Girls' swimming outlook: Sherando's goals remain high

Sherando had the best girls’ swimming season in Winchester-Frederick County history in 2021-22, and the Warriors are primed for another stellar year in 2022-23.

The Warriors lost five seniors from last year’s team that won the Class 4 Northwestern District title and the Region 4C title (their first region title in program history), and placed fifth in Class 4 for their best-ever state finish.

Sherando is still loaded with talent.

Leading the way will be senior Taylor Smith, who has signed with NCAA Division I University of North Carolina at Asheville.

Last year, Smith earned All-State honors in the 100 breaststroke (third) and 100 butterfly (eighth). The school record holder in the 200 individual medley, she won that event and the 100 fly at the Region 4C meet.

Smith also competed on two All-State relays last year, the 200 medley relay that took second and the 400 free relay that placed fourth.

All four girls who competed on the 200 free relay are back, and the Warriors return three of the four girls on the 400 free relay team and the 200 free relay team that placed seventh. Those All-State relay swimmers include senior Chelsey Jones (All-State in the 500 free by taking eighth; also 13th in the 100 fly); junior Madelynn Twigg (11th in the 100 free and 14th in 100 back); senior Lexee Schellhammer (17th in the 50 free, will compete for NCAA Division III Randolph); and junior Madison Reed (19th in the 50 free).

James Wood (third in the district, 10th in Class 4) features the reigning Winchester Star Girls’ Swimmer of the Year in senior Lauren Masters, who will compete for NCAA Division I Old Dominion University next year. Masters placed second in the 50 free and 100 free to earn All-State honors in both events last year. The school record-holder in both events had Winchester/Frederick County’s highest individual state finishes since 2005.

The Colonels lost an All-State swimmer in Paige Simko (100 breast, 200 IM), who is now at NCAA Division I Loyola University Maryland. Among the other key Colonel returners are sophomore Annie Hua (seventh in the 100 free and 100 breast at the district meet).

Handley (fourth in the district) lost All-State swimmer Hailey Brown, who placed fourth in Class 4 in the 500 free last year and elected to graduate one year early.

Brown was actually the Judges’ No. 2 swimmer in the 500 free last year. Now a junior, Grace Morgan was the Region 4C champion in the 500 free (and second in the 200 free), but didn’t compete at the Class 4 meet due to injury. Morgan has verbally committed to swim for NCAA Division I West Virginia University. The Judges also feature senior Sullivan Morefield (fifth in the 50 free and 100 free at last year’s district meet).

This year’s Millbrook team includes junior Kiera Webster (third in the 200 and sixth in the 100 fly at the district meet) and senior Carolina Arias (seventh in the 50 free and eighth in the 100 free at the district meet). The Pioneers were fifth as a team in the district last year.

Clarke County (second in Region 2B-1B last year) will experience a major transition this year now that Kayla Sprincis has graduated. Sprincis captured the Class 2-1 500 freestyle state title each of the last three years and is the school record holder in that event.

This year’s Eagle team does still have two All-State swimmers in sophomores Maya Pitts (seventh in the 200 IM; eighth in the 100 fly) and Noelle Whalen (sixth in the 100 fly; also placed 12th in Class 2 in the 200 IM).

The following is a glance at each area team:

Sherando

Coach: Joe Knight, 18th season.

Last year: Class 4 Northwestern District and Region 4C champions; fifth at Class 4 state meet.

Key losses: Jennifer Angel, Avery Lunde, Chloe Stogsdill, Natalee Tusing, Stella Wallin.

Key returnees: Chloe Boyd, Sr.; Zyna Chaari, So.; Gracie Defibaugh, So.; Zuris Fernandez-Guyosso, Jr.; Chelsey Jones, Sr.; Audrey Kauffman, Jr.; Emma Keister, Jr.; Deanna Laduca, So.; Reese Luong, So.; Madison Reed, Jr.; Lexee Schellhammer, Sr.; Taylor Smith, Sr.; Madelynn Twigg, So.; Addy Wallin, Jr.; Grace White, Sr.

Key newcomers: Emma Armiger, Fr.; Sienna Forrer, Fr.; Savannah Judy, Fr.; Ellie Luong, Fr.; Kelsie Stogsdill, Fr.; Maggie Tenney, So.

