The 2021 GHSA Swimming and Diving State Championships continued Wednesday at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, with the boys and girls Class 4-5A competitions commencing following Tuesday’s diving events.
For the boys, the Marist War Eagles claimed their second consecutive state title with a first-place score of 321. In second place was Woodward Academy (284) followed by third-place Calhoun (271). North Oconee’s Gavin Jones improved on his second-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle in 2020 by placing first this year with a time of 1:41.91. In second was Clarke Central’s Will Foggin (1:43.60) who also improved from his third-place finish last year.
Loganville’s Anderson Holcomb showed up big and was crowned in two events, placing first in the 200-yard IM (1:53.02) and the 100-yard breaststroke (56.56). Holcomb wasn’t the only swimmer to place first overall in multiple events. Northgate’s Tavanh Pittenger finished first overall in both the 50-yard freestyle (20.46) and the 100-yard freestyle (45.59).
In the 100-yard butterfly, McIntosh’s Andrew Bleuez (49.93) was able to best 2020 top-finisher Seth Roach (50.25) from Starr’s Mill, who finished second. In last year’s 500-yard freestyle, Clarke Central swimmer Will Foggin managed to podium with a third-place finish of 4:41.36. This year, Foggin was able to shave nearly three seconds off his finish with a time of 4:38.70, enough for him to take home the gold.
On the girls side, the Marist War Eagles (325) narrowly bested second-place St. Pius X (323) to take home their first swimming state title since their marvelous three-peat run from 2015-2017, and gave Marist a pair of 2021 Class 4-5A Swimming State Titles. Following in third place was Chamblee (312), who repeated as the top finisher in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:46.93. North Oconee’s Karen Zhao defended her spot at the top in the 200-yard freestyle after placing first last year, winning the event again with a time of 1:50.61. In second place was Chamblee’s Kyla Maloney (1:51.06), who improved from her third-place finish last year.
Zhao wasn’t done yet, and again defended her title in the 100-yard freestyle with a repeat victory and a time of 51.47. In last year’s 500-yard freestyle, Morgan Jenny of St. Pius X placed second with a time of 5:10.53. This year, Jenny took her performance one step further to finish first in the event with an improved time of 5:03.12. She also placed first in the 200-yard IM (2:06.13).
Chamblee’s Kyla Maloney placed first in the 100-yard backstroke during last year’s competition (54.57), and was able to defend her spot at the top this year, finishing first overall with a time of 54.85. Starr’s Mill’s Avery McFaddin was able to take the crown in multiple events, placing first in both the 50-yard freestyle (23.31) and the 100-yard butterfly (54.65).
Tomorrow, the boys and girls Class 1-3A Swimming State Championships will take place. See the results from Wednesday’s Class 4-5A GHSA Swimming State Championships below.
TEAM RESULTS
Class 4-5A
Boys
1. Marist (321) 2. Woodward Academy (284) 3. Calhoun (271)
Girls
1. Marist (325) 2. St. Pius X (323) 3. Chamblee (312)
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Class 4-5A
Boys
200-Yard Medley Relay
1. St. Pius X (1:36.54) 2. Calhoun (1:36.74) 3. Starr’s Mill (1:37.06)
200-Yard Freestyle
1. Gavin Jones, North Oconee (1:41.91) 2. Will Foggin, Clarke Central (1:43.60) 3. Cal Gallagher, Greenbrier (1:44.30)
200-Yard IM
1. Anderson Holcomb, Loganville (1:53.02) 2. Henry Halloran, St. Pius X (1:53.65) 3. Michael Tucker, Starr’s Mill (1:55.34)
50-Yard Freestyle
1. Tavanh Pittenger, Northgate (20.46) 2. Andrew Bleuez, McIntosh (21.08) 3. Brooks Butler, Thomas County Central (21.14)
100-Yard Butterfly
1. Andrew Bleuez, McIntosh (49.93) 2. Seth Roach, Starr’s Mill (50.25) 3. Michael Tucker, Starr’s Mill (51.08)
100-Yard Freestyle
1. Tavanh Pittenger, Northgate (45.59) 2. Brooks Butler, Thomas County Central (46.04) 3. Leo Roden, North Springs (46.89)
500-Yard Freestyle
1. Will Foggin, Clarke Central (4:38.70) 2. Henry Halloran, St. Pius X (4:40.15) 3. Gavin Jones, North Oconee (4:40.20)
200-Yard Freestyle Relay
1. Marist (1:29.12) 2. Grady (1:30.08) 3. Greenbrier (1:30.30)
100-Yard Backstroke
1. Seth Roach, Starr’s Mill (50.68) 2. Harrison Barnard, Woodward Academy (51.25) 3. Max Farmer, Central-Carroll (51.73)
100-Yard Breaststroke
1. Anderson Holcomb, Loganville (56.56) 2. Benjamin Nordstrom, Marist (58.37) 3. Will Eickman, Calhoun (58.59)
400-Yard Freestyle Relay
1. Woodward Academy (3:13.53) 2. Starr’s Mill (3:14.08) 3. Calhoun (3:15.33)
Girls
200-Yard Medley Relay
1. Chamblee (1:46.93) 2. Starr’s Mill (1:47.71) 3. McIntosh (1:49.84)
200-Yard Freestyle
1. Karen Zhao, North Oconee (1:50.61) 2. Kyla Maloney, Chamblee (1:51.06) 3. Amelia Cooper, Blessed Trinity (1:57.00)
200-Yard IM
1. Morgan Jenny, St. Pius X (2:06.13) 2. Sydney Smith, North Springs (2:06.53) 3. Hally Laney, Decatur (2:06.79)
50-Yard Freestyle
1. Avery McFaddin, Starr’s Mill (23.31) 2. Macy Mullis, Madison County (24.34) 3. Morgan Stroud, McIntosh (24.73)
100-Yard Butterfly
1. Avery McFaddin, Starr’s Mill (54.65) 2. Nanami Lillie, McIntosh (56.47) 3. Annie Pfeufer, Decatur (56.64)
100-Yard Freestyle
1. Karen Zhao, North Oconee (51.47) 2. Annie Pfeufer, Decatur (51.53) 3. Jory Richardson, Grady (52.97)
500-Yard Freestyle
1. Morgan Jenny, St. Pius X (5:03.12) 2. Hally Laney, Decatur (5:12.39) 3. Amelia Cooper, Blessed Trinity (5:12.81)
200-Yard Freestyle Relay
1. McIntosh (1:38.71) 2. Starr’s Mill (1:38.79) 3. North Oconee (1:41.92)
100-Yard Backstroke
1. Kyla Maloney, Chamblee (54.85) 2. Nanami Lillie, McIntosh (56.47) 3. Macy Mullis, Madison County (57.16)
100-Yard Breaststroke
1. Mary Adam, Chamblee (1:04.80) 2. Evelyn Entrekin, Chamblee (1:05.49) 3. Angela Agcaoili, Greenbrier (1:06.13)
400-Yard Freestyle Relay
1. Chamblee (3:35.24) 2. Decatur (3:35.95) 3. North Oconee (3:40.10)
