It has been postponed a couple of times due to weather. But yes, the Virginia High School League Class 6 state-championship swimming-and-diving meet is still scheduled.
And one Arlington team is preparing to defend its state crown.
The dates for the girls and boys competition are now Tuesday, March 4 (diving) and Wednesday, March 5 (swimming), both at the Jeff Rouse Swim/Sports Center in Stafford.
The boys diving finals begin at 1 p.m. and the girls at 4:15 p.m. The next day’s swim finals begin at 5:15 p.m.
The meet had been scheduled for Feb. 21-22 but was postponed due to inclement winter weather.
At the girls meet, the Yorktown Patriots will be trying to win their third straight state championship and sixth in program history, with past crowns in 2006, 2007, 2021, 2023 and 2024.
The squad also has finished second in the state four times.
Having previously won district and region championships this season, Yorktown is a favorite to win at the state level, and the delay may end up helping rather than hurting its chances.
“Our swimmers should be fresher and more focused with the extra time to train,” Yorktown coach Torey Ortmayer told ARLnow. “We just have to keep focused.”
Following the March 5 competition, a number of Yorktown swimmers will compete in a big weekend championship meet for their year-round club teams. With the Yorktown swimmers also training for that event, Ortmayer believes they are in peak condition as a result.
“Those swimmers could be at the top of their game for states,” Ortmayer said.
Ortmayer said the biggest challenge regarding the extra time with the state-meet postponements was getting the pool access to train, then having to share space during that time at the Yorktown pool. Once the high school season ends, Arlington middle school swimming teams begin using the Yorktown pool, and have priority.
Yorktown’s top challengers at the state meet are expected to be the Battlefield Bobcats and Robinson Rams teams. Robinson was second in last year’s state meet, with Battlefield the runner-up in 2023.
In winning district and region meets this season, many of Yorktown’s points came from winning all three relays at each competition. Yorktown’s medley and 200 free relays are seeded first in the state meet, with the 400 free fifth.
