The routine, also now an expectation, of winning another girls Liberty District swimming and diving championship has continued for the Yorktown Patriots.
For the eighth straight season, Yorktown won that high-school title, this year in a rout, scoring 509 points. Yorktown’s Arlington rival Washington-Liberty Generals were a distant second with 372.
Yorktown won 10 of the 12 girls races, including all three relays and seven individual events.
“I can’t think of a single bad swim we had during the meet the whole weekend long,” Yorktown coach Torey Ortmayer told ARLnow. “We looked good on paper before the meet, but we were a whole lot stronger in reality.”
Two swimmers, Lila Sherman and Mary Hecmanczuk, each won two races for Yorktown. Sherman was first in the 200 (1:51.39) and 500 (5:00.3) freestyles. Hecmanczuk was first in the 50 free (24.11) and 100 butterfly (57.23).
Other winners were Emory Haynes in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.6), Cory McKenzie in the 100 backstroke (54.77) and diver Cate Lawler (334.95 point total). Haynes also placed in the individual medley and swam on relays, and McKenzie was third in the 50 free and swam on relays.
Sherman and Hecmanczuk also swam on relays.
There were many other Yorktown swimmers who also placed high, like Nora Sherman’s second in the IM and fourth in the back, Jay Young’s second in the 500 free and fifth in the breast, and Jackie Furches’ third in the 500 free and fifth in the 200 free.
In addition, Elizabeth Pilot was fifth in the fly and ninth in the back, Emme Cobb was sixth in the 50 free and 10th in the 100 free, and Katherine Schmitt was eighth in the 500 free and 14th in the 200 free.
Others scoring for Yorktown were Pax Christensen, Katie Hardwick, McKenna Fredericks, Natalie Anderson, Sabrina O’Dea and Alaina Desautels.
Sophie Fredericks is another top swimmer for Yorktown, but was out due to illness.
The times for the winning relays were 1:47.15 in the medley, 1:40.53 in the 200 free and 3:34.72 in the 400 free.
“We had a lot of season-best times, and we did very well and scored a bunch of points in diving, which helps a lot,” Ortmayer said. “We are excited about where we are.”
In diving for Yorktown, Arissona Winn was second, Francesca Pereira fourth and Jenna Sheetz 10th.
Yorktown will be a favorite to win upcoming region and state meets.
Among the top swimmers for the Washington-Liberty girls were Clara McCarthy with a second in the 100 free and third in the 200 free, Amelia Maclvor with a third in the back, Charlie Scogna with thirds in the breast and IM, and Sophia Boyko with a fifth in the 50 free and seventh in the back.
Katie McDonald was fifth in the IM, Kate Taylor was fifth in the 500 free, Taylor Woodworth was fifth in the back, Willa McCarthy was sixth in the 500 free, and Sasha Taylor was sixth in the breast and eighth in the fly.
Penelope Simpson, Anna Eliot, Callie Dowler, Shelby Ebert, Evie Maloney and Carrie Torg were other contributors.
In relays, W-L was second in the medley, third in the 400 free and fourth in the 200 free.
In diving, Audrey Bowman was 10th in diving.
