Charger swimmers reach goal

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 17, 2008 1:49 PM

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Each time Wayne Country Day's swimmers jump into the pool this season, they're not concerned about outscoring opposing teams.

With just 10 members-- boys and girls combined -- it's nearly impossible to accumulate enough points to win either a dual or multiple-team meet. Instead, they seek improvement in their individual events.

That was the case Wednesday evening. Every Charger shaved precious seconds off their respective personal-best times in either short- or long-distance events.

Cory Roberts had the most-successful outing. In his first meet of the season, the senior qualified for 50- and 100-yard freestyles in the season-ending state championships. Roberts swam a sixth-place time (26.52 seconds) in the 50 and posted a seventh-place effort (1:05.75) in the 100.

"Cory swam outstanding," said first-year WCDS head coach Bonnie Hughes. "He was a little nervous in his 50, but stretched it out in the 100 and did a great job."

Junior Ellen Elmore emerged the Chargers' top swimmer during the 2 1/2-hour meet. A former member of the Goldsboro Sharks, Elmore touched the wall first in the 100 free and claimed second in the 200 free.

"That felt great because I won," said Elmore of the 100. "The third leg seems to bother me, but I just focused on my kick off the wall and kept my shoulder rotation strong.

"I wanted to keep pace so I wouldn't lose my lead."

Elmore has qualified for the state meet in both events.

"I still need to work on my turns," she said.

The lone Class 1-A program competing against four 2-A foes and public-school member Clinton, Wayne Country Day tied for fourth in the girls' portion of the meet and ended up fifth overall among the boys.

Rebecca Thompson seized third place in the 100 breaststroke and sixth overall in the 50 free. Virginia Mayo wound up sixth in the 100 free to complete the Chargers' list of top-six finishers.

Wayne Country Day was second in the 200 medley relay and third in the 200 free relay. Elmore, Thompson, Mayo, Hannah Petus and Georgia Tanner comprised the two relays.

On the boys' side, Will Nolan collected a pair of fourth-place times in the 50 free and 100 free. Thomas Elmore exited the water ninth in the 100 free and 12th in the 50 free.

Nolan, Roberts, Elmore and Thomas Yarboro and E.J. York each comprised their respective relay teams. The Chargers took third in the 200 free relay and fourth in the 200 medley relay.

"Our goal the entire season has been to qualify for states as individuals because we're too small as a team to win a meet," said Hughes. "We need to improve our times to help with our seeding at the state meet. Everyone did that today.

"I am just thrilled with their performances tonight."

Wayne Country Day's final regular-season meet is Feb. 6 at the B.G. Darden Natatorium inside the Goldsboro Family Y.

Boys

Team scores

Parrott Academy 124

Wilmington Cape Fear 116

Village Christian 92

Clinton 61

Wayne Country Day 37

Rocky Mount Academy 7

Individual results

(Top 3 finishers)

200 medley relay -- 1. Parrott 1 minute, 44.53 seconds; 2. Cape Fear 1:59.83; 3. Clinton 2:05.14.

200 free -- 1. Jake Newell (WCF) 2:22.8; 2. Yonnick Dominick (P) 2:31.78; 3. Eli Turlington (C) 2:33.48.

200 IM -- 1. Mason Boyles (WCF) 2:28.73; 2. Samuel Lane (RMA) 2:29.79; 3. Alex Johnson (V) 2:43.54.

50 free -- 1. Sean Anglin (P) 24.41; 2. Tyler Orban (C) 25.18; 3. Thomas McMerty (WCF) 25.74.

100 fly -- 1. Billy Fidler (P) 57.79; 2. Alex Johnson (V) 1:17.72; 3. Zack Byrd (V) 1:54.38.

100 free -- 1. Anglin (P) 55.97; 2. McMerty (WCF) 1:00.48; 3. Jake Newell (WCF) 1:01.02.

500 free -- 1. Boyles (WCF) 5:28.62; 2. Walker Swain (P) 6:16.02; 3. Daniel Epps (V) 7:11.58.

200 free relay -- 1. Clinton 1:48.99; 2. Village 1:57.86; 3. Wayne Country Day 1:58.13.

100 backstroke -- 1. J.J. Looney (WCF) 1:12.35; 2. Fidler (P) 1:14.09; 3. Daniel Birmingham (WCF) 1:16.3.

100 breaststroke -- 1. Kevin Kelly (WCF) 1:14.23; 2. Dominik (P) 1:18.94; 3. Matt Coco (P) 1:30.97.

400 free relay -- 1. Parrott 3:56.73; 2. Clinton 4:09.14; 3. Cape Fear 4:34.97.

Girls

Team scores

Parrott Academy 116

Village Christian 65

Rocky Mount Academy 59

Wilmington Cape Fear 54

Wayne Country Day 54

Clinton 16

Individual results

(Top 3 finishers)

200 medley relay -- 1. Parrott 2:20.17; 2. Wayne Country Day 2:40.04; 3. Rocky Mount Academy 2:46.85.

200 free -- 1. Jacqueline Lethers (V) 2:34.74; 2. Ellen Elmore (WCD) 2:35.15; 3. Alex Johnson (P) 2:56.0.

200 IM -- 1. Robin Yang (P) 2:39.59.

50 free -- 1. Callie Turlington (C) 28.23; 2. Paige Bostick (P) 28.7; 3. M.B. Miller (WCF) 30.2.

100 fly -- 1. Valerie Amoroso (WCF) 1:18.92; 2. Arielle Byrd (V) 1:19.71.

100 free -- 1. Elmore (WCD) 1:09.77; 2. Clayton Freeman (WCF) 1:10.59; 3. Sara Dew (RMA) 1:12.67.

500 free -- 1. Sarah Lane (RMA) 6:34.23; 2. Bostick (P) 6:44.09; 3. Amoroso (WCF) 7:30.25.

200 free relay -- 1. Parrott 2:09.08; 2. Rocky Mount Academy 2:15.1; 3. Wayne Country Day 2:16.57.

100 backstroke -- 1. Yang (P) 1:08.85; 2. Freeman (WCF) 1:15.85; 3. Lethers (V) 1:20.64.

100 breaststroke -- 1. Miller (WCF) 1:22.21; 2. Turlington (C) 1:26.18; 3. Rebecca Thompson (WCD) 1:35.96.

400 free relay -- 1. Parrott 4:17.52; 2. Village 4:25.33.