Bruton girls repeat as state champions
The Bruton girls are building a dynasty in Class 2 girls swimming on Rochambeau Drive. The Panthers won their second consecutive team championship over the weekend, scoring 350 points to second-place Radford’s 261 at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center. It was a far bigger margin than last year, when the Panthers outpointed Radford by 33 for their first title.
Maddie Hubbard went home with four golds for Bruton. She started the meet by joining Scarlett Miller, Chloe Check and Alyssa White on the winning 200-yard medley relay (1:53.37) and closed it by joining White, Peyton Cleary and Izzie Check on the victorious 400 freestyle relay (3:47.07).
In between, Hubbard won the 200 individual medley in 2:15.50 and the 500 free in 5:24.41. That 200 IM was where the Panthers showed remarkable depth; Izzie Check was the runner-up and Chloe Check was fourth.
Among Bruton’s other highlights: White was the 200 free runner-up, Cleary was third in the 50 free, Chloe Check won the 100 breaststroke (1:07.96) and Izzie Check was third, and Cleary, the Checks and Miller won the 200 free relay in 1:44.31.
Poquoson’s girls placed seventh with 127.5 points.
In the boys competition, the Islanders tied for fifth and Bruton was seventh. The Panthers’ Zach Hubbard won the 100 backstroke (56.63) and was the 100 butterfly runner-up (54.64), and teammate Riley Thompson was the 200 free runner-up (1:52.96) and took third in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.43). Poquoson’s Tony DeVries was second in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free, and he anchored a team including Landon Owens,
Soren Lund and Jack Sebring) to second place in the 400 free relay.
Class 6
Ocean Lakes senior Bobby DiNunzio completed his high school career by winning the 500-yard freestyle in the Class 6 championships. Bound for the Florida Gators next season, he finished in 4 minutes, 24.56 seconds to defeat the runner-up, Westfield’s Tyler Whitacre, by 4.07 seconds.
Also, DiNunzio was sixth in the 200 individual medley in 1:52.99 and helped the Dolphins take 10th in the 200 medley and 400 free relays.
Class 4
Jamestown’s Wyllo Hanson won the 200-yard freestyle and 50 freestyle and Addy Heyward was first in the 100 freestyle as the Eagles finished second in the Class 4 girls swimming and diving championships Saturday at SwimRVA in Richmond.
Hanson and Heyward teamed with Charlotte Basic and Isabel Kantor to finish second in the 200 free relay, and Basic, Hanson, Heyward and Holly Brundage placed second in the 400 free relay.
Jamestown’s Trinity Schulze was fourth in the 100 breaststroke.
Deep Creek’s Savanna Miller won the 1-meter dive, and Grafton’s Madelyn Paxton was third in the 100 backstroke.
Monacan finished at 336 points for the trophy, followed by Jamestown (212) and Blacksburg (176).
In the boys competition, Grafton’s Justin Sere was second in the 200-yard freestyle and third in the 100 breaststroke, and teammate Ryan Griffith was second in the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke .