Freshman Jessie Arnold Wins 500 Freestyle

Spotswood High School’s Women’s Swimming and Diving team capped off their best season ever this past Friday and Saturday in Christiansburg.   After successfully defending their Valley District and Region III championships over the previous two weekends, the Blazers finished in 5^th place overall at the VHSL A/AA State Championships, their highest finish ever.   The Blazers’ previous best performance at the state meet was a 9th place finish in 2005.

SHS Freshman, Jessie Arnold, captured a AA State Championship in the 500 Freestyle.

Spotswood was led by star freshman Jessie Arnold, who won the 500 Freestyle and placed 5^th in the 200 Free. Also coming up big for the Blazers was junior Olivia Sheffer, who took 5^th in the 100 Backstroke and 7^th in the 100 Free – despite swimming with two broken toes injured in Friday’s preliminary races.

Other standout individual performances were turned in by sophomore Makena Rafferty-Lewis (10^th – Diving), junior Angie Kim (9th – 50 Free) and junior Savannah Hepner (16^th – 200 Free).

The Spotswood Relay teams also performed very well at the Championships.  The 200 Medley Relay Team of Sheffer, Kim, Katherine Adkins and Arnold captured 5^th place.  The 200 Free Relay team of Sheffer, Kim, Hepner and Adkins finished 4^th.  The 400 free relay of Kim, Adkins, Hepner, and Arnold finished a strong 4^th .  All relays finished in  school record times.

During a 10-1 regular season that saw numerous school records fall, the Blazers defeated rival Charlottesville for the first time in 5 years.  Their only regular season loss was to Western Albemarle, who won this year’s A/AA state title for the second year in a row.  In the post-season, Spotswood captured the District title for the 8^th time in the last nine years, and won the Regional title for the second straight year and the second time ever.

Senior Andrew Echard finished 2nd in Men's Diving.

Spotswood Boys

The boys were led by Seniors Andrew Echard and Austin Folsom. Andrew placed second in men’s diving. This was one up from last year’s third place finish. Austin finished 11^th in the 200 freestyle and was on the boys top 16- 400 freestyle relay.  The relay also consisted of Andrew Krauss, Jack Cooper, and Clay Sowers.  The boys finished in 21^st place overall. Also, Adam Hissong finished 12^th in diving.

See Postseason pictures!

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Pics and Info Submitted by SHS Coach Barbara Palmer