Conference 21 west swim meet

By ROBERT NIEDWIECKI | The Winchester Star

WARRENTON — Sherando senior Daniel Milburn was figuratively on fire last week, setting school records in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100 backstroke at Shepherd University on Jan. 27.

Milburn’s body was literally on fire this week. But as usual, he couldn’t be stopped from touching the wall faster than everyone else.

Milburn was the only local swimmer to win two individual events on Friday night at the Warrenton Aquatic & Recreation Facility (WARF), and he swam a leg on two relays as well.

Milburn wasn’t able to help Sherando defend its Conference 21 West boys’ championship, but it was definitely an impressive day.

Milburn - who developed strep throat on Tuesday and missed school Wednesday and Thursday as his fever reached 102 degrees - didn’t have his best times Friday. But he won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:03.70 to win by 0.22 of a second, the 100 backstroke in 1:02.12 to win by 1.71, helped the 200 medley relay win by nearly four seconds in 1:46.33 and the 200 free relay also win by nearly four seconds in 1:33.60.

“Daniel is Daniel,” Sherando coach Joe Knight said. “He’s probably only 75 percent to be honest with you, but he came out and gave a great effort.”

In the boys’ meet, Woodgrove was first with 410 points, Sherando was second with 386, Harrisonburg was third (279), Handley took fourth (259), James Wood took fifth (239) and Millbrook took sixth (179).

Woodgrove won the girls’ competition with 420 points. Sherando was second with 339, Handley was third with 296, Harrisonburg was fourth with 288, James Wood was fifth with 284 and Millbrook was sixth with 183.

The top six individuals and top three relays, as well as those who achieved qualifying times, advance to the 4A West Region meet on Feb. 11 at James Madison University in Harrisonburg.

Though Friday was a struggle for Milburn - he nearly gave up his edge at the end of the 200 individual medley when Woodgrove’s Gage Russell made a late charge - he had every intention of giving everything he had for the Warriors.

“It was hard to go fast,” Milburn said. “I couldn’t pull out the same times I normally have when I’m healthy. But it’s all about helping the team, and I’m glad I did that.”

Knight said there were a number of his swimmers who didn’t feel well, but he was proud of how they persevered.

“We’ve had so many kids sick for about a week and a half,” Knight said. “And then we had some kids come off of being ill with bad colds this week. But we had some great swim tonights, and I’m really proud of our kids. Any time you can get in the pool and you can beat Woodgrove in two relays like our boys did, that says a lot.

“And with our girls, our medley relay won after they took last in last year’s meet. Jordyn Jones swam really well in the 200 free and 100 back, and I’m so happy for Abby Sears winning the 100 breast (by 0.22 in a state=qualifying time of 1:12.78). Anytime you can beat [Millbrook’s] Abbey Esslinger in anything, that’s a credit to how well you swim.”

In addition to Milburn, the Sherando boys 200 medley relay team included Mathew Pham, David Restrepo and Mayo, and the 200 free relay team included Ayman Ibrahim, Mayo and Restrepo.

Pham also won the 100 breaststroke (1:05.64), Mayo also took second in the 200 free (1:56.37), Pham took third in the 200 IM (2:13.57) and Ibrahim took second in the 100 free (52.02) and third in the 50 free (23.67).

Knight was particularly pleased for Pham, because Knight said Pham hadn’t been swimming as well as he’s wanted to this year. Pham beat Woodgrove’s Vincent Turman by 2.61 seconds, as well as his cousin, James Wood standout Brian Hua (third in 1:10.19).

“That was a big swim for him tonight,” Knight said. “We look him to move forward and qualify for states out of regions. He’s one of those kids who it appears is starting to peak at the right time.

“Last weekend Brian beat him, and I know he wasn’t particularly happy about that. So for him to come out and get a little bit of family revenge and bring home a conference championship, we’re happy for him.”

The Sherando girls 200 medley relay team of Jones, Sears, Kyra Schultz and Gracie Twigg won in 1:59.61.

The Warriors were also led by Schultz in the 100 free (second in 59.20), Jones in the 100 back (second in 1:04.71) and 200 free (third in 2:08.51), and the 400 free relay (4:07.84).

The Millbrook boys were led individually by Patrick Northrup’s first-place finish in the 200 free (1:53.68).

