MorGantown, W.VA – Huntington High School had a Bhulakkad swimming season a year ago.
After a long time, Highlanders’ head coach Emily Randolf felt why he identified.
“We had a thick year last year and we were not ourselves and took ourselves very seriously,” Randolf said. “The meeting was not very good for us because of this. We went into thinking that we are going to be.”
Being themselves, Highlanders performed a major performance on both days of WVSSAC State Swim Meat at Malan Park Aquatic Center. In turn, Huntington tested its first state championship in swimming, with 186 points for the total runner-up Parkersburg South and Bridgeport, which recorded each 163 points.
Con McCler won 200-yard freestyle and 100 freestyle and team partner Luke Edkins after finishing first in 50 freestyle, the highlanders set new states in both 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay, which do the first to end in those events.
In 200, McClaler and Edkins joined the army to finish in 1: 27.54 with Hocker Manard and Christopher Young – a win for more than 2 seconds of winning more than 2 seconds from a quartet from Parkersburg South that finished second.
To end the state meeting, McCler, Edkins, Young and Liam McCler won over 3 seconds at 3: 16.60 by 400.
“We are stupid, we are fools, we wear clothes and wear a cowboy hat,” Randolf said. “We ride the car together here, the way we are singing songs with windows. We want to have fun first and try to win.
“Who are these just they. They are all funny, great children and try to get them out of their element and make them serious who they are. They want to socialize.
Huntington’s boys were not the only team to win their first state championship. The same distinction is from the girls, which was 184.5 points on the banks of a crown. MorGantown was runner -up with 135 points.
Tigers won their team’s title by winning 400 freestyle relay as Lily Iron, Emily Derst, Lily Anger and Rachel Shirrock, which ended in 3: 45.52 and promoted the EHS Point Kul 32.
On Thursday, Elkins also won the 200 Medley relay, when Srikok, Emma Ujwagi, Iron and Anger ended in 1: 54.61.
EHS head coach Amy Cain said, “Our girls team is deep and this is what lives for us.”
Apart from this, promoting tigers point total, Shirrock’s runner-up was Finnish on Thursday in 200 freestyle and Ujwagi’s runner-up finish in 200 individual medals.
EHS assistant coach Seth Blake said, “We told the children,” Keep your eyes ahead and keep your eyes on your street. “There is a lot of noise and they had to let it go, focus on what we are doing – and they focused. This is great. “
Additionally, Iron was second in 100 freestyle, Anger finished third in 50 freestyle and Lih our team, Sophia Hornik, Derst and Ujwagi finished third in 200 freestyle relay in 1: 47.13 and to increase their team’s total 24 points.
“Most teams can make two really good relay and we were able to build a third -placed third place,” Cain said. “They are huge points.”
McCler entered the second day of the meeting with the two individual state championships, as was done by Jordan Clapol of the Parkersburg South Girls Team.
By the end of Friday’s action, three other swimmers had two individual titles – the girls towards the girls and the lily Patton of Charluston Catholic and the boys towards the boys Kenneth McGlothane of George Washington.
The Householder divided its state championship, first 200 individual medals at 2: 08.05 and Friday in their hardware collection in 500 freestyle in 5: 12.38 and ended their hardware collection by first finishing at 12.38.
“Tried to eat well and get good sleep, and when I couldn’t sleep, I tried to lay there and imagine my goals,” the householder said. “Last year my time was faster than this year, but I was pushing me even more people last year and I am still really happy since my time.”
Patno won 100 freestyle at 54.14 on Thursday and claimed its second state championship at 1: 08.48 in 100 breaststrokes on Friday.
Like the homeowner, McGlothane won a title each day – first in individual medley (1: 51.92) and again in 500 freestyle (4: 39.78) on Friday.
“The key was going out with a mentality today, knowing that I have the ability to succeed,” McGlothen said. “I had to rely on my training and understand what I do, my team would be proud of me and I could be proud of myself.”
Huntington’s Lauren Lockwood became the first female swimmer of the highlanders winning a state championship and did this in a close fashion with a finish time of 1: 02.76 in the 100 backstroke, which allowed her to increase Easy Paulson (1: 02.93) of Charlston Catholic (1: 02.93).
“Every first place we wanted, we got,” Randolf said. “We found every relay record that we could achieve. We broke some school records and our first girls were champions, so it was very big, it could not be better.”
Quad Harris of South, Parkersburg, was the boys state champion at 100 backstroke on 52.01, while Eizack Anger dominated 100 breaststrokes and finished first with 57:52 finish.
Girls 200 freestyle relay was won by Cleepool, Camry McLene, Vada Hafar and Pagi Johnson at 1: 44.16.
Prior to 2024, George Washington Girls won four direct championships and Parkersberg South Boys won two directly.