Marvin Ridge boys enjoy big night in NC 4A Western Regional swimming and diving finals
Michael Rice said he and his Marvin Ridge swimming and diving teammates have several goals for the remainder of this season —including winning a state championship and setting a state record in the 200-yard medley relay.
The Mavericks appear on target to reach those goals.
Rice, a sophomore, won one event and swam the anchor leg on two victorious relay teams as Marvin Ridge dominated the boys’ competition Friday in the 4A Western Regional swimming and diving meet at the Mecklenburg Aquatic Center.
Marvin Ridge swamped their opponents, totaling 430 points to runner-up Ardrey Kell’s 284.5.
Myers Park won the girls’ team championship, holding off second-place Marvin Ridge 370.5-320.5.
“We want to win the state championship this year,” said Rice, who won the 200 freestyle by a half-second and swam the closing lap on the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay. “We missed by a little last year and think we can win it this time.”
Marvin Ridge finished second to Providence in last year’s 4A state meet, 11 points behind the Panthers.
The Mavericks will head to next Saturday’s 4A state championships at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary as favorites. Team scores were not immediately available Friday evening, but Marvin Ridge won six of 12 events and had 11 top-three performances.
One of those victories was in the 200 medley relay.
“We want to break the state record there,” Rice said.
Marvin Ridge’s winning time Friday of 1 minute, 30.96 seconds was 1.25 seconds faster than the state meet record — set last year by Marvin Ridge. In fact, the same four swimmers from last year’s team — Charles Helsig, Jordan Willis, Troy Keen and Rice — are back this year.
It will take a while for Marvin Ridge’s coach, Melissa King-Pierce, to take it all in. As has been the case in recent years, King-Pierce also served as regional meet director.
“That means I’m flying around all night,” she said. “But I’ve done this enough years so I’ve got a routine built up. I’ve even put together a book on how to run this meet. So I’m able to be a coach too.”
Ardrey Kell had the most girls’ victories, four, but Myers Park had nine top-three finishes. The Mustangs and Marvin Ridge each won three events.
Aubrey Hull and Eliza Wallace accounted for the Ardrey Kell victories, with Hull taking the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke and Wallace winning the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.
Top finishers in the 4A West Regional swimming and diving championships:
GIRLS
Team scores: Myers Park 370.5; Marvin Ridge 320.5; Charlotte Catholic 288; Providence 215; Lake Norman 185.5; Ardrey Kell 171; Cuthbertson 131; Hough 130.5; South Mecklenburg 124; Hopewell 111.5.
Weddington 76; T.C. Roberson 68; Watauga 42; South Iredell 30; Cox Mill 16.5; Asheville 12; Hickory Ridge 12; East Mecklenburg 11; West Cabarrus 8; Palisades 3.
