Saints' Edgecomb starting to find groove in the pool

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 18, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

A long-distance swimmer by trade, Southern Wayne's Austin Edgecomb is starting to find his groove in grueling multi-lap events.

He proved it during the latest multi-team meet contested in the B.G. Darden Natatorium pool inside the Goldsboro Family Y.

Edgecomb touched the wall second in the 500-yard freestyle in 5 minutes, 49.51 seconds -- more than 10 seconds faster than the regional standard qualifying time set by the N.C. High School Athletic Association. He emerged as one of five individuals to post regional times in the third meet of the season.

"Austin is a good competitor and puts all he can into his swims," second-year SW head coach and alum Chad Davis said. "(He) swam the 500 free again, not his best time, but a very solid swim. He's starting to figure out that distance swim ... a very good chance we'll see him swim it at the regionals."

East Carolina signee Zach Darden advanced to the Classes 1-A/2-A east regional in the 200 free. Charles B. Aycock sprinter Zech Chastain qualified in his team-best seventh regional event with a first-place effort in the 200 individual medley (IM).

Fellow Golden Falcon Abby Sauls logged her fourth and fifth regional-qualifying marks -- this time in the 200 IM and 100 free -- of the season.

Overall, 10 county swimmers combined to win 12 events.

Eastern Wayne's Sophie Zou won the girls' 50 free, while the Warriors' Will Samson touched the wall first in the boys' 100 free. The Warrior girls collected 107 team points, six behind first-place finisher New Bern.

"I don't remember a team that has worked as hard as this team has, both guys and girls," EW head coach Sidney Myers said. "They work with each other, correct each other. I've got three or four good swimmers who are pushing real hard, and five or six new swimmers who have really surprised me.

"They're doing really well."

Goldsboro's Olivia Paul claimed the 100 girls' backstroke.

Rosewood's Rebecca Fitzmaurice defeated the competition in the 100 girls' breaststroke. The Eagles' Kodey Silknitter also won the boys' 100 breaststroke.

Wayne Country Day's Payton Meadows took the 1-meter diving portion of the meet.

Goldsboro secured first-place finishes in the girls' and boys' 400 free relays. Angelina Nacca, Paul, Casey Purisfull and Ashlee Falconer comprised the girls' squad. The boys' quartet was Mickey Eovine, Kenny Archibald, Aaron Parnell and Jacob Seate.

Other top county finishers:

Girls

200 medley relay -- 2. Eastern Wayne (Faith Boyette, Sophie Zou, Tricia Malcolm, Brianna Applegarth); 200 free -- 3. Boyette (EW); 200 individual medley -- 4. Malcolm (EW); 50 free -- 3. Applegarth (EW); 100 fly -- 2. Anna Prezbindowski (GHS); 100 free -- 2. Malcolm (EW); 500 free -- 3. Applegarth (EW); 200 free relay -- 2. Eastern Wayne (Malcolm, Applegarth, Madison Tallarida, Zou); 100 back -- 2. Megan Huston (GHS); 100 breaststroke -- 3. Zou (EW); 400 free relay -- 2. Eastern Wayne (Britni McAlduff, Monique Cevallos, Maddie Murphy, Boyette).

Boys

200 medley relay -- 2. C.B. Aycock (Zech Chastain, Colton Marley, Charlie Robertson, Chas Hooks); 200 free -- 2. Dalton Ira (RHS); 200 IM -- 2. Kodey Silknitter (RHS); 50 free -- 4 (tie). Robertson (CBA); 100 fly -- 3. Edgecomb (SW); 100 free -- 3. Ira (RHS); 500 -- 3. Davis (SW); 200 free -- 2. C.B. Aycock (Hooks, Cody Freels, Robertson, Chastain); 100 back -- 4. Yohan Yan (EW); 100 breaststroke -- 2. Marley (CBA); 400 free relay -- 2. Eastern Wayne (Noah Bernard, Zach Evans, Ryan Fleming, Samson).