Myers Park girls, Marvin Ridge boys capture North Carolina 4A swim championships
The Myers Park girls and Marvin Ridge boys gave the Charlotte area a sweep of Saturday’s 4A swimming and diving state championships.
It was the third consecutive state title for Myers Park, which edged Green Hope of Cary for the top spot at the Triangle Aquatic Club in Cary.
Marvin Ridge won the boys’ 4A title for the first time, although the Mavericks won three consecutive championships during the past decade as a 3A school. Marvin Ridge finished 100 points ahead of second-place Cardinal Gibbons of Raleigh.
Myers Park’s girls won only one event, but added five second-place and two third-place finishes.
Sophomore Avery Klamforth and senior Sofia Plaza had a big role in the Mustangs’ championship effort.
Klamforth got the Mustangs’ victory, in the 200 individual medley. Plaza swam second. Klamforth and Plaza finished second and third in the 100 breaststroke, and they were members of the second-place 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay teams.
The Mustangs also had a second-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay.
For coach Melissa King-Pierce and the Marvin Ridge team, Saturday’s championship culminated a year-long effort after the Mavericks finished second a year ago.
Senior Charles Heisig and sophomore Michael Rice had big roles in Marvin Ridge’s effort.
They were part of a 200 medley relay team that accomplished what Rice said the squad wanted to do — break the state record they had set last year.
The Mavericks won the event in a record time of one minute 32.20 seconds last year. Saturday evening, they covered the distance in a time of 1:20.52. Joining Heisig and Rice on the team were Jordan Willis and Troy Keen.
Heisig also won the 200 individual medley. Rice picked up valuable points by finishing fourth in the 100 freestyle, and Willis took second in the 100 breaststroke.
Heisig and Rice also teamed with Keen and Gavin McCarter to win the 200 freestyle relay, which also set a 4A and overall meet record.
The Green Hope girls fell just short of Myers Park, with 239.5 points to the Mustangs’ 259.
Green Level was led by sisters Mere Whelehan, a junior, and Sloane, a freshman.
Mere Whelehan won the 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle, and Sloane captured the 50 freestyle and finished third in the 200 freestyle. They, along with Kyley Lloyd and Andie Quisumbling, also won the 200 freestyle relay.
Other Charlotte-area girls’ winners were the Ardrey Kell’s Aubrey Hull (100 backstroke) and Eliza Wallace (100 breaststroke), along with the 200 medley relay team of Hull, Wallace, Charlotte Eckert and Olivia White. Hull set a meet record, breaking the mark established two years ago by Cardinal Gibbons standout Claire Curzan.
Other Raleigh-area girls’ winners were Riverside’s Vivian Brennan (diving) and Cardinal Gibbons’ Nikki Nixon (100 butterfly).
Other Raleigh-area boys’ winners were Heritage’s James Bennison (200 freestyle); Leesville Road’s Matthew Marsteiner (100 butterfly); Middle Creek’s Grayson Nye (100 breaststroke); and the Leesville road 400 freestyle relay team of Marsteiner, Axel Mori, Elijah Nelson and Davis Jackson.
GIRLS’ RESULTS
Team scores: Myers Park 259; Green Hope 239.5; Marvin Ridge 192.5; Charlotte Catholic 177; Ardrey Kell 145; East Chapel Hill 139; Lake Norman 114; Providence 110; Grimsley 108; Apex Friendship 90.
(others from Charlotte, Raleigh areas) 11. Cardinal Gibbons, Apex 89; 14. Riverside 60; 15. Broughton 57; 16. Leesville Road 46; 17. Hopewell, Green Level 33; 19. Cuthbertson 32; 20. Rolesville, Middle Creek 30; 22. South Mecklenburg 25; 23. Hough 19; 24. Jordan 16; 26. Enloe 15; 29. Athens Drive 9; 31. Heritage 7; 35. Panther Creek 5; 26. Weddington 4; 38. Holly Springs 3; 39. Wakefield, Sanderson 2; 41. South Iredell 1.5; 42. Cleveland 1.
Top-three finishers:
Diving: Vivian Brennan (Riverside) 478.10; Chloe Perkins (Cardinal Gibbons) 462.70; Reagan Leckner (Charlotte Catholic) 457.75
200 medley relay: Ardrey Kell (Aubrey Hull, Eliza Wallace, Charlotte Eckert, Olivia White) 1:42.26; Myers Park 1:43.11; Lake Norman 1:44.16.
200 freestyle: Mere Whelehan (Green Hope) 1:46.85; Isabel Wolk (East Chapel Hill) 1:47.49; Sloane Whelehan (Green Hope) 1:49.11.
