Nashville Aquatic Club, Mason Manta Rays Post Impressive Splits to Sweep Relays on Day 1 of Juniors East

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Day one of the 2018 Speedo Winter Junior National Championships – East kicked off today and was highlighted by Mason Manta Rays’ new 15-18 National Age Group record performance in the 4×200 free relay. The meet takes place from Dec. 5 to Dec. 8 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.

After a night full of fast relays, SwimMAC Carolina currently leads the girls’ team standings with 112 points, followed by Nashville Aquatic Club (80) and Mason Manta Rays (54). After two relay golds, Mason Manta Rays is in front of the boys’ team race with 112 points ahead of Dynamo Swim Club (84) and SwimMAC Carolina (80).

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Girls 4×50 Medley Relay

The meet began as Nashville Aquatic Club posted a one-second victory in the 4×50 medley relay. The team of Alex Walsh (23.88), Ella Nelson (28.19), Lauren Hurt (24.75) and Gretchen Walsh (21.50) posted an impressive 1:38.32.

TAC Titans’ Mia Nordstrom (25.54), Maria Baric (27.63), Charlotte Hook (24.30) and Claire Curzan (22.06) as well as Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club’s Sophia Moore (25.16), Kate Douglass (27.90), Bridget Semenuk (24.39) and Maxine Parker (22.08) tied for second place after both relay teams touched the wall in 1:39.53.

Cardinal Aquatics (1:39.74), Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics (1:41.19), Mason Manta Rays (1:41.21), SwimMAC Carolina B (1:41.37) and SwimMAC A (1:41.56) rounded out the top eight.

Boys 4×50 Medley Relay

Mason Manta Rays dominated the boys’ opening event, winning the 4×50 medley relay by 2.5 seconds. The quartet of Carson Foster (21.76), Jake Foster (23.79), Jacob McDonald (21.88) and Adam Chaney (19.09) combined to win in 1:26.52. Their time eclipsed the old Junior National meet record of 1:27.11 set in 2016 and was just shy of the 15-18 NAG record of 1:26.47.

Second went to Infinity Aquatic Club’s Thomas Hamlet (22.10), Todd Echols (26.26), Max Edwards (20.89) and Preston Forst (19.81) in 1:29.06 while Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics’ Joey Wachter (23.53), Khadin Soto (24.94), Riley Vanmeter (21.82) and Cam Peel (19.59) took third in 1:29.88.

SwimMAC Carolina (1:30.62), Dynamo Swim Club (1:30.90), Team Pittsburg Elite (1:30.93), Fort Wayne Swim Team (1:31.11) and SwimAtlanta (1:31.37) completed the top eight.

Girls 4×200 Free Relay

Nashville Aquatic Club completed the meet’s opening day with another impressive victory, this time claiming the 4×200 free relay by five seconds. The team of G. Walsh (1:47.01), Nelson (1:48.22), Hurt (1:50.24) and A. Walsh (1:46.22) found themselves on top of the podium for the second time after posting a final time of 7:11.69.

SwimMAC showed their depth as their B relay team of Elizabeth Sowards (1:49.56), Faith Hefner (1:47.99), Morgan Razewski (1:49.37) and Janie Smith (1:49.50) as well as the A squad of Kensley Merritt (1:48.30), Olwyn Bartis (1:48.66), Elle Vannote (1:49.80) and Amy Dragelin (1:49.83) finished second (7:16.42) and third (7:16.59), respectively.

Dynamo Swim Club (7:16.83), Mason Manta Rays (7:18.62), Club Wolverine (7:19.59), NOVA of Virginia (7:20.35) and SwimAtlanta (7:20.50) also finished in the fastest eight.

Boys 4×200 Free Relay

Not too long after posting a convincing win in the 4×50 medley relay, Mason Manta Rays posted another dominant performance in the 4×200 free relay. The same team of C. Foster (1:34.04), J. Foster (1:35.50), McDonald (1:38.02) and Chaney (1:36.41) won in 6:23.97, seven seconds ahead of the field. Their time demolished the previous Junior National meet and 15-18 NAG record of 6:28.25 set last year by Carmel.

Carmel’s Wyatt Davis (1:37.25), Gus Rothrock (1:38.97), Alec Delong (1:38.78) and Jake Mitchell (1:35.94) ultimately finished second in 6:30.94 and SwimMAC Carolina’s Boyd Poelke, Hugh Svendsen (1:38.36), Chase Allison (1:40.92) and John Walker (1:34.59) took third in 6:35.02.

Also posting top-eight performances were Dayton Raiders (6:35.21), Gator Swim Club (6:37.19), Dynamo (6:37.35), SwimAtlanta (6:38.50) and Lakeside Swim Team (6:38.54).

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