Girls' swimming preview

A year ago, the Sherando girls’ swimming team finished only 26 points (315-289) behind Kettle Run at the Class 4 Northwestern District meet.

While it’s hard to say just how good the two-time defending district champion Cougars are going to be, the runner-up Warriors seem to have put together a roster that’s going to make Kettle Run have to work pretty hard to stay on top.

Sherando had five girls compete on its three state-qualifying relay teams last year, and all five of those girls are back. Two of them — junior Emma De Jong and senior Jordyn Jones — each participated in the state meet as individuals.

With a promising group of freshmen ready to aid Sherando’s accomplished corps of veterans, Warriors coach Joe Knight has a lot to like about his team’s potential this year.

”It would appear that we might be deeper than we’ve been in a number of years,” said Knight, whose roster features 23 girls. “My standard line is ‘cautiously optimistic.’ If everybody stays healthy and continues progressing the way they have right now [we can be successful]. I don’t have a real good feel for what Kettle Run actually lost and I don’t know what they have as far as incoming freshmen. But one of our goals is trying to upset them in a run for the district championship.”

Sherando’s veteran contingent is led by De Jong, who ranked among the area’s top three in seven events last year and was tops in the 100-meter backstroke (1:06.48) and 100 breaststroke (1:14.29). De Jong placed ninth in the Class 4 state meet in the 100 breast, was 14th in the 200 individual medley, won a Region 4C championship in the 100 backstroke and won district championships in the 200 IM and 100 freestyle.

Jones placed 27th in the 100 back at last year’s state meet. Also at the state meet, Jones, De Jong, senior Kyra Schultz and Natalee Tusing placed 10th in the 400 freestyle relay and 12th in the 200 medley relay, and Jones, Schultz, Tusing and Gracie Twigg took 16th in the 200 free relay.

The Warriors’ eight freshmen include Jones’ younger sister Chelsey, Lexee Schellhammer and Taylor Smith, who are all well-rounded swimmers and could factor in on the team’s relays.

Kettle Run will have at least a couple of swimmers back who should score a significant amount of points. Erin Kerrigan is back after winning district championships in the 200 free and 500 free and earning all-state honors in the 500 free. District 100 breast champion Peyton Talomie also returns for the Cougars.

James Wood (third in the district last year) will have a new coach in Jessica Barr, and she’ll have two of the best returning swimmers in the area to work with this year.

Two-time Winchester Star Girls’ Swimmer of the Year Kimblerly Warnagiris, a junior, ranked in the area’s top three in six events and led all swimmers in the 100-meter free (1:00.94), 100 fly (1:04.11, placed ninth in the state, district champion) and 200 IM (2:24.78, took eighth to earn all-state honors). Sophomore Paige Simko returns after placing 15th in the 100 breast and 16th in the 200 free, an event in which she posted the area’s fastest time (2:13.48 in meters).

Millbrook (fourth in the district) returns sophomore Lyddie Esslinger, who placed 16th in the 100 free and 19th in the 100 back at last year’s state meet.

Handley (fifth in the district) lost its lone state qualifier in Kenzi Fergus and will be led by junior Molly Young, who was the team’s fastest 200 IM swimmer last year and ranked second on the team to Fergus in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free and 100 fly last year.

With Maggie Walker and George Mason moving up to Class 3, Clarke County is the top returning team state finisher in Class 2 after placing third last year. But with only five swimmers on the team (the Eagles had 12 last year), Clarke County coach Carol Marshall said her team likely doesn’t have the depth to compete for a state title in the new Class 2.

The Eagles could have a couple of individual state champions in junior Sophia Deem, the 2018 state champion in the 50 free who took second in that event last year and was the area’s fastest swimmer in that event (27.75 in meters). Deem was also third in Class 2 in the 100 free and ranked third in the area (1:01.49). Sophomore Kayla Sprincis is also back after taking second in the state in the 500 free and fourth in the 200 free (second in the area in both events with meter times of 2:15.62 and 4:41.27, respectively).

The following is a glance at each area team:

SherandoCoach: Joe Knight, 15th season.

Last year: 2nd in the Class 4 Northwestern District meet; 5th in Region 4C; 16th in Class 4 state.

Key losses: Anne Restrepo, Hannah Starustka, Caitlyn Mayo, Andrea Houchins, Eve Campbell, Olivia Coulliard.

Key returnees: Lindley Armel, Jr.; Emma De Jong, Jr.; Adelaide Gannon, Jr.; Jordyn Jones, Sr.; Eleanor Lunde, Sr.; Hannah Motley, Jr.; Kyra Schultz, Sr.; Chloe Stogsdill, So.; Natalee Tusing, So.; Gracie Twigg, Sr.; Stella Wallin, So.; Anika Williams, Jr.