Knight’s outlook: “This year we partnered with Valley Health & Wellness in our preseason conditioning program and feel that has already paid dividends with the overall strength and endurance of our athletes. We expect to be major contenders at the district and regional level, and a top 10 team at the state championships. We lost several key swimmers from last year’s record-breaking team, so it will be a matter of developing our younger swimmers to fill in key roles. At states last year, we had several swimmers qualify for the consolation finals and/or first alternate position; this year, we’d like to see them move up into the championship final rounds. The majority of our swimmers have had some experience either at the summer league level or the high school and USA Swimming level, so their overall progress has been excellent.”

Next meet: Tuesday vs. Handley

James Wood

Coach: Jessica Barr, fourth season.

Last year: Third in Class 4 Northwestern District and Region 4C; 10th in Class 4.

Key losses: Paige Simko, Leah Snapp, Savannah Lewis, Sydney Karen.

Key returnees: Lauren Masters, Sr.; Annie Hua, So.; Kallie Gyurisin, So.

Key newcomer: Lauren Thompson, Fr.

Barr’s outlook: “I think we have great balance on our team this year including a variety of swimmers across the different strokes, distances, and overall level of experience. This has certainly made our team feel complete and ensures that everyone has their role. Paige and Leah were both integral to our past success which has left some gaps to fill. This has led us to place a strong emphasis on developing our middle tier of swimmers as they will all be key for our team to be as competitive as possible. Our work will prepare everyone to swim different events in order to fill all of the scoring spots. Ultimately, we’d like to be able to send at least one girls’ relay team to states again this year. Ashlynn Stacy and Samantha Krueger have been swimming consistently throughout the fall. This has helped the two of them enter the season with a greater level of endurance as well as improved stroke technique. I’m excited to see what they can accomplish this year. With the size of our team, and with the commitment that I’ve seen from them thus far, I would say a realistic goal is finishing top three in our district.”

Next meet: Dec. 15 vs. Millbrook

Handley

Coach: Tag Grove, 21st season.

Last year: Fourth in Class 4 Northwestern District; ninth in Region 4C; 22nd in Class 4.

Key losses: Hailey Brown, Talley Sublett, Mahi Patel.

Key returnees: Grace Morgan, Jr.; Laura Salley, Jr.; Sullivan Morefield, Sr.; Payton Craig, Sr.; Emma Fout, Sr.; Ren Delaney, Sr.; Kelsye Brown, So.; Sierra Campbell, So.

Key newcomer: Samantha Karen, Fr.

Grove’s outlook: “We have a small team (12 girls), so we’re not going to be able to contend for [championships] on the team side of things, but there’s a lot of opportunities for us to improve as a team and individually. I think the kids understand that. Something we’ve been talking to the kids about is we’ve got to push each other in practice. What we really have to focus on as a team is their times. Grace and Laura are some pretty talented kids and do a nice job with their leadership, and we’ve had a number of swimmers do a good job of following along and understanding what we need to focus on. Grace has been training pretty well. As talented as Grace is, I think there’s another level for her and she can get so much faster.”

Next meet: Tuesday vs. Sherando

Millbrook

Coach: Will Sigler, ninth season.

Last year: Fifth in Class 4 Northwestern District; eighth in Region 4C; 27th in Class 4.

Key losses: Lyddie Esslinger, Oliva Webster, Avery Sigler.

Key returnees: Kiera Webster, So.; Rylee Cooke, Sr.; Carolina Arias, Sr.; Mariya Nith, Sr.; Lauren Rosenthal, Sr.

Key newcomers: Riley Pillo, Fr.; Ansley Pendleton, Fr.

Sigler’s outlook: “The goal is to get better every day through hard work. We are looking to take a relay to states, with several individual qualifiers also.”

Next meet: Saturday vs. Central at the Manassas Park Community Center

Clarke County

Coach: Carol Marshall, 21st season.

Last year: Second in Region 2B-1B; eighth in Class 2/1.

Key loss: Kayla Sprincis.

Key returnees: Maya Pitts, So.; Noelle Whalen, So.; Kyleigh Goforth, So.; Leah Mitchell, So.; Rebecca Spitler, So.

Key newcomers: None mentioned.

Marshall’s outlook: “We have several swimmers who are new to the sport of competitive swimming. Much of practice will focus on stroke technique and pace training to learn how to race. The girls will find it hard to replace Kayla in terms of leadership. My goal is to increase our overall event placements at the region meet to increase our state meet participation.”

Next meet: Saturday vs. Strasburg and Broadway at the Manassas Park Community Center

— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at
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