Goldsboro, Rosewood seniors hit water one final time at Y

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 18, 2013 1:47 PM

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One final swim.

Seniors from Goldsboro and Rosewood churned through the water and recorded quality times during their season-ending meet contested Thursday evening at the Family Y.

Logan Cole posted a regional-qualifying mark of 55.41 seconds in the 100-yard butterfly. One of four seniors, he helped the Cougar boys take the eight-team meet with 111.5 points. Teammate Zach Darden earned a regional spot in the 100 backstroke with a first-place effort of 59.44 seconds, and secured the 200 individual medley (IM) in 2:07.96.

Darden, Cole, Timmy Vick and Christian Martens combined to touch the wall first in the 200 medley relay in 1:49.31. Vick, Darden, Cole and Vincent Spagnuolo combined to take the 400 relay in 3:52.64.

The Cougars have qualified for the regionals in both relays.

Vick earned a regional berth in the 100 breaststroke.

"Logan and Zach have had a fabulous year," Goldsboro coach Tammy Yates said. "It's been what I expected, but even more. Victor Prezbindowski has grown so much this year and expanded his events.

"Last year, he was learning how to do all the strokes and has been really breaking out and working hard. Vincent has come into his own in the 50 free and 500 free ... really stepped up."

Maddie Vera, Heather Wurtele and Seth Kuhnau also competed in the final meet inside B.G. Darden Natatorium. Vera swam the opening leg of Goldsboro's 200 medley relay that placed fifth overall. She was joined by Madison Huf, Kaylee Lyon and Ally Brown.

Wurtele and Vera took seventh and eighth, respectively, in the 500 freestyle. Teammate Olivia Paul registered a fifth-place time in the 100 backstroke.

The Cougars finished with 50 points.

"The kids have worked so incredibly hard because they enjoy it," Yates said. "They love coming, love being on the team, love working together and they've seen so much improvement over the last three months that's been really good to see.

"A lot of our new kids are athletic ... run cross country, dance so they've taken to swimming really, really well. It's been really enjoyable to see their love for this sport grow."

Rosewood bid farewell to five seniors -- Ayana Potter, Kayla Scott, Breanna Gattison, Tyler Power and Steven Jennings.

Gattison took 13th in the 50 free. Scott swam the third leg on the Eagles' 200 relay that included Kimberly Scott, Alexis Hinnant and Stormie Hatem. The Eagles' 400 free relay of Gattison, Bomin Kim, Potter and Ciera Satterfield ended up fourth in 5:14.37, which is a regional consideration time established by the N.C. High School Athletic Association.

Power competed in the 50 and 100 free. Jennings did not attend the meet due to a prior commitment.

Kody Silknitter paced the Eagles' boys with a runner-up finish in the 100 breaststroke and a fifth-place performance in the 100 free. Teammate Garner Beasley took eighth in the 100 free.

"They've done really well this year," Rosewood head coach Natalie Ira said. "We're still building a program. Swimming is a sport that takes so much conditioning on a year-round level, it's hard to push these kids without pushing them too much.

"They've really stepped up to the challenge. It's always good for a swimmer to swim with kids who are faster than they are and have better technique. They've been great examples for our team. The kids understand that being able to come in with these larger teams is difficult and when they do, it makes them recognize what kind of work it takes to compete with these larger schools.

Other individual winners:

* Charles B. Aycock's Savannah Sauls (200 free), Sam Chastain (50 free), Devin Hall (1-meter diving), Taylor Bradshaw (100 back) and Haley Rose (1-meter diving).

The Golden Falcons' foursome of Dustin Pike, Travis Thaxton, Hall and Chastain won the 200 free relay.

* Eastern Wayne's Emily Grant and Tricia Malcolm captured the 200 IM and 100 free, respectively. Malcolm swam the anchor leg on the meet-winning 400 free relay that included Lilly Boyette, Allison Bailey and Kaitlin Tallerida.

* Southern Wayne's Chad Davis won the 200 free.