Chargers, Eagles battle in home pool

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on December 8, 2015 1:48 PM

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By RUDY COGGINS

rcoggins@newsargus.com

There's no place like home.

After two consecutive road meets and battles against quality competition, Wayne Country Day and Wayne Christian each made a splash during a multi-team meet contested inside B.G. Natatorium on Monday evening.

The Chargers' Zan Pittman claimed the grueling, 20-lap 500-yard freestyle in 5 minutes, 18.41 seconds. He -- along with Charlie Dees, Nathan Rigdon and Daniel Covert -- placed second in the 200 medley relay in 2:06.43.

The same foursome took third in the 200 free relay.

Rigdon was fourth in the 200 individual medley (IM) and runner-up in the 100 breaststroke, while Covert secured fifth in the 200 free.

Dees was fifth in the 100 back.

On the girls' side, Grace O'Daniel placed fourth in the 200 IM and seventh in the 100 free. Abby Skinner claimed fifth in the 100 backstroke.

"These athletes are hard working and are determined to reach the goal of becoming a state swimmer," WCDS coach Tracy Burns said. "If they have to miss practice, they always end up at the pool at a later time to get their swim in."

Wayne Christian's Anna Rendall shared seventh place in the 50 free and Grace Buddin was 13th overall in the 100 free. Rendall seized fourth in the 100 backstroke.

Buddin, Rendall, Joly Fullerton and Audrey Worrell comprised the 200 free relay that captured sixth in 2:33.65.

In boys' action, the Eagles' foursome of Mason White, Daniel Rodgerson, Hunter Burt and Stephen Whitfield secured sixth in 2:14.59.

Whitfield recorded top-20 efforts in the 50 and 100 free.

"I couldn't be more proud of my team and how they've grown in the few short weeks we've had to practice," Wayne Christian head coach Marie Martin said. "I've got several who this is their first year swimming and they are rocking it. Each swimmer improved by five to 49 seconds.

"They worked hard and it showed."