Competing With Joy

For the fourth consecutive year, the Cougars won the League of Independent Schools championship in competition held Feb. 1 at the Kenny Center at St. Catherine’s School. Collegiate amassed 542.5 points, the host Saints 438.5, Norfolk Academy 263, St. Anne’s-Belfield 233, Trinity Episcopal 182, and St. Gertrude 151.

 

The Cougars placed first in 10 of 12 events.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First-place finishers earned All-LIS honors. Jones, a sophomore, and DeGuenther, a junior, earned co-swimmer of the meet honors. Linkonis’s 24.22 leadoff leg in the 200 free relay established a new 50 free school record.

 

“This is as talented a team as we’ve ever had, and they’ve lived up to it,” said Peters, who’s in his eighth year as head coach. “We have people not swimming relays in states who will potentially finish in the top eight in their events because there’s so much competition for the relay spots.”

 

Collegiate’s boys team finished fourth in the Prep League with 233 points behind St. Christopher’s (511), Norfolk Academy (352), and Trinity Episcopal (312) and ahead of Woodberry Forest (200), St. Anne’s-Belfield (154), and Fork Union (120).

 

Top performers were Reese Dudley, who was second in the one-meter diving event (286.55) and the 200 freestyle relay team (Taylor Hoffer, Jamie Arcarese, Justinas Petkauskas, J.D. Chen), which finished second with a time of 1:28.71.

 

“The boys had three or four meets this year that I think we could have won if it wasn’t for illnesses and injuries,” Peters said. “They’ve been competitive with teams with two or three times the number of swimmers we have, and that’s been fun to watch.

        

“In the Prep League, even when they knew it wasn’t going great points-wise, they were out on the deck cheering their teammates. With a couple of improvements, next year they have a pretty good chance to be competitive in the state meet.”

 

Peters and his staff (as well as his predecessors) have relied heavily on year-round swimmers. This season was no exception, but with an unexpected and very pleasant twist. Several swimmers, both at the JV and varsity level, joined the program with limited or no competitive swim team experience.

 

He welcomes all who give a good-faith effort, he says, and hopes that they’ll continue to find joy in the training and team experience, improve their technique and speed, and add much needed depth, especially on the boys team, in championship meets in events that score 16 deep.

 

“This is the first time I feel like we have a group where swimming is accessible,” he said. “The focus is convincing kids without a lot of experience that swimming is something they can do.

 

“What I’ve tried to preach over the years is that you don’t have to be, and I’ll name a name: Savannah Harris. She’s extremely talented. She works very hard. She’s a tenacious competitor, she wins championships, and that’s awesome. I love watching her swim.

 

“What’s been really awesome, too, is watching kids who came in the first day not being able to keep up, and by the end of the season having no problem with any of the workouts. They’re working hard, adding in different things, and enjoying the sport.  We haven’t seen that for a while.”

 

Next up for the Cougars is the VISAA championship Feb. 14-15 at the Jeff Rouse Swim and Sport Center in Stafford. The girls team is the odds-on favorites to claim their fourth straight state championship.

 

“We have a lot of talent,” he said, “but they’re also really tenacious racers. There’re a lot of kids on both sides who really enjoy competing. Our kids just like racing. They like being at big meets. Most of them have swum their best the bigger the spotlight.”

~Weldon Bradshaw