200 individual medley: Avery Klamforth (Myers Park) 1:57.61; Sofia Plaza (Myers Park) 1:59.04; Lily Willis (Green Level) 1:59.98.
50 freestyle: Sloane Whelehan (Green Hope) 23.33; Nikki Nixon (Cardinal Gibbons) 23.28; Audrey Wolk (East Chapel Hill) 23.40.
100 butterfly: Nikki Nixon (Cardinal Gibbons) 53.40; Maeren McGonigal (Grimsley) 54.72; Kayman Neal (Myers Park) 55.01.
100 freestyle: Mere Whelehan (Green Hope) 49.88; Eliza Wallace (Ardrey Kell) 50.30; Isabel Wolk (East Chapel Hill) 50.47.
200 freestyle relay: Green Hope (Sloane Whelehan, Mere Whelehan, Kyley Lloyd, Andie Quisumbling) 1:34.40; Myers Park 1:35.34; Marvin Ridge 1:35.63.
100 backstroke: Aubrey Hull (Ardrey Kell) 53.26; Alyssa Claborn (Lake Norman) 54.27; Lauren Bernardo (Charlotte Catholic) 54.84.
100 breaststroke: Eliza Wallace (Ardrey Kell) 59.67; Avery Klamforth (Myers Park) 1:00.98; Sofia Plaza (Myers Park) 1:02.64.
400 freestyle relay: Green Hope (Mere Whelehan, Sloane Whelehan, Mia Jeltema, Andie Quisumbling) 3:24.91; Myers Park 3:27.02; Charlotte Catholic 3:27.54.
BOYS’ RESULTS
Team scores: Marvin Ridge 255; Cardinal Gibbons 155; Ardrey Kell 152; Leesville Road 135; Enloe 122; Myers Park 110; Hoggard 109; Page 98; East Chapel Hill 96; Ashley 92.
(others from Charlotte, Raleigh areas) 11. Providence 90; 12. East Mecklenburg 88; 13. Green Level 81; 15. Sanderson 53; 16. Chapel Hill 49; 17. South Mecklenburg, Green Hope 45; 19. Hickory Ridge 44; 20. Apex Friendship 43; 21. Heritage 37; 22. Middle Creek 36; 23. Northern Durham, South Garner 32; 25. Cox Mill 30.
26. Broughton 29; 27. Holly Springs 27; 30. Cleveland 17; 32. Apex 14; 34. Millbrook, Corinth Holders 12; 36. Athens Drive 11; 37. Charlotte Catholic 9; 38. West Cabarrus 8.5; 39. Hough 7; 42. Cary, Jordan 3.
Top-three finishers:
Diving: Jacob Pollina (Northern Guilford) 456.20; Cooper Thomas (Cleveland) 455>15; Walker Plym (South Mecklenburg) 408.10.
200 medley relay: Marvin Ridge (Charles Heisig, Jordan Willis, Troy Keen, Michael Rice) 1:30.52; Ardrey Kell 1:32.05; Leesville Road 1:32.42.
200 freestyle: James Bennison (Heritage) 1:38.68; Jack Haywood (Providence) 1:38.78; Aaron Davidson (Sanderson) 1:39.48.
200 individual medley: Charles Heisig (Marvin Ridge) 1:47.88; Ian Stutts (Enloe) 1:48.01; Grayson Nye (Middle Creek) 1:49.41.
50 freestyle: Sean Setzer (Ashley) 19.75; Albert Smelzer (Page) 20.12; Christopher Zhang (Ardrey Kell) 20.35.
100 butterfly: Matthew Marsteiner (Leesville Road) 47.61; Alex Townsend (Enloe) 48.19; Lucas Li (East Chapel Hill) 49.14.
100 freestyle: Sean Setzer (Ashley) 43.99; Christopher Zhang (Ardrey Kell) 44.53; Albert Smelzer (Page) 44.58
200 freestyle relay: Marvin Ridge (Charles Heisig, Troy Keen, Gavin McCarter, Michael Rice) 1:23.25; Ashley 1:23.51; Ardrey Kell 1:23.56.
100 backstroke: William Witmer (Hoggard) 47.93; James Bennison (Heritage) 47.97; Chris Erikson (Northern Durham) 49.27.
100 breaststroke: Grayson Nye (Middle Creek) 53.08; Jordan Willis (Marvin Ridge) 54.67; Maksym Nechydyuk (Ardrey Kell) 55.80.
400 freestyle relay: Leesville Road (Axel Mori, Elijah Nelson, Davis Jackson, Matthew Marsteiner) 3:06.64; Cardinal Gibbons 3:06.75; East Mecklenburg 3:08.84.
