Makdad logs second regional-qualifying time of season

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 10, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

Bradley Makdad stepped onto the starter's block, adjusted his stance and waited for the starter's signal.

Once it beeped, Makdad smoothly entered the water and it was poetry in motion from there during the boys' 200-yard individual medley. The Eastern Wayne senior swam each stroke in fluid fashion and earned a well-deserved reward when he touched the wall on his eighth -- and final lap.

Makdad looked up the board and realized he had shaved a remarkable five-plus seconds off of his seed time. He finished in 2 minutes, 20.54 seconds and became the Warriors' first two-time regional qualifier of the season.

"Bradley works hard in anything he does, whether it's in the pool or in the classroom," said EW head coach Sidney Myers, whose squad finished fifth with 46 points in the nine-team competition.

"He's the kind of kid that you want to be around."

Makdad wasn't the only county swimmer to enjoy success in the B.G. Darden Natatorium inside the Goldsboro Family Y on Tuesday evening.

Charles B. Aycock's Zech Chastain logged regional-qualifying times in the 100 butterfly and 100 free. Chastain has qualified for the regionals in six different events.

The Golden Falcons placed sixth overall.

"I like our team's heart," said CBA head coach Linda Chastain, whose girls' squad placed seventh among 11 competing teams. "We've got a lot of kids who are continuing to get better and they want to get better. Now they're venturing out of their '50s box' because we have a lot who want to do the 50 and 100 (freestyle), but they're really understanding swim meets and other events.

"They're going to be doing that by the end of this year."

East Carolina signee Zach Darden blitzed the competition in the 50 and 100 free. A state placer last season, Darden swam a 21.88 in the 50 free and missed his personal best by .78 seconds.

Numerous swimmers churned out regional consideration times in several events during the multi-team which included schools that range from the 1-A to 4-A classifications.

The county coaches hope the quality of competition helps their respective team improve each meet, and eventually meet the regional standards set by the N.C. High School Athletic Association.

"It is great for us to be able to swim with the 3-A and 4-A schools because they push us to give 100 percent, but even so, some of the smaller schools have some really good teams with some amazing swimmers," said RHS coach Natalie Ira, who is slowly building a program that is on the rise, especially on the boys' side.

Here were the top county placers during Tuesday's meet:

Girls

200 medley relay -- 5. Goldsboro (Kaylee Lyon, Matti Rose Lyon, Anna Prezbindowski, Megan Huston); 200 free -- 8. Olivia Paul (GHS); 200 IM -- 5. Tricia Malcolm (EW); 50 free -- 4. Abby Sauls (CBA); 100 fly -- 7. Prezbindowski (G); 100 free -- 5. Malcolm (EW); 500 free -- 2. Sauls (CBA); 200 free relay -- 5. Goldsboro (K. Lyon, M. Lyon, Prezbindowski, Huston); 100 back -- 7. Paul (G); 100 breaststroke -- 3. Rebecca Fitzmaurice (RHS); 400 free relay -- 6. Eastern Wayne (Brianna Applegarth, Britni McAlduff, Sophie Zou, Malcolm); 1-meter diving -- 1. Peyton Meadows (Wayne Country Day).

Boys

200 medley relay -- 3. C.B. Aycock (Chastain, Colton Marley, Charlie Robertson, Cody Freels); 200 free -- 2. Will Samson (EW); 200 IM -- 2. Bradley Makdad (EW); 50 free -- 1. Zach Darden (G); 100 fly -- 2. Chastain (CBA); 100 free -- Darden (G); 500 free -- 4. Vincent Spagnuolo (G); 200 free relay -- 4. C.B. Aycock (Marley, Freels, Robertson, Chastain); 100 back -- 4. Dalton Ira (RHS); 100 breaststroke -- 6. Marley (CBA); 400 free relay -- 5. Eastern Wayne (Noah Bernard, Samson, Ryan Fleming, Makdad).