Key newcomers: Chelsey Jones, Fr.; Lexee Schellhammer, Fr.; Taylor Smith, Fr.; Riley Nussbaum, Fr.; Avery Lunde, So.; Brianna Clough, Jr. (transfer from Musselman, W.Va.); Hailey Nelms, Fr.; Grace White, Fr.; Chloe Boyd, Fr.; Jennifer Angel, So.; Emma Ahrens, Fr.

Knight’s outlook: “We would certainly hope [De Jong can be an all-state performer]. Right now she’s swimming just as good if not better than she did last year. She’s put in some additional time and training with PRO Motion [in Winchester]. She’s been going there twice a week because she’s committed to getting physically stronger, and from what we’ve seen she really is. We hope Jordyn Jones makes it back [to states] in the backstroke and can improve on her state performance. Her younger sister Chelsey has a lot of talent and she’s capable of qualifying for states in as many as four individual events. We have a lot of kids who can make it to the state meet by qualifying through placing.”

First competition: Dec. 7 at Central at Signal Knob Recreation Center

James WoodCoach: Jessica Barr, 1st season.

Last year: 3rd in the Class 4 Northwestern District meet; 6th in Region 4C; 21st in Class 4 state.

Key loss: Rachel Cavanagh.

Key returnees: Kimberly Warnagiris, Jr.; Paige Simko, So.

Key newcomer: Lauren Masters, Fr.

Barr’s outlook: “I’m trying to focus a lot on team building between the girls’ and boys’ team together but also between the people on each team. We’re also working on a lot of life lessons that we can embed into conditioning practices. We’re trying to get more kids to step up even though they might not be an actual captain. Not only is [Warnagiris] a great swimmer but she’s also a great asset to our team with getting new swimmers into the sport. She’s a captain this year, and you can tell she has a lot of goals. Lauren Masters is good at all the strokes but especially the sprint freestyle.”

First competition: Dec. 6 vs. Handley, Riverside at Jim Barnett Park

MillbrookCoach: Priscilla Elliott, 2nd season.

Last year: 4th in the Class 4 Northwestern District meet; 10th in Region 4C; 30th in Class 4 state.

Key losses: Kristen Smith, Blair Compton.

Key returnees: Lyddie Esslinger, So.; Olivia Webster, So.; Avery Ours, Jr.; Avery Sigler, So.; Emma Shipp, Jr.

Key newcomers: Elizabeth Raymond, So.

Elliott’s outlook: “We have 47 people (28 girls), so I think last year by the end of the season we had 29 athletes, so I’m really pleased with the growth. We’ve got some really strong returning athletes. I’d like to see a female relay go to states this year — I think we can have a really strong 200 medley team — and I’d like to see a couple more individual qualifiers. I definitely think that we can do that. The girls are looking really strong. Lyddie is looking fast. She’s looking really good for her backstroke and her freestyle again this year. Avery Ours looks really great right now. I think she’ll excel in the 100 freestyle and she might do the 100 fly this year. Her butterfly is looking good.”

First competition: Dec. 6 at Manassas Park Community Center

HandleyCoach: Tag Grove, 18th season.

Last year: 5th in the Class 4 Northwestern District meet; 11th in Region 4C; 24th in Class 4 state.

Key losses: Kenzi Fergus, Kayleigh Moss, Catherine Keim.

Key returnees: Molly Young, Jr.

Key newcomers: Claire Zombro, Fr.

Grove’s outlook: “We’ll miss the leadership the seniors gave us last year, because about 80 percent of swimmers [on both teams] are freshmen and sophomores, and many of them are new to competitive swimming. The future’s going to be good, but this year they’re going to have to work. Wins and losses are something we’re not even talking about. We’re just focusing on making improvements every day. Our numbers are good. We’re up to 36 people [more than half girls].”

First competition: Dec. 6 vs. James Wood, Riverside at Jim Barnett Park

Clarke CountyCoach: Carol Marshall, 18th season.

Last year: 2nd in Bull Run District; 2nd in Region 2A-2B; 3rd in Class 2 state.

Key losses: Emily David, Cynthia Fairbanks, Maeve Lyman, Stephanie Miller, Julija Martin, Tess Whalen.

Key returnees: Sophia Deem, Jr.; Kayla Sprincis, So.; Samantha Pitts, So.; Lexi Hooks, Sr.

Key newcomers: Leah Kreeb, Fr.

Marshall’s outlook: “I was expecting more [roster] numbers. We had a couple kids who couldn’t participate because of injuries or illness. Hopefully, we’ll be small and mighty. What we’ve talked about as a team is that we may not finish where we’d like to finish as a team, we can still be on top of the podium in the events that we are participating in. Sophia and Kayla are both working hard in practice and getting a little bit more individualized attention. Leah Kreeb is coming on pretty strong and has improved by leaps and bounds from the first day. We hope she can contribute to a relay team. We want to get at least one relay to states.”

First competition: Thursday vs. Broadway, Spotswood, Turner Ashby at Signal Knob Recreation Center

— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at
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