1-meter diving: Reagan Leckner (Charlotte Catholic), 498.70; Isabella Wilhelm (Providence) 412.81; Miley Cook (Weddington) 389.31
200-medley relay: Myers Park (Sofia Plaza, Avery Klamforth, Kayman Neal, Mary Drummond), 1:42.48; Ardrey Kell 1:43.42; Lake Norman 1:44.07
200 freestyle: Kaylee Mcdonald (Marvin Ridge) 1:48.99; McKenna Patrick (Cuthbertson) 1:50.86; Sophia Pero (Hopewell) 1:51.02
200 individual medley: Avery Klamforth (Myers Park) 1:59.57; Sophia Plaza (Myers Park) 2:00.83; Lauren Bernardo (Charlotte Catholic) 2:01.73
50 freestyle : Aubrey Hull (Ardrey Kell) 23.41; Joslyn Bolton (Providence) 23.90; Mary Drummond (Myers Park) 24.04
100 butterfly: Alyssa Claborn (Lake Norman) 54.41; Kayman Neal (Myers Park) 54.56; Sophia Pero (Hopewell) 55.34
100 freestyle: Eliza Wallace (Ardrey Kell) 50.62; Kaylee McDonald (Marvin Ridge) 50.85; Joslyn Bolton (Providence) 51.47
500 freestyle: Charlotte LePage (Marvin Ridge) 4:54.76; Katherine Guenther (Myers Park) 5:00.12; Taylor Goodwin (T.C. Roberson) 5:03.31
200-freestyle relay: Myers Park (Avery Klamsforth, Katherine Guenther, Julia Oou, Sofia Plaza), 1:35.70; Lake Norman 1:36.09; Marvin Ridge 1:36.49
100 backstroke: Aubrey Hull (Ardrey Kell) 53.25; Alyssa Claborn (Lake Norman) 53.61; Lauren Bernardo (Charlotte Catholic) 54.24
100 breaststroke: Eliza Wallace (Ardrey Kell) 1:00.47; Avery Klamsforth (Myers Park) 1:01.29; Amelia Betancourt (Lake Norman) 1:03.44
400 freestyle relay: Marvin Ridge (Kaylee McDonald, Madison, Winardi, Avery Vassil, Charlotte LePage) 3:27.27; Myers Park 3:27.47; Charlotte Catholic 3:29.52
BOYS
Team scores: Marvin Ridge 430; Ardrey Kell 284.5; Providence 281; Myers Park 235; East Mecklenburg 195; South Mecklenburg 164.5; Cox Mill 121; Hickory Ridge 118; Hough 107; Hopewell 98.
Charlotte Catholic 88; Cuthbertson 70; West Cabarrus 49; Asheville 36; Butler 20; T.C. Roberson 14; South Caldwell 6; Palisades 4.
1-meter diving: Nate Robinson (Myers Park) 396.95; Mason Kramer (Charlotte Catholic) 384.40; Walker Plym (South Mecklenburg) 376.05
200-medley relay: Marvin Ridge (Charles Helsig, Jordan Willis, Troy Keen, Michael Rice) 1:30.96; Ardrey Kell 1:32.64; Myers Park 1:34.25
200 freestyle: Michael Rice (Marvin Ridge) 1:39.95; Jack Haywood (Providence) 1:40.31; Kyle Wilburn (Cox Mill) 1:42.01
200 individual medley: Charles Helsig (Marvin Ridge) 1:50.44; Isaac Holtham (Ardrey Kell) 1:51.04; Tobias Winardi (Marvin Ridge) 1:53.82
50 freestyle: Nate Hohm (East Mecklenburg) 20.45; Christopher Zhang (Ardrey Kell) 20.50; Alex Garmon (Hickory Ridge) 20.78
100 butterfly: Troy Keen (Marvin Ridge) 50.22; Maksym Nechydyuk (Ardrey Kell) 50.45; Gavin McCarter (Marvin Ridge) 51.05
100 freestyle: Christopher Zhang (Ardrey Kell) 44.64; Michael Rice (Marvin Ridge) 45.17; Nate Hohm (East Mecklenburg) 45.25
500 freestyle: Jack Rutledge (Providence) 4:33.15; Jack Haywood (Providence) 4:38.66; Adam Polzien (Marvin Ridge) 4:43.59
200 freestyle relay: Marvin Ridge (Charles Helsig, Troy Keen, Gavin McCarter, Michael Rice) 1:23.67; Ardrey Kell 1:24.10; Myers Park 1:24.98
100 backstroke: Isaac Holtham (Ardrey Kell) 50.96; Christopher Aristondo (South Mecklenburg) 51.59; Hil Lindsay (Myers Park) 52.00
100 breaststroke: Jordan Willis (Marvin Ridge) 54.97; Makeym Nechydyuk (Ardrey Kell) 56.92; Cameron Bucci (Myers Park) 57.37
400 freestyle relay: Providence (Carter Medlin, Jack Rutledge, Evan Prabhu, Jack Haywood) 3:09.50; East Mecklenburg 3:09.99; Marvin Ridge 3:10.22
