Celebrating Excellence: South Honors 11 Seniors at the Patriot Invitational!

Parkersburg South’s Camryn McLain swims the breaststroke segment of the 200 individual medley during Saturday’s Patriot Invite at the Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg. McLain secured first place in the event. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

PARKERSBURG – The Senior Day at Saturday’s Patriot Invitational honored 11 Parkersburg South swimmers participating in their last home competition in their high school journey.

Two individuals in particular, Vada Hafer and Chesney Douglas, initially wavered on their choice to return to the squad for their final year. The past is behind them, and they are fully committed to guiding the program toward achievements that are seldom seen in girls swimming at their school.

“I viewed many photos from swim competitions and saw my teammates enjoying themselves,” stated Hafer, who did not rejoin as a full member until after the holiday break, having worked at Chick-fil-A where coaches and teammates would visit in an effort to persuade her.

Hafer acknowledged that she has a significant amount of training ahead to regain her previous form.

“I wasn’t really in the optimal mindset while I wasn’t swimming, so I decided to return to reclaim my focus,” added Hafer, who intends to pursue a career in real estate upon graduating in the spring.

After leading the 200 free relay to a top finish, Parkersburg’s Delaney Snodgrass, left, shares a high-five with a Parkersburg South swimmer in the next lane during Saturday’s Patriot Invite at the Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Douglas, who aspires to enroll in cosmetology school after high school, experienced similar second thoughts at the beginning. With her grandfather being South’s assistant coach Jim Pursley, she felt compelled to return to the team for him. Both Douglas and Hafer are four-year participants in a South swim program aiming to secure an OVAC title for the first time since 2010.

South is also striving for the school’s inaugural girls state swim championship.

“This day is certainly one to cherish – particularly being able to share it with all my friends and those I have grown close to,” Douglas remarked.

In terms of the events that unfolded in the pool on Saturday, Parkersburg clinched victory in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions. On the boys’ side, the Big Reds amassed 349 points, surpassing runner-up South at 323. Levi Morr in the 100 breaststroke accounted for the Big Reds’ lone individual title. The team also triumphed in two of the three relays, winning the 200 medley relay and the 400 free relay.

PHS coach Emily Martin intensified training during the holiday season. Like most of the squad in the seven-school competition, everyone endeavored to endure while swimming fatigued.

Photo by Kerry Patrick
Warren senior Mason Francis departs from the starting blocks for the 50 freestyle at Saturday’s Patriot Invite at the Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg. Francis triumphed in both the 50 free and 100 free events. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“The athletes performed exceptionally well – I’m thrilled by their capability to compete even in fatigue,” Martin commented. “During the Christmas break, we undertake the most challenging workouts of the entire year, resulting in their exhaustion. I am aware. I ensured it.

“The timings might not align exactly with their expectations, but at a meet like this, we are focused on their ability to compete against those beside them. I observed numerous races where they managed to touch the wall first while also achieving remarkably impressive timings.”

Coach Martin anticipates between 15 to 18 schools participating in next Saturday’s Penguin Invitational at the Parkersburg YMCA.

“I was playfully telling Brayden Lotton that he proved me wrong because all day I informed everyone it’s perfectly fine to record slower times while competing despite fatigue,” Martin remarked. “So he ended up in the 500 free and approached within five seconds of his state finish from last year. Our ‘B’ relay just outperformed our full ‘A’ relay.

“This is the challenge I’m facing. I have “B” relay swimmers outpacing my “A” relay swimmers. I have a squad full of “A” relay competitors for only a limited number of spots, so they are contending for those positions every time they compete.”

The PHS girls edged South in the team rankings, 327-322. The Big Reds are optimizing their performance with a seven-member roster. Their singular individual victory happened in the 200 freestyle with Delaney Snodgrass. Like their male counterparts, the Big Red girls claimed victory in two out of three relays, winning both the 200 free relay and the 400 free relay.

“I’ve emphasized this all season – on the girls’ side we may be small but we are formidable,” Martin expressed. “To secure the meet with just seven girls is simply remarkable. This trend has continued from meet to meet. We have a limited number, but they are swift. We possess swimmers who are surpassing all of my predictions.”

Parkersburg South showcased its share of top finishers. On the girls’ front, both Camryn McLain (200 IM, 500 freestyle) and Vivian Grimm (50 free, 100 free) emerged as double winners. Teammate Paige Johnson claimed victory in the 100 backstroke.

For the South boys, Quade Harris also secured two victories with first-place finishes in the 100 fly and 100 back.

South coach Ryan Radcliff is focusing on the larger picture and preparing his swimmers for the latter part of the season. OVAC, regional, and state competitions are the significant goals he wants his athletes to get ready for.

“At this stage in the year, these events are more for practice, and the athletes are aware of this,” Radcliff stated. “It’s about strategy preparation and racing methods. The swimmers recognized their focus areas, and they executed well.

“Overall, it was a productive meet. I was pleased.”

Doddridge County presented its complete team of swimmers. Among the six participants, Isabella McGrady secured second place in both the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke, while Addy Robey achieved third in the 100 breaststroke.

“I’m working to position my kids in events that they haven’t previously swum,” DCHS coach Justin Robey shared. “I understand their desired events for regionals, so I am somewhat easing up a bit…on the occurrences they genuinely desire to participate in at states.”

Multiple local schools from the Ohio side of the river also took part.

The girls from Warren, propelled by two second-place finishes from Grace Francis in the 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, secured third place with 268 points.

Makayla Elder also made a notable contribution with a second-place finish in the 100 freestyle on the girls’ side, while on the boys’ side, the Warriors clinched three individual victories from Mason Francis in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle, along with Eli Watkins in the 500 freestyle.

“Eli is our mid-distance athlete – he trains exceptionally hard as well,” stated Warren coach Mike Francis. “We’re working to help him reduce his time, but once again, he is competing while fatigued. When we have these students on taper, they will swim significantly faster.”

Shortly after his performance in the 500, Watkins joined the 200 freestyle relay team which finished second – just over a second behind first-place South.

“It’s tough to get Eli to sprint after he has completed a 500,” coach Francis remarked.

“Similar to Mason, Eli is capable of performing all four strokes. If we didn’t have another boy who could excel in all four strokes, we wouldn’t have a medley relay team,” added Warren coach Jenny Miller.

The Warren boys concluded in fourth place with 183 points. Parkersburg completed the sweep after amassing 349 points in the boys division.

“The students are swimming while fatigued more than ever before,” Miller commented. “We continually remind them since they are unaccustomed to this, but they are competing quite consistently. We advise our seasoned swimmers to stay committed because in a couple of weeks, it will be championship season.

“The newer swimmers aren’t exerting themselves as much as the experienced swimmers, so they are improving their times and that serves as a major boost for them.”

Leading the Marietta group were Kipplyn McNeal (500 freestyle) and Nora Vigneron (100 backstroke) who both achieved third place in their respective events. The Tigers finished fifth in the team rankings with 156 points, while their male teammates secured fifth place with 73 points.

Oliver Smith delivered the top individual performance for Marietta after finishing fourth in the 100 freestyle.