W.T. Woodson's cheering section in a meet against Lake Braddock earlier this season. The Cavaliers hope to knock of the defending Patriot District champion, West Springfield, in a dual Friday night. (Photo by Jim Albertson)
For the past several years, W.T. Woodson failed to bring home a district swim title, laboring in the Virginia AAA Liberty District against the likes of Langley, Jefferson and Madison without a championship since 2005.
In its first season in the Patriot District, however, the Cavaliers have enjoyed early success and enter tonight’s meet against defending district champion West Springfield a perfect 5-0 on both the girls’ and boys’ side.
The Spartans’ only loss this season, meanwhile, was on the girls’ side to South County, and Cavaliers’ junior Jill King said the team is looking at the dual as an opportunity to take the first step toward a district title.
“It’d be really big because then we could go into districts knowing that we’re actually really good,” King said. “Being in a new district we haven’t won districts in years so it’d be a really big confidence booster.”
Woodson has relied on its depth to power through the dual season thus far, including a narrow girls’ victory over Lake Braddock. That again will be a critical factor against West Springfield, according to Coach Susie Hamrock.
“This is going to be our toughest dual meet,” Hamrock said. “We were able to pull out Lake Braddock and with diving we are hoping to pull it out this week against West Springfield. It’s going to be neck and neck, they have great distance we have great freestylers, we’re hoping to pull it out with depth. Every place is going to be a challenge and we’re trying to fight for first through seventh.”
As important as the dual meet is, with the district championship just two weeks away, swimmers are also focusing on making their regional cuts, King said.
The girls’ freestyle relays that placed fourth in the 200 and fifth in the 400 at the Northern Region last year meet have yet to make their cuts this season, King pointed out, and to pick up those times will be critical as they prepare for the championship meets.
Those two relays return everyone from last season – sophomores Rachel Rogers, Betty Fan and Maggie Rodgers, juniors Caitlin Rider and King and senior Kristen Lauer.
“Our goal is to get our regional times,” King said. “Everyone’s goal is to get them in the relays and then everyone is trying to get individual because everyone wants to make states this year. We’re trying to get a bigger group than we had last year.”
Poolesville vs. Quince Orchard
When Poolesville and Quince Orchard hit the water Saturday at the Montgomery Aquatic Center, it will be their first dual meet action in over a month – and a match up of two of the top contenders in Division II.
Last February, the Falcons edged the Cougars by the slimmest of margins — a mere three points — to take seventh at the Montgomery County championships. The following week at Metros, Quince Orchard got a measure of revenge, finishing 24 points ahead of the Falcons to take 11th place. The Cougars finished 17th overall at Metros while Poolesville was 21st.
“Quince Orchard is an extremely talented team,” Poolesville Coach Jonathan Leong said. “Kelsey Liu is going to be among some of the elite swimmers this year and they have four or five other very talented girls that will give our girls a big race.
The Cougars are coming off a 205-135 loss the Sherwood. Sherwood finished first among Division II programs at counties and Metros in 2009. And while Chuang and freshman Diana Hanson give the Falcons firepower on the girls’ side, Quince Orchard comes in as the favorite for the boys.
“They are strong, talented and pretty tough,” Leong said. “They have always had a stable full of fast freestylers, and it looks like Kevin Hauri is leading the charge for them once again.”
Hauri was a triple-winner against Sherwood, taking the 200 IM (2:02.67) and 100 free (48.67) and swimming the second leg on the first-place 200 medley relay (1:46.81). Emily Floria was a double-winner, running away with the 200 IM (2:18.84) and narrowly edging Sherwood’s Cara Wagner in the 100 breast.
All-American senior Cara Chuang is the best backstroker in the area and continues to lead Poolesville as a multi-event contributor. But in order for the Falcons to improve upon their finish last season, they need a bigger boost in the depth department.
“The emphasis is going to be on the third, fourth and fifth place points,” Leong said. “If we can get our depth swimmers to touch the wall first, we’ll be ok, however, it will swing either way on that picture.”
Leong is looking for strong showings from Ashley O’Keefe, Mary Gillespie and Cameron Mackail, but also expects his boys and girls divers to be difference-makers in what could be a very tight meet.
“I’m counting on our divers to give us some points on both sides,” he said. “If Alex Contreras and Siobhan Kibbey can give us a little cushion with Sam Weber and Zach Greenwald, I think we will have a little breathing room.”
“My guess is the decision will come down to less than 10 points.”
Tags: AAA Northern Region, Concorde District, Liberty District, Northern Region, Patriot District, Virginia High School Swimming
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