Columbus wins the Columbus Valley Area Swim Championships
Even though the weather threw a wrench into Columbus High’s plans for the Columbus Valley Area Swim Championships, the team’s swimmers proved the event was definitely worth the wait.
The Columbus boys and girls teams claimed victory in the swim championships Monday, four days after it was postponed due to winter weather. The Blue Devils and Lady Blue Devils not only captured the event title, but 14 of the swimmers qualified for the state meet in at least one event.
“It’s incredible,” Columbus head coach Karen Waters said. “With the snow and all the stuff that was going on last week, the kids haven’t had a chance to be in the water like we’d like to. They all still came out here with high spirits and a desire to win, and they all did their best.”
Columbus once again dominated the night’s races, with several CHS swimmers qualifying for states in multiple events.
On the boys side, Chase Parker clocked in under the mandatory state time as part of the 200-yard medley relay team and the 400 freestyle relay team and also qualified on his own in the 200 freestyle and the 100 breastroke. Teammate Fabrizzio Orderique swam one leg of the 200 and 400 relay teams with Parker and also qualified in the 100 butterfly and the 500 freestyle.
Parker reveled in his team’s triumphs Monday but explained this was far from an overnight success.
“It’s taken me about 10 years to get to this point,” Parker said. “It’s pretty work intensive with a lot of hard sets, but it paid off in the end.”
For Columbus’ girls, seven swimmers — Lindsey Conroy, Kylie Davenport, Kaleigh Feger, Katie Jordan, Kathryn Livingston, Madigan Starr, Libby Storey — qualified for state in at least three events.
Starr, who will swim in four events in the state meet, explained Columbus’ standout showing on Monday can fuel the team going forward.
“It definitely raises our confidence,” Starr said. “Now we know we’re ready to perform well at state.”
While Columbus took home the top prizes, there were several other swimmers who put up great times. Hannah Mattson, who finished second at state in two events in 2017, dominated the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke and qualified in two relays as well. Teammate Anna Leary will be in four events, while Harris County’s Hollie Porter qualified in two events.
The strong efforts from so many local swimmers did not go unnoticed by Waters, a former Columbus High swimmer who has since seen the sport blossom in the area
“It’s incredible now what we’re getting from Columbus-area schools,” Waters said.
State Qualifiers (Boys)
200-Yard Medley Relay
1st - Columbus A - Madison Park, Chase Parker, Fabrizzio Orderique, Will Beatty - 1:48.37
200 Freestyle
1st - Chase Parker, Columbus - 1:48.64
50 Freestyle
1st - Antony R. DeMott, Americus-Sumter - 22.65
2nd - Jaxon Kite, Harris Co. - 23.15
100 Butterfly
1st - Fabrizzio Orderique, Columbus - 55.67
500 Freestyle
1st - Fabrizzio Orderique, Columbus - 5:06.62
200 Freestyle Relay
1st - Harris Co. A - Joseph Porter, Jared Johnson, Cameron Verdree, Jaxon Kite - 1:35.78
2nd - Westover A - Marshall Miller, Ben Patton, Marcus Miller, Hector Grimaldo - 1:36.58
100 Breaststroke
1st - Chase Parker, Columbus - 1:00.92
2nd - Christian Fontanez, Northside - 1:02.36
400 Freestyle Relay
1st - Columbus A - Taylor Williams, Madison Parker, Fabrizzio Orderique, Chase Parker - 3:28.98
2nd - Westover A - Marshall Miller, Ben Patton, Marcus Miller, Hector Grimaldo - 3:43.70
State Qualifiers (Girls)
200-Yard Medley Relay
1st - Columbus A - Madigan Starr, Lindsey Conroy, Kylie Davenport, Kaleigh Feger - 1:53.97
2nd - Brookstone A - Anna Leary, Hannah Mattson, Mackenzie Koon, Ava Pahl - 2:01.95
3rd - Columbus B - Libby Storey, Elle Manderson, Katheryn Livingston, Sara Conroy - 2:02.22
200 Freestyle
1st - Hannah Mattson, Brookstone - 1:54.15
2nd - Katie Jordan, Columbus - 1:57.78
3rd - Kylie Davenport, Columbus - 2:02.51
200 IM
1st - Madigan Starr, Columbus - 2:13.46
2nd - Hollie Porter, Harris Co. - 2:14.88
3rd - Libby Storey, Columbus - 2:21.01
4th - Katheryn Livingston, Columbus - 2:21.55
50 Freestyle
1st - Kaleigh Feger, Columbus - 25.14
2nd - Kylie Davenport, Columbus - 25.51
3rd - Anna Leary, Brookstone - 25.99
100 Butterfly
1st - Sydney Mauldin, LaGrange - 1:00.46
2nd - Katheryn Livingston, Columbus - 1:02.46
3rd - Camille Preston, LaGrange - 1:02.57
4th - Lindsey Conroy, Columbus - 1:04.45
100 Freestyle
1st - Kaleigh Feger, Columbus - 55.38
2nd - Hope McNair, Northside - 55.64
3rd - Anna Leary, Brookstone - 58.32
500 Freestyle
1st - Katie Jordan, Columbus - 5:16.95
200 Freestyle Relay
1st - Columbus A - Kaleigh Feger ,Lindsey Conroy, Libby Storey, Katie Jordan - 1:44.24
2nd - Brookstone A - Anna Leary, Hannah Mattson, Rachel Leary, Ava Pahl - 1:49.70
100 Backstroke
1st - Hannah Mattson, Brookstone - 56.99
2nd - Madigan Starr, Columbus - 1:01.45
3rd - Libby Storey, Columbus - 1:05.22
100 Breaststroke
1st - Lindsey Conroy, Columbus - 1:10.50
2nd - Hollie Porter, Harris Co. - 1:12.74
400 Freestyle Relay
1st - Columbus A - Kylie Davenport, Katheryn Livingston, Katie Jordan, Madigan Starr
Final Team Standings - Boys
1. Columbus - 443; 2. Harris Co. - 304; 3. Westover - 240; 4. Brookstone - 172; 5. Northside - 146; 6. Shaw - 144; 7. Pacelli - 94; 8. Calvary Christian - 33; 9. Americus-Sumter - 23; 10. LaGrange - 17; 11. Hardaway - 7
Final Team Standings - Girls
1. Columbus - 533; 2. Brookstone - 247.5; 3. Northside - 213.5; 4. Harris Co. - 178; 5. Shaw - 129; 6. Hardaway - 92; 7. Westover - 77; 8. LaGrange - 76; 9. Americus-Sumter - 46; 10. Pacelli - 30
Jordan D. Hill: 770-894-9818, @lesports
This story was originally published January 22, 2018 at 9:45 PM with the headline "Columbus wins the Columbus Valley Area Swim Championships."