Ocean Lakes captures two region championships
The Dolphins win Class 6 Region A titles in gymnastics and boys swimming. Other region champs include First Colonial in Class 5 Region A boys and girls swimming and York in Class 3 Region A boys and girls swimming.
Defending state gymnastics champion Ocean Lakes repeated as the Class 6 Region A winner by outperforming three other Virginia Beach programs Saturday at Salem High.
The Dolphins totaled 143.425 points, followed by Kellam at 135.65, Landstown at 111.175 and Tallwood at 107.825. The triumph ensured that Ocean Lakes will represent the region at the state meet Friday at Kellam.
Kellam’s Ericka Robertson won the all-around championship with a 36.45. Ocean Lakes teammates Kara Lee (36.175) and Rheyana Regalado (35.275) were second and third, respectively.
The Dolphins took the top three spots on the uneven parallel bars, led by Brooke Gunter (9.2). Lee posted a 9.675 for first on the balance beam, was second in the floor exercise and third on the uneven bars. Robertson won the vault at 9.35. Samantha Lee, Kara’s sister. won the floor exercise, scoring a 9.625, as well as placing second on bars.
The top three gymnasts from each event and all-arounders Robertson and Kara Lee will advance to the individual state competition next Saturday at Kellam.
Swimming and diving
Class 6: The Ocean Lakes boys swam to the Class 6 Region A championship Saturday at Princess Anne Recreation Center in Virginia Beach.
Led by Bobby DiNunzio, who won two individual races and swam on two victorious relays, the Dolphins accumulated 392 points, followed by a pair of Chesterfield County schools — Cosby (362) and James River (294). Kellam was fourth with 204 and Landstown fifth with 201 in the eight-school field.
In girls competition, Kellam was the top school from Hampton Roads, placing third with 305.5 points. James River (366.5) edged Cosby (364) for the championship.
Ocean Lakes’ Ryan Hillery won the boys 200-meter freestyle in 1 minute, 56.73 seconds. DiNunzio won the 200 individual medley (2:05.74) and the 400 freestyle (3:56.90). The Dolphins’ Colin Mamaril took the 100 free in 54.07.
Ocean Lakes’ boys won all three relays. They prevailed in the 200 medley at 1:46.57 with DiNunzio, Lucas Barakey, Hillery and Matvei Isbell. They won the 200 free in 1:38.73 with Mamaril, Gage Spade, Barakey and Isbell and capped the competition by their 3:35.63 showing in the 400 free relay with Mamaril, Spade, DiNunzio and Hillery.
The Dolphins had the only diver competing, Mark Chernov, who gave them 20 team points with his 207.10 score.
As for the girls, Kellam’s
Emily Claesson won the 50- and 100-meter freestyles in 26.29 and 57.13 seconds, respectively, to highlight the performers from the 757 area code. Ocean Lakes’ Sydney Soto won the 1-meter diving event with 421.3 points.
Class 5: In the Class 5 Region A championships at Princess Anne Recreation Center, First Colonial earned a sweep as the boys and girls teams both took first place.
Samantha Tadder won the 400-meter freestyle in 4:12.92 and the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:09.35 as the Patriots defended their region title, scoring 428 points. Sophia Knapp (200 freestyle), Addy Roberts (200 individual medley), Faith Sconing (50 freestyle) and Madison Hartley (100 butterfly) also won events for First Colonial.
Cox finished second at 356, while Princess Anne (334) came in third.
On the boys’ side, the Patriots scored 402 points to defeat the defending region champion Cox Falcons, who finished second with 359.
Brandon Temple led First Colonial with a pair of individual wins, finishing first in the 50and 100-meter freestyles.
Princess Anne’s Noah Spain (200 IM, 100 breaststroke) won multiple events for the Cavaliers, who finished third with
316 points. The state championships for Class 5 and 6 will be in Northern Virginia, with diving set for Tuesday and Wednesday and swimming on Friday and Saturday. In each case, Class 5 competition is the earlier day, followed the next day by Class 6.
Class 3: York’s Nick Barrows won a pair of individual events and contributed to two additional relay wins to lead the Falcons to the Class 3 Region A titles Friday in Williamsburg.
Barrows finished with a time of 2 minutes, 2.47 seconds to win the 200-yard individual medley and won the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:01.40 as York finished with 436 points.
Tabb scored 369 points to finish second, with New Kent (341) and Colonial Heights (170) coming in third and fourth, respectively.
Brodie Persson (200 freestyle) and Elijah Fields (100 butterfly) also won events for the Falcons.
On the girls’ side, the Falcons earned another first-place finish, sweeping all three relays as York scored 576 points to defeat second-place Tabb (418), followed by Colonial Heights (310) and New Kent (205).
Bella Kimbel (200 free, 500 free) and Casey Tingen (100 free, 100 back) both won multiple events for the Falcons, while Laura Gaffney earned a victory in the 100-yard butterfly.