High School State Championships: Mississippi Divisions 1 and 2

CLEVELAND, Mississippi, November 6. IN closely fought battles, Cleveland emerged as the girls champion, and Saint Andrew's captured the boys team title at the Mississippi Division 1 Swimming Championships Nov. 2-3. In Division 2 action, Tupelo swept the team titles despite a challenge from Madison Central on the boys side.

Division 1–1A through 4A
Though the Cleveland Wildcats had no event champions–in either individual events or relays–their depth paid off, as they scored 109 points for the girls title.

Individually for Cleveland, Shelby Cox finished second in both the 200 IM (2:17.67) and the 100 fly (1:01.26). Manuela Portilla placed second in the 500 free (5:18.13) and third in the 200 free (1:58.27). Mary Kay Kline took third in the 50 free (25.83), as did Hallee Pinkerton in the 100 breast (1:14.45). The Wildcats finished second in the free relays (200 free, 1:44.49; 400 free, 3:55.79) and third in the 200 medley relay (2:05.15).

The Saint Andrew's Saints fell just short, earning 103 points for second. Carly Good was a double event champion, taking charge of both the 200 IM (2:12.45) and 100 breast (1:07.87), as did sister Alex in the 100 (53.15) and 200 free (1:54.48). Maggie Gleason was tops in the 100 fly with her 1:00.80. The Saints' relay team of Gleason, Carly Good and Alex Good, plus Mollie Shepard, dominated with their victories in the 200 medley (1:52.64) and 400 free (3:42.73).

St. Joseph Catholic wound up in third with 86 points. MariMac Collins and Niijor May finished 1-2 in the 50 free (25.20-25.30); they joined Anna Katherine Brunini and Sophia Waddingham for a first-place 1:44.27 in the 200 free relay. Lewisburg's Gabrielle Sanchez topped the field in both the 500 free (5:13.40) and 100 back (59.78), leading her team to a fourth-place total of 50 points. Our Lady Academy took fifth with 30 points.

Winn Walker posted a 1:05.18 in the 100 breast, good for first in that event, and swam on the St. Andrews' winning 200 medley relay with Anthony Santangelo, Jack Smithson and Phillip Burnett (1:48.35) to help the Saints to place first in the boys race over St. Joseph Catholic, 101-91.

The second-place Bruins were led by Walker Burrow, champion of the 100 fly (55.45) and the anchor of their first-place 400 free relay with Tony Weissenberger, Stewart Inman and Jack Collins (3:36.32). Burrow also placed second to Cleveland's Will Weeks in the 100 back (59.07-59.40).

Bennett Holland, who finished second behind Wibowo in the 50 and 100 free (23.79 and 53.09), anchored St. Stanislaus' winning 200 free relay (1:36.38), along with Peter Neto, Robert Simpson and Andrew Lucore. The Flashes took third, scoring 68 points.

The fourth-place St. Aloysius (55) and fifth-place St. Patrick Catholic (43) teams could both boast of a double-event champion. St. Aloysius' Wally Wibowo swam to victory in the 50 (22.07) and 100 free (49.07). Zach Cruthirds, swimming for St. Patrick Catholic, took care of the 200 free (1:48.65) and 500 free (5:09.71). Hartfield Academy's Eien McGee was the 200 IM champion, posting a 2:06.62.

Division 2–5A and 6A
Tupelo's girls swam away with the team title, scoring 108 points to Starkville's 76. Oxford came in third (60), followed by Madison Central (55) and Northwestn Rankin (42).

The first-place Golden Wave were led by two-event champ Cris Roberts (100 fly, 57.31; 100 back, 1:01.07) and Bailey Scott, winner of the 50 free (23.76). Scott and Roberts combined with Chelsie Gray and Lauren Bean for the 200 medley relay title (1:51.63); Roberts and Scott then combined with Walker Fortenberry and Haruka Sugimoto to claim victory in the 400 free relay (3:46.56).

Starkville prevented a Tupelo relay sweep with their triumph in the 200 free relay. The quartet of MarkAnne Hobart, Kristen Lacy, Sarah Byrd and Laken Vickers put together a 1:43.61.

Individual event champions included Kyjana Webber, Harrison Central (100 free, 52.94); A.K. Mitchell, Northwest Rankin (200 free, 1:59.34); Landra Gavin, West Jones (500 free, 5:37.41); Taylor Ballard, Brandon (100 breast, 1:06.62); and Ashleigh Moore, Ocean Springs (200 IM, 2:12.63).

The Golden Wave boys team had a much harder time of taking the team title, winding up just six points ahead of the Madison Central Jaguars, 117-111. Tupelo's relay of Colton Fremont, Grant Thornton, Connor Anderson and Michael Ray were tops in the 200 medley relay (1:39.03); Connor Chase came on board with Ray, Anderson and Fremont for the 200 free relay title (1:29.17). Fremont enjoyed individual wins with his 52.70 in the 100 fly and 1:56.40 in the 200 IM.

The Jaguars' Parker King claimed first place in both the 50 and 100 free (21.85 and 47.66), and Jackson Kojima finished on top in the 200 and 500 free (1:45.30 and 4:48.33). Kojima led off, and Parker anchored, Austin parker and Andrew Brimhall to a first-place 3:20.07 in the 400 free relay.

Corey Persons from Columbus posted a winning 55.36 in the 100 back; Olive Branch's Sean Kirwan took first in the 100 breast with his 1:00.54.

Oxford captured third, scoring 63 points. Northwest Rankin nabbed fourth by one point over Starkville, 49-48.

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