Providence Sets Two State Records En Route to Women’s Title

By Brian Savard

RALEIGH, North Carolina, February 16. PROVIDENCE narrowly defeated Enloe in the women's competition this past weekend at the North Carolina 4A state championship while the Enloe men cruised to an 84-point victory.

Providence took home the women's title with 239 points with Enloe right behind by scoring 233 points. Leesville Road placed a distant third 173 points.

Providence's 400 freestyle relay and 200 freestyle relay set state marks en route to victory. Its 3:31.35 time in the 400 freestyle relay eclipsed the former 3:32.39 mark set by Athens Drive in 2005. The record-setting 400 freestyle relay included senior Kaleigh Gomes, junior Laura Raichle, junior Christina Lepore and freshman Aviry Reich. The 200 freestyle relay foursome of Gomes, sophomore Kellie Darmody, Lepore and junior Lia Reich reset its own record from 2006 (1:38.03) with a time of 1:37.87.

Mandy Myers, an Apex junior, captured the state title in both the 200 freestyle (1:51.74) and in the 100 freestyle (51.71). Gomes took third in the 100 freestyle, despite owning the state record, which she set last year clocking 51.38.

Junior Kirsten Smith from Athens Drive turned in two All-American qualifying times, winning the 200 IM (2:01.45) and the 500 freestyle (4:53.09). Smith set the state record last year in the 200 IM (2:01.08).

Carly Smith, a Chapel Hill junior, cruised past the final heat in the 100 backstroke. Her winning time of 55.73 reset her 56.47 mark from last year.

Enloe senior Geoffrey Sanders took top honors in the 200 IM (1:51.82) and in the 500 freestyle (4:32.37). Sanders captained the National Junior Team at Junior Pan Pacs that swam last month.

Matt Donch, a Knightdale senior, continued his dominance of the sprint events in North Carolina. Donch sprinted to a 21.01 finish in the 50 freestyle and recorded a 45.86 in his 100. Donch swam a 45.09 last year, which stands as the current state record.

In the diving competition, Julie Doren, a freshman from Holly Springs, took the women's gold with a 464 point score. State record holder Nick McCroy, an East Chapel Hill sophomore, took the top spot in the men's competition with a score of 591.10.

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