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The 2019 Alabama 1A-5A State Swimming & Diving Championships took place on Dec. 7 at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center at Auburn University.
The UMS Wright Prep won the team title on the girls’ side for the fourth-straight year, finishing with 273 points ahead of a tight race with Whitesburg Christian (271). After tying for first place last year, TR Miller clinched the championship crown for the boys’ meet with 215 points ahead of St. Michael’s Catholic (196).
Click HERE for full results.
Click HERE for final team scores.
GIRLS MEET
Top 5 Team Scores:
1. UMS Wright Prep – 273
2. Whitesburg Christian – 271
3. Bayside Academy – 173
4. Madison Academy – 124
5. Briarwood Christian – 118
The meet began as Bayside Academy’s Elizabeth Chen (27.31), Marlee Moore (31.48), Grace Steele (28.07), and Kathryn Burns (25.65) combined to win the opening 4×50 medley relay by three seconds in 1:52.51. Burns (26.66), Chen (24.74), Steele (26.46), and Moore (24.94) also won the 4×50 free relay in 1:42.80.
Soon after helping her medley relay team earn gold, Chen was back in the water to win the 200 IM in 2:09.66. Her fourth gold medal and second individual title of the meet came in the 100 back, where she was the first of only two swimmers under the 60-second barrier in a final time of 57.84.
Madison Academy’s Katie Pollard successfully defended her state title in the 100 breast, posting a two-second victory in 1:05.39. Tallassee’s Macey Stewart sprinted to first place in the 100 free, finishing in 53.55 to hold off a charging Maddie Bibb of Whitesburg Christian who took a close second in 53.84.
UMS Wright Prep freshman Clarke Doyle dominated the 500 free, winning the event by 27 seconds in a final time of 5:12.95 to claim the first title of her career. Prather Hargrove of Trinity Presbyterian splashed-and-dashed her way to the state title in the 50 free in a quick 24.20 as the only swimmer in the field under the 25-second barrier.
UMS Wright Prep’s Blakeslee Elliot dove to the top spot on the 1-meter board for the second-straight year after posting a final score of 313.35; her teammate Tori Waters took second in 280.05.
St. Michael Catholic’s Lucy O’Neill cruised to first in the 200 free for the second-consecutive season, stopping the clock in 1:50.53 to win by seven seconds. She also flew to the top of the podium in the 100 fly, getting her hands to the wall in 55.27 as the first of only three swimmers under the minute-marker.
Whitesburg Christian Academy’s Michaela Houser (1:00.28), Grace Dougherty (56.19), Caitlyn Griffin (57.91), and Bibb (54.79) were victorious in the 4×100 free relay in a time of 3:49.17, seven seconds ahead of the field.
BOYS MEET
Top 5 Team Scores:
1. TR Miller – 215
2. St. Michael Catholic – 196
3. Boaz – 182
4. Briarwood Christian – 180
5. Whitesburg Christian – 173
Briarwood Christian’s Nathan Watkins (28.15), Andrew Groves (28.46), Mason Mathias (23.06), and Holden Patterson (24.39) began the boys’ meet as champions in the 4×50 medley relay in 1:44.06, just ahead of runner-up Boaz (1:44.51).
Briarwood Christian’s Mason Mathias dropped nearly three seconds from his prelims time to post a 15-second victory in the 200 free for the second-straight season, stopping the clock in a quick 1:41.26. He then defended his gold in the 500 free, winning by an astonishing 38 seconds in 4:36.34.
TR Miller’s Cole Jernigan sprinted to the top spot in the 50 free in a quick 22.18 ahead of Rehobeth’s Zachary Hannah (22.64). Jernigan then proved his sprint prowess by also winning the 100 free in 49.55 to edge out runner-up Groves (49.84).
St. Michael Catholic’s Andrew Fouty dropped almost two seconds from his prelims time to clinch the 100 fly state title in 51.56. He later led the charge in the 100 back, winning the event in 53.00 for the second-consecutive season. Ben Adamski of St. Michael’s Catholic took the top spot on the 1-meter board, diving to first with a score of 295.15.
Faith Academy’s Aden Kraft cruised to first in the 200 IM, posting a final time of 2:00.89 for the gold medal ahead of silver medalist Mark Underwood, Jr. (2:01.99) of ISS. Kraft then went on to successfully defend his title in the 100 breast, getting his hands to the wall first in 1:00.44.
Boaz’s Nicholas Williams (23.59), Sahavi Shiekh (23.51), Colby Croghan (23.40), and Adam Holbrook (22.70) won the 4×50 free relay in 1:33.20. TR Miller’s Nolan Atkinson (53.19), Dean Thelen (56.08), Mac Baxter (53.08), and Jernigan (50.58) concluded the meet by winning the 4×100 free relay in 3:32.93.
