Both the Langley and McLean High girls’ swim and dive teams put together impressive showings at the Northern Region Championships postseason event held on Thursday, Feb. 4 at the Oak Marr Recreation Center in Oakton.
The meet was shortened due to the snow storm that hit the Northern Virginia and surrounding areas over last weekend. Thursday’s preliminary events ended up counting as finals scores. Originally, the region meet was scheduled to conclude on Saturday, Feb. 6.
The region boys’ meet, other than diving, never got started. The make-up date for the boys’ competition is set for this Friday, Feb. 12 at Washington-Lee High’s pool in Arlington. The meet will be shortened to one night with all of the races counting as finals. Girls’ dive competition, meanwhile, is also scheduled to take place on Friday.
At the region girls’ swim meet last Thursday, Langley’s Jayme Katis, a junior, captured a first place finish in the 200-yard freestyle event, finishing ahead of Chantilly’s Brenna Ferris. Katis was also third in the 100-freestyle race as well as being a part of two first place relay teams for the Saxons. Those relays were the 200-free relay, made up of Saxon swimmers Meghan Overend, Megan Howard, Katis and Abi Speers; and the 400-free relay, made up of Allie Zeidan, Speers, Overend and Katis.
Howard, a junior, had a solid meet, finishing third in both the 100-butterfly and 50-freestyle races. Other place finishers for the Langley girls were Speers (tied for 4th in the 50-free, 5th in the 100-free) and Overend (8th in 100-fly).
A week earlier, the Langley girls had finished second place overall in the team standings at the Liberty District championships.
<b>THE MCLEAN GIRLS</b>, coming off a strong third place finish at districts, put together an impressive meet at regionals. Eva Greene, a junior, won the 100-yard freestyle event ahead of Robinson’s Hannah Walden. She was first in the 100-backstroke race as well, besting runner-up Reanna Dona of West Potomac. Greene was a part of two successful Highlander relay teams, both of which were second place finishers. The 200-medley relay was made up of Greene, sophomore Ellie Springsteen, senior Margaret Harlow and junior Katie Yensen. And the 400-free relay was made up of Springsteen, Harlow, Yensen and Greene.
<b>IN INDOOR TRACK</b>, the Saxons excelled on both the girls’ and boys’ sides at last week’s championships, which wrapped up on Thursday, Feb. 4 at Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Md.
The Langley boys finished second overall at the seven-team postseason meet. The Saxons scored 113.50 points, behind champion South Lakes’ winning total of 174. Fairfax (46) and McLean (45) finished third and fourth, respectively.
On the girls’ side, the Saxons were third with 91 points, behind first place Jefferson (107) and second place McLean (98). Marshall (68) was fourth.
The Langley 4x800 girls’ relay team finished first, ahead of second place Jefferson. Also, the Saxons’ 4x200 girls’ relay team was a district champion, besting second place McLean.
Saxon freshman Jessica Miles captured first place in the girls’ 1600 race, finishing ahead of Jefferson’s Stephanie Marzen. She was also a fourth place finisher in the 1000 race. In the girls’ 500 race, Langley earned the top two spots with junior Sarah Woodford taking first place and teammate Maddison Abboud, a junior, getting second place. Woodward also was a sixth place finisher in the 300 race.
Langley had a champion in the 3200 race as sophomore Mary Fouse finished first ahead of South Lakes’ Valerie Moyer. Fouse was also a fourth place finisher in the 1600.
Other place finishers for the Langley girls were: sophomore Meigan McManus (3rd in pole vault); junior Catherine Flessas (6th in pole vault); junior Bridget Chesney (3rd in 1000); freshman Elissa (6th in the 1000); and freshman Courteney West (3rd in 3200).
For the Langley boys, junior Efosa Guobadia won the high jump event, finishing ahead of Sean Price of South Lakes. Also taking first in a field event was senior Stephen Browne, who won the pole vault, ahead of second place finisher Ivan Saucedo of McLean.
Langley seniors Alex Maybury and Peter Sanson finished first and second, respectively, in the 55-hurdles. Sanson was also a second place finisher in the long jump, while Maybury was fifth in that event.
Also winning a district title was junior Jake Peker, who was first in the 1600.
Langley finished second through fourth in the triple jump behind big efforts from Maybury (2nd place), Guobadia (3rd) and junior Antonio Coulibaly (4th). Langley seniors Andrew Matzke and Robert Bennett finished tied for fifth in the high jump.
Other place finishers for the Langley boys were: senior Mike Lillie (6th in shot put); junior Lucas Grim (3rd pole vault); Sanson (tied for 6th in pole vault); senior Thomas Robinson (3rd in 500, 4th in 55 dash); and Maybury (4th in 300).
The Langley boys’ 4x200 relay team finished second.