Coming up strong
Hawthorne takes second, Smallwood fourth in Division B swim meet
SILVER SPRING — The spacious shaded areas at Strathmore Bel Pre offered swimmers more than a hint of reprieve from the hot, humid conditions outside the pool at the Prince Mont Swim League’s Division B championships on Saturday.
Locally, Hawthorne Country Club finished second in the title chase with 225 points, only 17 behind triumphant Maximum Velocity Propulsion of Washington, D.C, while Smallwood Village Aquatic Club took fourth with 197 points, followed closely by the Kings Landing Swim Team with 187.
Each of the three local teams had plenty of stellar efforts.
Esther Dugan was one of three triple winners for Hawthorne, but she accomplished her hat trick the hard way. Earlier in the week, Dugan was diagnosed with pneumonia and was unable to practice in the days leading up to the meet, but she was able to fight through her illness and lack of preparation to win a trio of events in the 11- to 12-year-old girls category.
“I found out that I had pneumonia on Wednesday and I haven’t practiced since,” said Dugan, who won the girls 11-12 50-meter butterfly (33.84 seconds) and 50 freestyle (31.69) and the 12-and-Under 100 individual medley (1 minute 18.64 seconds). “I had some trouble breathing today. I knew that I was not going to get top times. I was two seconds off in the 100 IM and a second off my best time in the 50 free, but I only missed my best time in the fly by milliseconds.”
Not to be outdone, Hawthorne’s Cole Rapczynski also recorded a triple on Saturday and now looms as one of the favorites
in all three of his events this weekend at the league’s AllStar meet. Rapczynski captured the boys 11-12 50 fly (35.13, 31 one-hundredths of a second ahead of Pointer Ridge’s Tyson Utley) and 50 breaststroke (42.13) and 12-U 100 IM (1:21.72, 34 one-hundredths of a second ahead of Smallwood’s Clayton Jameson).
“I’m hoping to get at least one win at all-stars, but I was happy with my times today,” Rapcynski said, noting that Michael Venit of host West Arundel will be his primary competition. The All-Star meet is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Saturday at West Arundel Swim Club in Laurel. “It’s always great to win three events at any meet. I know the competition is going to be even tougher next weekend at all-stars.”
Hawthorne’s Conor Vienneau also completed a swimming triple on Saturday and tallied a grand slam of sorts when he swam the opening leg of the Gators’ triumphant boys 18-U 200 medley relay (1:58.44). The quartet of Conor Vienneau, David Dugan, Mikel Reyes and Liam Vienneau established a new team record with their performance, breaking their mark set July 17 at the Charles County championships by more than a second.
Conor Vienneau, a rising freshman at La Plata High School where his older brother Liam will be a senior this fall, captured the boys 13-14 50 free (26.25, edging Smallwood’s Lawrence Sapp by 31 one-hundredths of a second), 50 backstroke (29.69) and 100 IM (1:04.78). Conor Vienneau set pool records in the 50 free and 100 IM and established a new team record in the 50 free, eclipsing the one he previously held July 17 at the Charles County championships by three one-hundredths of a second.
“I was hoping to take best times in all three of my events,” Conor Vienneau said. “I was able to drop time in the 50 free, but I added time in the 100 IM and 50 back. Anytime you can win three events at divisionals it means a lot. There are a lot of good swimmers in this division.”
Liam Vienneau won two events, taking the boys 15-18 100 free (57.43, 42 one-hundredths of a second ahead of Kings Landing’s Isaiah Johnson) and 100 IM (1:05.92, 17 one-hundredths of a second ahead of MVP’s Andrew Smith).
Megan Schueller prevailed for the Gators in the girls 13-14 50 fly (34.25) by three one-hundredths of a second ahead of Smallwood’s Mya Rivenburg. Addy Donnick won the girls 9-10 50 free (33.36) and 25 back (19.22). David Dugan took the boys 13-14 50 breast (33.36) in pool record fashion.
Smallwood recorded a bevy of superb efforts in individual events and relays.
The Marlins’ quartet of Sydney Marohn-Johnson, Nathalie LaFontant, Teagan Rohrbaugh and Rivenburg combined to capture the girls 18-U 200 medley relay (2:18.93) by six one-hundredths of a second over Strathmore Bel Pre and it established a new team record by nearly a full second. Marohn-Johnson captured the girls 13-14 50 back (36.53).
Sapp won the boys 13-14 50 fly (28.28) and was second to Conor Vienneau in the boys 13-14 50 free and 100 IM. Rivenburg, a rising sophomore at North Point High School, was second to Schueller in the girls 13-14 50 fly and was third in the 50 free (30.22) and 100 IM.
“It seemed like in every event I got beat by three one-hundredths of a second,” Rivenburg said. “Megan, Gaby [Shenot, Pointer Ridge] and Nathalie all swam really good races. I missed [first] by .03 in the fly and [second] by .03 in the free. Next week we have a family vacation planned, so I’m not sure about all-stars.”
LaFontant captured the girls 13-14 50 free (29.24) and 50 breast (38.09). Cora Jameson took the girls 11-12 50 back (37.77). Nicholas Rawson won the boys 15-18 50 breast (34.12).
Wins proved difficult to attain for Kings Landing, but it did record numerous top-three finishes in individual events and relays.
“We had a lot of good swims today,” Kings Landing head coach Kandia Spain said. “I thought Luke [Hawit] and Tommy [Biehn] and Abby [Johnson] and Isaiah [Johnson] all swam well. Our relays were really good today.”
Biehn posted one of three victories for the Lionfish when he captured the boys 9-10 25 back (20.71). He also finished second in the boys 9-10 50 free (36.65).
Isaiah Johnson took first in the boys 15-18 50 back (30.90) and finished second in the boys 15-18 100 free to Hawthorne’s Liam Vienneau (57.85). Abby Johnson finished first in the girls 15-18 50 back (35.45) with teammate Sarah Cole right behind in second (36.22).
Luke Hawit took second in the boys 8-U 25 free (18.56) and 25 back (23.22). Evan Weber was second in the boys 11-12 50 breast (43.50) and Benjamin Voelker was second in the boys 13-14 50 back (33.31).
Kings Landing also had a host of third-place finishers. Lincoln Johnson was third in the boys 10-U 25 fly (18.22), Nyah Hartwell was third in the girls 13-14 50 fly (35.09), Laurel Gallaudet was third in the girls 15-18 50 fly (33.25) and 100 free (1:06.13), Alexandra Uhlmann took third in the girls 8-U 25 breast (30.02), Connor Currie was third in the boys 13-14 50 back (33.60) and Cedar Gallaudet was third in the girls 8-U 25 back (26.38).
Tyler Droneberger, Alexandra Uhlmann, Katherine Cuebas and Hawit combined to finish second in the mixed 8-U 100 free relay (1:24.44). Biehn, Evan Weber, Connor Currie and Johnson combined for second in the boys 9-18 200 free relay (2:06.15), then Aspen Gallaudet, Emma Biehn, Hartwell and Abby Johnson took third in the girls 9-18 200 free relay (2:14.97).