By Crystal Baity

East Carolina Aquatics

 

Swimmers from East Carolina Aquatics competed in Hillsborough and Charlotte against some of the fastest swimmers in the state, Dec. 5-7.

In Hillsborough, strong relay performances helped ECA to third place overall at the Wave Nike Fall States meet for qualified 12 and under swimmers.

Luke McCarthy of Winterville broke a 15-year-old record in the 8 and under boys 50 breast with a time of 46.04. Cayden Pake of Washington took three seconds off his own record in the 8 and under boys 100 fly, clocking 1:34.87. He also tied the 8 and under boys 50 fly record set by his older brother Tristan in 2012. Emma Hastings of Greenville shaved a second off her 9-10 girls 200 free record and won the event with a time of 2:14.55. She also broke her own 200 individual medley record, dropping six seconds with a time of 2:33.00 and placing third. Hastings also won the 500 free, took second in the 100 fly and third in the 100 back.

In the 9 and under girls division, Kristen Ivey of Winterville placed third in the 500 Free and 100 breast. Claire Chesnutt of Cedar Point took third in 10-year-old girls 100 free. Ten-year-old Matthew McCray of Cape Carteret placed second in the 200 free, Campbell Barnes of Chocowinity placed third in the 50 free and Patrick Reindl of Cape Carteret was third in the 100 fly. In the 11-year-old girls age group, Bethany Tart of Winterville placed second in the 50, 100 and 500 free. In the 12-year-old boys division, Patrick Lovenberg of Chocowinity placed second in the 50 and 100 Breast events. Luke Leong of Greenville placed third in the 50 breast, while Colby Loveless of Cape Carteret took third in the 50 free.

The 10 and under girls 200 free relay of Hastings, Chesnutt, Grace McCarthy and Madeline Smith placed third overall. Smith, Hastings, Chesnutt and Brook Despres placed fourth in the 200 medley. The 10 and under boys 200 free relay of Barnes, McCray, Reindl and Austin Waters placed second. The 11-12 boys 200 free relay of Lovenberg, Loveless, Tristan Pake and Sadler Smith placed fourth.

The following swimmers earned new NC 14 and under state championship qualifying times: Barnes, Ivey, Loveless, Lovenberg, McCray, Tristan Pake, Reindl, Erin Smith, Madeline Smith and Tart. The following swimmers earned new qualifying times for the Southern Zone Eastern Section Age Group Championship: Barnes, Chesnutt, Loveless, Lovenberg, McCray, Erin Smith, Madeline Smith and Tart.

In Charlotte, qualified 13 and older swimmers competed at the New South Swimming Invitational. ECA’s men dominated the sprint freestyle events to take fourth overall, while the women placed third.

In the senior men’s 100 free, Cam Anderson (46.65), Trey Pofahl (46.92) and Zach Darden (46.93), placed 1-3 respectfully, and Greenville’s Kelly Barnhill (47.45) tied for fourth. Anderson of Tarboro added a win in the 100 breast (59.08) and Darden of Goldsboro won the 50 free (21.69). Pofahl of Greenville and Anderson were second and third in the 200 free, while Barnhill took third in the 50 free. Patrick Edge of Morehead City was an event finalist in the 100 fly. Fourteen-year-old Andrew Landry of Greenville took second place in the boys 13-14 100 and 200 breast, and had four other scoring swims. Cameron Eure of Morehead City had four scoring swims as well.

Emmie Barnhill of Greenville had six top-eight swims, including a second place finish in the senior women’s 100 breast (1:05.17) and third in the 100 free (52.40). Cary Pou of Greenville had two scoring swims, and Svea Torres of Greenville had three scoring swims. In the 13-14 girls division, Abigail Burns of Greenville placed second in the 200 breast (2:34.66), while Morgan Despres of Winterville added a second place finish in the 100 Free (54.56) and third place in 200 breast. Grace Fountain of Winterville was a four-event finalist.

ECA returns home for an intrasquad meet Dec. 12-14 at Minges Natatorium.

East Carolina Aquatics is a year-round swim team for youth and adults ages 4 and up, with more than 450 swimmers at sites in Greenville, Morehead City, Cape Carteret and Washington. For more information, go to www.swimeca.org.