Virginia High School swimming keeps chugging along, with the 6A Northern region wrapping up on Saturday night.
The Oakton boys took home the team title, led by Texas commit John Shebat and his pair of lifetime-best finishes, while the Langley girls took the team trophy on Isabella Rongione‘s strong distance performances.
Shebat was dominant, winning the 200 IM and 100 back with ease. His 1:46.07 in the 200 IM was a career-best by a longshot, displacing a 1:48.58 from prelims. That prelims swim was Shebat’s first time ever under 1:50.
The backstroke was equally impressive, with Shebat cracking 47 seconds for the first time in his life. His 46.71 was an incredibly impressive swim, topping the 46.76 that Shebat’s future Texas teammate Jack Conger put up his senior year of high school.
Rongione, a teammate of Shebat’s at Nation’s Capital Swim Club, took second in the 200 free and 500 free for Langley. Both were tight races with Oakton’s Megan Byrnes, yet another NCAP swimmer. Byrnes was 1:49.17 in the 200 to Rongione’s 1:49.29, and then 4:45.02 in the 500 to Rongione’s 4:47.58.
But Langley’s depth pulled through to bring home a team title.
Also winning a pair of events with notable times was West Potomac’s Cassidy Bayer. Bayer won the 100 fly (53.01) and 200 IM (1:58.21).
Doubling up on the boys’ side were Robinson’s junior duo of James Jones and James Murphy. Jones swept the sprints (20.30/45.36), while Murphy took the distance free races (1:37.76/4:25.71).
Any word on why Lea Gwennap was a no show at this meet? She would have pushed Bayer in the 200IM and probably would have won the 100 back. Not to mention she would have bolstered that Chantilly relays. I hope she returns for the state meet
Katy,
Word was that she got sick this past week and wasn’t well enough to swim. All signs point to her feeling better and being at the state meet in a couple weeks
And for those of our readers who don’t live in Virginia, I’ll clarify that it’s one of the states where you don’t have to swim at regionals to qualify for the state meet.
Just looked at the relay splits… Shebat swam the 200 Medley Relay (50 BK, 21.84) and 200 Free (4th leg, 19.47).
I was just thinking the NCAP medley relay of John Shebat, Carsten Vissering, Andrew Seliskar and James Jones will be very fast if they are all together at NCSA Junior Nationals (or any other meet they might attend).
NCAP FAN – They will all four be at NCSA’s and is a relay team capable of doing something very special. 🙂
As a big fan of Cassidy Bayer for a long time now, I’m pleased to see she swam 2 best times at this meet.
1.58.21 in the 200 IM. Her previous PB was 1.58.87.
And especially 53.01 in the 100 Fly. Her previous PB was 53.34.
She’s a so much better long course swimmer so that’s really promising for the coming months.
Rio 2016 😎
Texas vs Cal is like Real Madrid vs Barcelona. Both teams are loading up on hardware.
Go FC Barcelona of course! 🙂
The arrival of Hardy and Shabot could mean Conger goes full time into Fly for the Horns… so many options.
Here’s the scary thing…I’m not sure it would make a ton of different for Texas, points-wise, if Conger swims all five relays and only two individual events, or three individual events and no relays. If he’s firing on all cylinders, he’ll make any relay he’s on better, but it’s not like Texas is lacking in options to replace him. Backstroke? Darmody. Fly? Schooling. 200/400 free relays? Again, Darmody had nice times as the fourth leg of those relays last year, and is the fifth guy on the team under 20 in the fifty free this year, along with Conger and the sprint triumvirate of Murray, Ellis, and Ringgold. 800 free relay? Youngquist, Smith, Lewis, Roberts, Darmody, even Schooling quite possibly.
Texas Recruiting class looks real good now. Haas, Harty, Shebat, Newkirk, Tenney, and Holter. I daresay Texas could be better team next year even with graduations.
Texas is so deep that they already have the depth to replace Darmody and Youngquist on the relays. But Haas should replace Youngquist’s individual points, and it looks like Harty and Shebat should help replace Darmody’s points. All that to say, I agree with you. It’ll be interesting to see if Cal or anyone else can match them.
Both of Shebat’s times are NCAA B standards, and that 100 backstroke was within 0.2 of what it took to get an NCAA invite last year. Meanwhile, Robinson’s Jameses (???) looked poised to sweep the freestyles at states once again. Jones is already one of the top junior sprinters in the country, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Murphy also ends up being one of the top recruits in the class of 2016. The 6A championship is going to be another fun one.
The Robinson Rams Boys have a legacy of great and dominating teams (a ridiculous number of state championships in their trophy case). However, this team, led by Juniors James Jones and James Murphy, are a team that could possibly be their best. Not only are they fast, they are great young men (a reflection both Jones and Murphy’s character). Go OHS Cougars!
Welcome to the family… Hook’em Horns!!!
Hook’em!!! \m/