Parkview, Lambert Win First Ever Georgia 6A State Championship

The Georgia State High School championships proved to be a close dual on both the men’s side and a complete supremacy on the woman’s. The Parkview men took the win with 234 points over closest competitor Chattahoochee who had 226 points. The Lambert girls completely dominated their competitors, taking 240 points to Peachtree Ridge’s 159 throughout the competition.

This 6A meet is Georgia’s newest division. In past years, the meet was split out into one meet that was A-4A, and another that was 5A. This year, the state has added a 6th division for the biggest schools, meaning that this was the first ever 6A State Championship. These teams tend to have more year-round swimmers, though interestingly this season at the top end an electric 5A meet (more on that in a separate post) really outshone.

The Chattahoochee men took the 200 medley relay title in 1:34.35. Their anchor Jacob Rubin swam a fast anchor leg of 21.11 to take the lead over Parkview’s Christopher Rogers and touch in 0.45 seconds ahead for the win. In the freestyle relays it was all about the boys from Lassiter, though, taking the win in both the 200 and 400 freestyle versions. The 200 freestyle relay was no competition for the boys, establishing almost a two second lead over their closest competitors: Mill Creek. The Lassiter boys touched in at 1:24.87, just two one-hundredths slower than the state record of 1:24.85 set by Wesleyan in 2011. Their hunt for a record finally came through in the 400 freestyle relay as they took down Chattahoochee and broke the state record of 3:06.26 with a 3:06.12.

Lassiter senior Jimmy Yoder was not only a part of the two winning relays but took two individual wins for himself. Yoder touched first in the 200 freestyle over two seconds ahead of Alpharetta senior Cody Reul, 1:37.49 to 1:39.66. Yoder pulled through again in the 100 fly taking a huge win over Harrison senior Connor Oslin. Yoder’s time of 48.16 broke the state record of 48.55 set by Taylor Dale almost a year ago. Yoder left the meet with four wins and two state records to his credit.

Another top Lassiter senior Zach Bunner was able to pull off a double today, coming out on top in both the 200 IM and 100 back. Bunner took the win in the 200 IM over Parkview senior Geoffrey Carter who finished 3 tenths behind Bunner’s time of 1:50.51. Later in the meet, Bunner took down Chattahoochee junior Jay Litherland in a come-from-behind win 49.40 to 49.48

Mill Creek senior Chris Powell showed his speed, sweeping the sprint freestyles. Powell won the splash-and-dash in 20.66, over two tenths faster than anyone else in the field, and over a second faster than 8^th place finisher Jason Vickers. In the 100 freestyle Powell had a close duel with Dacula senior Michael Ragan, but managed to secure the win 45.06 to 45.29.

Alpharetta senior Kody Ruel who came second to Yoder in the 200 freestyle was able to take a win for himself finishing on top in the 500 freestyle.  Ruel finished in a 4:26.93.

In the men’s 100 breaststroke Parkview’s Geoffrey Carter finished second for the second time in the finals, but this time to Brookwood senior Nic LaMontagne. LaMontagne just out-touched Carter 56.84 to 56.88 to take the win. This was a

On the woman’s side the Lambert woman proved to be the best in the business, taking two out of three relay titles. In the 200 medley relay freshman anchor Katherine Aikins managed to sneak up on Lassiter’s Micaela Janco on the last leg to take the win in 1:46.32. Lassiter finished 0.07 seconds behind in 1:46.39. The girls took down Lassiter in the 200 freestyle relay as well this time winning it by an even slimmer margin. Aikins once again put the team on her back and stormed through the last leg to out-touch Lassiter 1:37.02 to 1:37.04. The Lambert girls weren’t as successful in the 400 freestyle relay finishing third behind Kenessaw Mountain and Johns Creek. The Kennesaw Mountain girls finished with the top time in 3:29.98.

Member of the Kenessaw Mountain relay team Rebecca Postoll was able to secure two individual wins as well, taking the crown in the 200 and 500 freestyles. In the 200 freestyle Kennesaw Mountain’s junior Postoll finished in 1:47.65 over Brookwood senior Rachel Muller. Postoll got the best of Muller again, taking her down in the 500 freestyle 4:48.49 to Muller’s 4:49.77.

Walton sophomore Kira de Bruyn surprised the field with a win in the 200 IM. De Bruyn finished in a slow 2:04.22 followed by Lambert senior Ellie Sills’ 2:04.36.

Archer sophomore Alexi Smith took the sprint freestyles in incredible fashion. Smith took a huge win in the 50 freestyle over Johns Creek sophomore Kaitlin Kitchens, finishing over half a second ahead of her. Smith’s time of 23.14 suggests that in her final year next year she could have a shot at Amanda Weir’s state record of 22.91.  In the 100 freestyle Kitchens got the best of Smith, taking the win In 50.55. Smith finished almost four tenths behind in 50.94.

Milton Sophomore Katie Grover won the 100 fly by almost two seconds, touching in 53.55. Second place finisher, Peachtree Ridge junior Haley McInerny finished second in 55.34. Grover’s speed wasn’t only in the fly, taking the 100 backstroke as well and with a big lead too. Grover’s time of 55.21 was over a full second faster than Etowah sophomore Megan Young who finished with a time of 56.41.

In the last individual event of the meet Carring BeVier swimming out of Peachtree Ridge won the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.29.

With all the success the young girls from Lambert have shown, it predicts that they could be the team to beat for years to come.

Georgia A-AAAAA (Small Schools) results.

Boys Top 10

1. Parkview 234
2. Chattahoochee 226
3. Lassiter 211
4. North Gwinnett 169
5. Alpharetta 148.5
6. Collins Hill 146
7. Johns Creek 129
8. Walton 123
9. Mill Creek 111.5
10. Brookwood 89

Boys Top 10

1. Lambert 292
2. Peachtree Ridge 222
3. Lassiter 197
4. Johns Creek 185
5. Brookwood 170
6. Kennesaw Mountain 167
7. Etowah 149
8. Walton 127
T – 9. Archer 106
T – 9. Milton 106