Swimming and Diving Program Advances at States

John Eife
Hargrave’s 2013/2014 Swimming and Diving team raced a major snowstorm to the 2014 VISAA Swimming and Diving Championships on Wednesday, February 12, 2014. The event proceeded as schedule despite a heavy snowfall that fell later that evening and into late Thursday. The event was held February 14 to 15, 2014 at the Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center in Manassas, Virginia.

 
Racing the snow was the team’s first unofficial state event.
 
The team placed 11th overall out of 27 teams in VISAA’s Division I, and aggressively advanced seven spots from last year. The team scored 56 points, which was exactly double the number of points produced last year. Both seasons are the highest finishes for Hargrave in at least five years. The meet concluded the inaugural season for Hargrave’s new diving program, which made huge contributions to the effort.

2014 VISAA Swimming and Diving Championships Results
 
2014 VISAA Swimming and Diving Championships Team Rankings through Event 24
 
Top Individual Placements
Cadet Dionisio Carey: 5th place in the 100y Backstroke (14 points), 12th in the 200y Individual Medley (5 points) for 19 points.
Cadet Markus Perry: 4th place in 1m Diving for 15 points.
 
Top Relay Placements
200y medley relay, 10th place (Carey, Chase Taylor, Shane Sober, Wesley Harrell) for 14 points.
200y free relay, 13th place (Harrell, Sober, Taylor, Carey) for 8 points.
 
Other Highlights
First year diver Tucker Arnold earned a spot at states and placed 18th in 1m Diving.
400y Free Relay, 24th place (Harrell, Sober, Taylor, Doug Wright). This was Wright’s first State meet.
 
In every case our swimmers went faster from seed times to prelims and through to finals. This is an indication that they were prepared both mentally and physically.
 
Additionally, Cadets Carey and Perry have qualified for post-championship participation at the prestigious 114th Eastern Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Championships hosted by Germanton Academy at La Salle University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Please wish them luck as international qualifying times and All-American awards will be on the line.
 
I would like to thank the other coaches on the staff, Coach Brumfield and Coach Bowles. As is always the case, it was a team effort.
 
I would also like to thank the many parents who supported the team throughout the season, especially those who were able to make our away meets.
 
Finally, I want to congratulate the swimmers who worked hard and gave their all. Good luck to those seniors moving on and I look forward to next year.

Markus Perry