson took the 100 and 200 freestyle races, Rory Martin triumphed in the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke, Nathan Jones won the 100 breaststroke and Evan Parker won the girls 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. Brookwood was led by freshman Erin Scott, who won the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM, and Rachel Muller, who was victorious in the 100 and 200 freestyle events.