Wood's Masters, Sherando's relays shine at Class 4 state swim meet

RICHMOND — James Wood junior Lauren Masters had second-place finishes in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles and Sherando’s girls’ 200 medley relay team also placed second to highlight local performances at the Class 4 state swimming meet on Friday at SwimRVA.

In the team competitions, Sherando’s girls’ team had a program-best fifth-place finish to lead local teams. Monacan won with 316 points, Jamestown was second with 278, the Warriors scored 142 points, James Wood was 10th with 90, Handley was 22nd with 24 and Millbrook was 27th with 6 in a meet that featured 29 scoring teams.

James Wood had the top local finish in the boys’ meet, placing 13th. Western Albemarle won with 409 points, Blacksburg was second with 213, the Colonels scored 65 points, Sherando was 22nd with 8 and Handley was 30th with 3 in a meet with 33 scoring teams. Millbrook did not have any state qualifiers.

Masters was seeded first in the 100 free and had the fastest preliminary time (52.51 seconds). But fifth-seeded Monacan freshman Raegan Canada dropped 1.67 seconds off her seed time and tied a Class 4 state record in the finals (51.67). Masters improved on her seed time and broke her own school record and personal best in the finals with a time of 52.14.

Masters was the No. 4 seed in the 50 free (24.38). She broke her own school record and personal best in the finals (24.09) to finish second to Jamestown junior Wyllo Hanson, who set a Class 4 record with a time of 22.95.

The Sherando 200 medley relay team of sophomore Madelyn Twigg, junior Taylor Smith, junior Chelsey Jones and sophomore Madison Reed was seeded third. The Warriors broke their school record with a time of 1:49.89 in the prelims, then recorded a 1:50.35 in the finals. Monacan won the race with a Class 4-record 1:46.04.

All three Warrior relay teams earned All-State honors by placing in the top eight. The 400 free relay team of senior Natalee Tusing, junior Lexee Schellhammer, Twigg and Smith placed fourth in a school-record 3:40.83 and the 200 free relay team of Tusing, Reed, Jones and Schellhammer placed seventh in 1:42.75 (swam 1:42.46 in prelims).

Smith again led the way for the Warriors individually, earning All-State honors in two events. She placed third in the 100 breast in 1:05.74 (1:05.03 in prelims) and eighth in the 100 fly in 59.95 (58.32 prelims). Jones earned All-State honors in the 500 free (5:26.94; had 5:22.09 in prelims). She also placed 13th in the 100 fly (1:01.19, had a 59.98 in prelims).

Other scoring performances for the Sherando girls came from Twigg in the 100 free (11th in 54.49, had a 54.34 in prelims) and 100 back (14th in 1.01.92, had a 1:00.60 in prelims) and Tusing in the 50 free (14th in 25.38, had a 25.36 in prelims).

James Wood senior Paige Simko had two All-State performances, placing fourth in the 100 breast (1:06.08, had a 1:05.42 in prelims) and eighth in the 200 IM (2:16.68, had a school-record 2:11.30 in prelims).

Other scoring performances for the James Wood girls were earned by the 200 medley relay team (senior Leah Snapp, Simko, Masters, freshman Annie Hua), ninth in 1:54.15 (1:54.12 prelims); and the 200 free relay team (Hua, Simko, freshman Kallie Gyurisin, Masters), 11th in 1:46.23 (1:45.20 prelims).

Handley junior Hailey Brown earned All-State honors in the 500 free (fourth in 5:12.03). She placed 14th in the 200 IM (2:16.04, had a 2:12.86 in prelims) and teamed with sophomore Laura Salley, freshman Kelsye Brown and junior Sullivan Morefield to place 14th in the 200 free relay in 1:48.45 (1:46.29 in prelims). Sophomore Grace Morgan — who was seeded fourth in the 500 free and sixth in the 200 free — did not compete in the meet.

Millbrook’s 400 free relay team of senior Olivia Webster, senior Avery Sigler, senior Lyddie Esslinger and freshman Kiera Webster placed 14th in 3:55.56 (had a 3:54.64 in prelims).

In the boys’ meet, James Wood’s Warnagiris brothers combined for three individual All-State performances. The freshman Joseph placed sixth in the 100 backstroke (54.06, had a personal-best and school-record 53.26 in the prelims) and the junior Paul placed seventh in the 200 IM (1:59.55, had a 1:56.96 in prelims) and seventh in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.40, had a personal-best and school-record 1:00.57 in prelims). Joseph broke Paul’s school record in the back.

Other James Wood scoring performances were achieved by the 200 medley team (Joseph Warnagiris, Paul Warnagiris, junior Andrew Thompson, freshman Alex Hua), 10th in 1:41.45; the 400 free relay team (Thompson, junior Trent Rakowski, Joseph Warnagiris, Paul Warnagiris), 11th in 3:23.44; and Thompson in the 100 fly (15th in 55.27). The 200 medley and 400 free relay teams set school records at the Region 4C meet.

Sherando freshman Toby Winston placed 11th in the 50 free (22.73, had a 22.55 in prelims) and junior Evan Mercer placed 15th in the 100 breast (1:04.18, had a 1:02.72 in prelims).

Handley senior Henry Fowler placed 14th in the 200 free (1:52.00; had a 1:50.89 in prelims).

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

Follow on Twitter @WinStarSports1