Northrup said he dropped 10 seconds in the 500 free two weeks ago in a meet with Winchester Swim Team that also took place at the WARF (he said he swam close to the 5:14.23 he swam Friday night), which gave him confidence that he could do the same at the conference meet.

In winning the 200 free, Northrup dropped 6.27 seconds off his seed time and beat his best time from last year (1:54.9). And in taking second in the 500 free, he dropped 10.29 seconds off his seed time and also beat his best time from last year (5:14.3).

“I really like swimming in this pool,” Northrup said. “That meet got me in gear for the postseason. I wasn’t getting the times I needed in the beginning of the year, but these last two meets I’ve been a lot closer to where I was last year.

“I think regionals should be a fast meet for me. I have more confidence and will be swimming against better swimmers. I‘m excited.”

For Millbrook, Esslinger won the 200 IM in 2:17.87 and took second in the 100 breast (1:13.00). Both were state times. The Millbrook girls were also led by Lindsay Fairbanks (second in the 500 free, 5:28.39).

Neither Esslinger or Northrup was seeded first in any of their events, so Millbrook coach Will Sigler was pleased to see them rise to the competition. Esslinger was seeded third behind two girls from Woodgrove, but she improved on her seed time by 2.57 seconds to win the 200 IM.

“Abbey definitely gives 100 percent in every race, and it shows in her times,” Sigler said.

The James Wood boys had an individual champ in Hua (57.25 in the 100 butterfly). Hua also took third in the 100 breast and swam a leg on the 400 free relay team that took second (3:41.85). David Dorsey took third in the 200 free in 2:00.61.

The James Wood girls were led by 100 butterfly champ Zoe Schopick (1:01.93).

Schopick pumped her arms in the air as she turned right to look at the scoreboard after beating Woodgrove‘s Sarah Frie by 0.36.

Schopick’s time was 3.47 seconds faster than her seed time of 1:05.40 (Frie‘s seed,time was 1:03.40) and qualified her for the Group 4A state meet.

“I was half a second off my best time ever,” Schopick said. “I just felt like it was time for me to really race. I was prepared and really determined to do well.”

The James Wood girls were also led by Hannah Cavanaugh (third in the 500 free, 5:54.41).

“We saw times drop from just about everybody who went in that pool today,” James Wood coach Elizabeth Mumaw said. “That was definitely encouraging. Taylin Crosen in the fly (sixth in 1:10) and Abby Fergus in the breast (fifth in 1:18.55) were not seeded to advance, so them dropping time and advancing was a pleasant surprise. And we’re really happy for the boys’ 400 free relay team, because I’m not sure when one of our male relays last advanced to regionals.”

The Handley boys were also led by Jackson Sitton (third in the 100 fly, 58.39, third in the 500 free, 5:19.62) and the 200 free relay team (third in 1:33.60)

The Handley girls were led by Kenzi Fergus (first in the 100 backstroke in a state time of 1:02.88, second in the 200 free, 2:06.53), Meredith Watts (second in the 50 free, 26.60, third in the 100 free, 59.41) and the 200 free relay team (third in 2:03.98).

Fergus’ seed time in the 100 back was 1:02.88, so she improved by 3.48 seconds, Fergus was seeded third behind Woodgrove’s Hannah Carter and her friend Jones from Sherando.

“I was hoping to get a PR, but I didn’t think I’d PR that much,” Fergus said. “I was really happy with that. I felt really good during warm-ups, and the whole team was excited, so that made me excited. Jordyn and I are friends, but I was motivated to well against her.”

Handley coach Tag Grove said it was great to see the hard work Fergus has put in pay off.

“We’ve been working on her turns, and working underwater, really for about three weeks solid,” Grove said. “This was by far her fastest time, and I think she can drop some time next weekend. We’re excited about what she did.”

Overall, Grove said he couldn’t have asked for more from his teams.

“By far, this is our best meet,” he said. “We probably only had three or four swims that kids added a little bit of time, and that was because of a bad start or a bad turn. Other than that, the kids were flying, taking two or three seconds off in a 100, a couple seconds off in a 50, so I was real impressed. The teams gave everything they had tonight.”

More detailed results will be in Monday’s edition.

— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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