Saints swim to success
Published 8:58 pm Tuesday, January 22, 2013
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Nansemond-Suffolk Academy honored the eight seniors on its swim team during Senior Day at this past Friday’s home meet at YMCA Camp Arrowhead. From left, the seniors were, Morgan Hoy, Zackary Hess, Heather McShane, Jacob Howell, Katherine Miller, Bailey Hughes, Stuart Brazil and Katelyn McCracken.
The boys’ and girls’ swim teams from Nansemond-Suffolk Academy made Senior Day a success with wins over visiting Cape Henry and Bishop Sullivan Catholic last Friday.
The girls defeated Bishop Sullivan 103-49 and Cape Henry 94-76, and the boys put up twin scores of 94-68 over their opponents.
During an intermission, NSA’s eight seniors on the team were honored, recognizing their final year with the team. NSA head coach Meredith Young spoke briefly about each swimmer, and they were presented with gifts from the junior class.
Some of those seniors made it a memorable day for another reason by turning in performances that helped drive their teams to victory.
In the girls’ 200-yard medley relay, seniors Heather McShane and Bailey Hughes formed the team with Katherine Hayes and Laura Fischer to produce a 2:25.63 time.
In the same event on the boys’ side, Collin Mckenzie was joined by seniors Stuart Brazil, Zack Hess and Jacob Howell in recording a time of 2:04.28.
“Although these times did not qualify for state qualifications, these swimmers had the heart and drive to push through and score points for the team, making third place,” NSA head coach Meredith Young wrote in an email.
Ben Wilson and Emily Neuberg ensured that NSA had some state qualifiers at the meet, however. Wilson crushed the state times in two different events. In the 500-yard freestyle, his time was 5:19.75 versus the state standard of 5:37.61. In the 200-yard individual medley, he raced to a time of 2:08.33 against the state mark of 2:19.75.
Neuberg was particularly impressive in the 200-yard freestyle, where she beat the state qualifying time by just over eight seconds with a 2:07.50 mark.
“This achievement was made on Emily’s first time swimming this event for our 2012-2013 swimming season,” Young stated.
A variety of NSA swimmers turned in personal records, led by Howell, who finished the 50-yard freestyle in 27.58 seconds and the 100-yard butterfly in 1:10.69.
Colson Danneker was not far behind Howell in the 50 free with a personal best of 29.27.
The PRs in the remaining 100-yard distances included Tyler Rogerson navigating the backstroke in 1:17.36 and David Forman finishing off the butterfly in 1:03.19.
Forman posted a personal best time of 2:04.78 in the 200-yard freestyle. Laura Wild climbed to a PR of 2:40.00 in the 200-yard individual medley.
Matt Ruland, a freshman, broke new ground in the 500-yard freestyle, reaching the wall in 6:04.12. Sam Towler notched his new best mark in the same event with a 6:15.50 time.
NSA goes on the road this Saturday against Norfolk Academy.