Elkins girls win Big 10 title; Boys third

Regional meet to take place on Saturday at FSU

BRIDGEPORT -- The Elkins High swim teams will enter Saturday's Division II North Region meet with momentum after strong efforts in the Big 10 Conference Championships.

The two-time defending state champion Lady Tigers racked up 262 points to outdistance runner-up Buckhannon-Upshur's 128 points this past Saturday at The Bridge Sports Complex.

Fairmont Senior was third with 109 points, followed by Robert C. Byrd (91), Philip Barbour (79), Bridgeport (66), East Fairmont (25), Grafton (23) and Lincoln (18).

Elkins swept all three relay events, while senior Emma Ujvagi swam to first in both the 200-yard IM (2:22.69) and 100 breaststroke (1:14.25).

Junior Lilly Irons captured the 100 freestyle (56.18) and was third in the 50 freestyle (25.81), sophomore Aleah Irons second in both the 100 butterfly (1:07.89) and 100 backstroke (1:06.93), junior Leah Ours second in the 100 breaststroke (1:22.53), junior Lilly Anger third in the 200 freestyle (2:11.58) and fourth in the 50 freestyle (26.65), freshman Kenadi Carte third in both the 200 IM (2:43.81) and 100 butterfly (1:13.20), junior Sophia Rhodes third in the 100 freestyle (59.43) and senior Raighan Carte-Hall fourth in the 500 freestyle (6:43.54).

Ujvagi and Lilly Irons teamed with Aleah Irons and Anger in taking the 200 medley relay in 1:59.70, Aleah Irons, Rhodes, Ours and Ujvagi claimed the 200 freestyle relay (1:47.20) and Lilly Irons, Ours, Rhodes and Anger the 400 freestyle relay (3:59.34).

B-U senior Mallory Hughes was runner-up in both the 50 freestyle (25.37) and 100 freestyle (57.62) and teammate and sophomore Aubry Shay was third in the 500 freestyle (6:19.94).

The Lady Bucs' 400 freestyle relay comprised of junior Estrid Garver-Daniels, freshman Haleigh Skidmore, junior Karson Karickoff and junior Elizabeth Hurst placed third in a time of 4:52.27.

Philip Barbour's 200 freestyle relay of juniors Kendra Stalnaker, Cole Hall, Bekha Kennedy and freshman Bridget McGee was fourth with a time of 2:27.48 and McGee, Kennedy, Hall and sophomore Taylor McKinnsey fourth in the 400 freestyle relay (5:35.09).

Stalnaker was also fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:29.99).

The Elkins boys, meanwhile, placed third with 141 points.

Bridgeport won the title with 235 points, while RCB was second (177).

Fairmont Senior (125), Grafton (68), Philip Barbour (55), B-U (50) and East Fairmont (21) rounded out the field.

For the Tigers, freshman Kyan George was the Big 10 champion in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.61 and runner-up in the 50 freestyle (23.52), sophomore Joel Casto second in both the 200 IM (2:13.93) and 100 breaststroke (1:04.15) and freshman Dorsey Cutright third in the 100 backstroke in a time of 1:03.33.

In the relay events,George joined Casto, Cutright and freshman Kolton Ward in swimming to third in the 200 medley in a time of 1:53.69.

Philip Barbour senior Isaiah Starks was runner-up in the 100 butterfly in a time of 59.75 and third in the 200 freestyle (2:00.28).

B-U junior Grayson Colburn placed third in the 500 freestyle (5:55.18).

He joined freshmen Mitchell Whitley, Jackson Richards and Gareth Shay in placing third in the 400 freestyle relay with an effort of 4:24.79.

Elkins and Philip Barbour travel to the Division 2 North Region meet Saturday at Fairmont State University.

Other teams competing include East Fairmont, North Marion, RCB, Grafton, Lincoln, Doddridge County, Hampshire, South Harrison Oak Glen, Weir and Wheeling Central.

The top four individual finishers and next eight best times across the North and South Regions advance to the state meet, along with the top four relays and next four across the North and South Regions.

B-U, meanwhile, will compete in the Division I South Region meet, along with Bridgeport, Fairmont Senior, Riverside, Woodrow Wilson, Spring Valley, Cabell Midland, Huntington, Hurricane, South Charleston, George Washington, St. Albans and Nitro Saturday at The Bridge Sports Complex.