Local Sports

Region III Championships set for today

Swimmers from Elkins or B-U have fastest seed times in 10 of 22 events

BRIDGEPORT -- Area swim teams have high expectations going into today's Region III Championships being held at the Bridge Sports Complex.

In 10 out of the 22 scheduled events, swimmers from Elkins or Buckhannon-Upshur occupy the fastest seeded times.

The Tigers, who won last weekend's Big 10 Conference title, are led into the competition by Isaac Anger. The freshman broke two Big 10 marks and is the top seed in both the 50-yard freestyle (22.29) and 100 breaststroke (59.98).

He's also part of the 200 medley relay team with seniors Braxton Kenney, older brother Luke Anger and Charlie Smoak, which is seeded second.

Smoak, senior Izaak Whetsell, Luke Anger and Isaac Anger are seeded third in the 200 freestyle relay (1:39.77) and Smoak, Whetsell, Kenney and Luke Anger are the third seed in the 400 freestyle relay (4:00.96).

Luke Anger has the second fastest time (57.94) in the 100 butterfly.

The Lady Tigers are led by sophomore Rachel Shryock, who is seeded third in both the 200 freestyle (2:07.72) and 100 freestyle (59.13) and senior Isabelle Judy, who has the the third fasted times in both the 200 IM (2:30.83) and 100 breaststroke (1:17.55).

The team of senior Kaleigh Edwards, junior Ruby Jackson, Judy and Shryock is seeded third in the 400 freestyle relay (4:18.99) and junior Joslyn DeWeese, Judy, Shryock and Edwards third in the 200 medley relay (2:07.73).

The B-U girls look to state record holder Cadence Vincent to lead the way. The junior is the top seed in 50 freestyle (23.49) and 100 backstroke.

Senior Cameron Zuliani has the fastest seed times in both the 100 butterfly (1:02.27) and 100 butterfly (1:02.27).

Junior Alayna Whitehair is the second seed in the 200 IM (2:21.72).

The Lady Bucs' foursome of freshman Riley Vincent, Whitehair, Zuliani and Cadence Vincent are seeded first in the 200 medley (1:56.01) and 200 freestyle relays (1:44.18).

For the Buccaneer boys, junior Preston Bennett has the top time in the 500 freestyle (4:56.50) and Carter Zuliani the second in the 100 freestyle (53.89).

Bennett, Zuliani and juniors Reis Leonard and Owen Caynor are the top seed in the 200 freestyle relay (1:37.48) and the same group is third in the 200 medley relay (1:52.92).

Philip Barbour's top seeds belong to freshman MacKenna Halfin, third in the 50 freestyle (26.02); the 400 freestyle relay of Halfin, sophomore Layna Grassi, junior Raeanna Davies and sophomore Magnolia Shiflett, second in the 400 freestyle relay (4:15.82 and third in the 200 freestyle relay (1:52.42); and junior Jayden Starks, third in the 100 butterfly (1:02.94).

Other teams competing in today's Region III meet, set to begin at 11:30 a.m., include Capital, Charleston Catholic, Doddridge County, Grafton, Herbert Hoover, Liberty-Harrison, Lincoln, Notre Dame, PikeView, Riverside, Shady Spring, South Harrison, Robert C. Byrd and Woodrow Wilson.

The top three individual finishers from each region and the remaining 12 fastest qualifiers from the other three regions advance to the state meet, along with the top two finishers in the relay events and next 10 fastest times.

The state meet will be held Feb. 17-18 at the Mylan Park Aquatic Center in Morgantown.