Leonardtown High School freshman Emma Keever is well on her way to capturing the girls’ 100-yard backstroke last Wednesday afternoon when the Raiders’ girls topped both Huntingtown and Patuxent in a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference double dual meet at the Edward T. Hall Aquatic Center in Prince Frederick.
Male swimmers from Huntingtown and Patuxent prepare for the start of the boys’ 100-yard backstroke last Wednesday afternoon in a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference meet at the Edward T. Hall Aquatic Center in Prince Frederick.
Patuxent High School senior Kiana Parker was one of three Panthers’ senior swimmers the team honored on its annual senior night last Wednesday in a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference meet against Huntingtown and Leonardtown at the Edward T. Hall Aquatic Center in Prince Frederick.
Leonardtown High School freshman Emma Keever is well on her way to capturing the girls’ 100-yard backstroke last Wednesday afternoon when the Raiders’ girls topped both Huntingtown and Patuxent in a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference double dual meet at the Edward T. Hall Aquatic Center in Prince Frederick.
TED BLACK/Southern Maryland News
Male swimmers from Huntingtown and Patuxent prepare for the start of the boys’ 100-yard backstroke last Wednesday afternoon in a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference meet at the Edward T. Hall Aquatic Center in Prince Frederick.
TED BLACK/Southern Maryland News
Patuxent High School senior Kiana Parker was one of three Panthers’ senior swimmers the team honored on its annual senior night last Wednesday in a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference meet against Huntingtown and Leonardtown at the Edward T. Hall Aquatic Center in Prince Frederick.
With the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference swim championships just around the corner next weekend at the St. Mary’s College of Maryland, swimmers from Leonardtown, Huntingtown and Patuxent convened at the Edward T. Hall Aquatic Center last week on the Panthers’ annual senior night.
As expected, the Leonardtown (11-0) girls remained perfect on the season as the Raiders defeated Huntingtown 167-106 and Patuxent 192-61 on Jan. 21. But the Leonardtown boys’ bid for perfection was ended in dramatic fashion last week as the Hurricanes slipped past the Raiders 137-136, while both teams forged comfortable victories over Patuxent.
While the Leonardtown boys had narrowly avoided defeat two weeks earlier in a victory over Northern, the Raiders’ girls have maintained comfortable margins en route to a perfect campaign headed to the SMAC Championships next Saturday. Leonardtown senior Ava Keever has been the cornerstone of the Raiders’ success this winter, highlighted by four more wins last week against Huntingtown and Patuxent.
Keever, sophomore Julia Kitts and freshmen Emma Keever and Lindsey McCloskey opened the meet by taking the 200-yard medley relay (1:58.63) and much later that same quartet captured the 200 freestyle relay (3:55.16). Along the way, Ava Keever also took the 500 free (5:20.61) in a seasonal best clocking. Keever is the two-time defending SMAC champion in the 500 free, a title she appears reluctant to relinquish.
“I approach every meet looking to do whatever I can to help my team score points,” Keever said. “Of course, I’d like to win my events, but I also want to encourage my teammates to do their best in all of their events. I am really looking forward to SMAC and hoping to earn a spot at states.”
McCloskey also edged Huntingtown freshman Quinn Faidley in the 50 free (27.23), Emma Keever took the 100 butterfly (1:01.90), while Kitts prevailed in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.60). Leonardtown sophomore Isadora Peter captured both the 100 free (58.88) and the 100 backstroke (1:07.51).
Patuxent senior Isaac Lehman may not have christened his senior night with any victories, but he did record personal best clockings in both of his individual events and seemed eager to make his presence known at the SMAC championships and finish his swimming career with two more outings at the Maryland State Swim Championships at the University of Maryland on Feb. 21.
“I was happy with both of my individual events,” said Lehman, one of three Patuxent seniors honored on the occasion along with teammates Kyle Hensler and Kiana Parker. “I took third in the 200IM (2:12.23), but that was a personal best for me. Then I also took third in the 100 breast (1:07.88) and that was also a personal best. I just want to keep dropping time and hopefully place top five at states in my events.”
Lehman, Hensler and Parker all competed in the 100 breaststroke last Wednesday with dramatically varying results. Lehman was third in a contentious heat that Leonardtown senior Mark Murphy (1:06.57) narrowly won over Huntingtown junior Andrew Gigliotti (1:06.71), while Hensler placed eighth in that event.
Parker was considerably unlucky in the girls’ edition of the 100 breast, as her goggles slipped from her eyes down over her mouth immediately after diving into the pool. Despite the equipment mishap at the outset, however, Parker continued to battle through all four laps with her goggles compromising her breathing to a certain extent. Kitts won that event for Leonardtown in 1:11.60, while Parker completed the race in 2:52.34.
Moments later, however, Parker dove back into the pool as the anchor on one of the Panthers’ 400 free relays. A pair of Leonardtown quartets finished one-two in that event to cap a near perfect outing for the Raiders’ girls, while Parker anchored the Panthers’ relay that opened with junior Aubrey Kitchens, sophomore Chloe Goff and freshman Samantha Williamson that placed sixth.
