George Mason High School’s girls and boys swim teams are off to equally hot starts this winter, each one undefeated through seven meets.
Both squads have won their meets in dominating fashion, with only two meets coming with a margin of victory less than 40.
In their first of three dual meets this season, back in December, the girls team waxed all three of their competitors, beating Broadway High School by a score of 107-52 while beating Strasburg 113-51 and rival Clarke County 102-61. Freshmen Gen Jordan and Carolyn Schmitt teamed with juniors Kelley Frank and Karen Hamill to set a team record in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 2:04. The Mason 400-yard freestyle relay team, consisting of Hamill, Frank, Jordan and freshman Leah Thirkill, also set a team record with a time of 4:24, beating second place Clarke County by a full seven seconds. Jordan and Hamill both set team records in individual events as well: Jordan in the 100-yard backstroke and Hamill in the 200 freestyle.
In the same meet at Signal Knob, the boys team steamrolled Strasburg by a final of 134-17, in addition to 98-72 and 105-63 victories over Clarke County and Broadway, respectively. Sophomore Sam Butler had an awesome outing for Mason, taking first in two individual events, the 50 and 100-yard freestyle in addition to being a part of the state qualifying 200-yard medley relay team. Two of Butler’s relay teammates, senior Carlos Clark and junior Sam Parker, also played key roles in the boys’ success, placing second in three individual events for the Mustangs.
After over a month layover in between meets due to a cancellation, the Mason swim teams traveled back to Signal Knob Rec Center in Strasburg for another dual meet against Clarke County and Central High School. In the grudge match against Clarke, the girls won 158-113 on top of a 198-43 trouncing of Central. Karen Hamill and Gen Jordan broke their own previous records in the 200 free and 100 backstroke with times of 2:28 and 1:15, respectively.
The boys team posted similar scores, putting up a season high 198 en route to a 150-point margin of victory over Central in addition to handily beating Clarke 158-113. The 200-yard medley relay team, consisting of Parker, Butler, senior Jack Cashin and sophomore Will Doty, outlasted Clarke County, taking the event by four seconds. Doty, Butler, Clark and Parker cleaned house in the individual events as well, winning six of the eight events.
In their most recent meet which took place this past Saturday, the squads traveled to Winchester for a clash with Strasburg and James Wood High School. The teams both moved to 7-0 for the season, adding two more victories to their totals. The girls beat James Wood 90-79 in their closest match of the season, while the boys added yet another blowout. Neither team had a problem with Strasburg as both cruised to near triple digit wins.
Junior Brandy Arredondo broke Hamill’s 200 freestyle record at the meet in Winchester, the third time that record has been re-set in as many dual meets. It was the same scenario for the girls 100 backstoke record as Kelley Frank set a new mark, completing the race in 1:10; the time topped Gen Jordan’s record, one which she had re-set in each of the two previous meets.
Meanwhile, on the boys’ side, it was a whole lot of Clark, Doty, Parker and Butler once again. Doty took the 100 butterfly, Clark the 200 freestyle, Butler the 100 breaststroke and Parker the 200 individual medley as well as the 400 freestyle.
The Mason swim teams look to remain undefeated when they face Stonewall Jackson High School Friday evening at the Dunn Loring YWCA. Both Stonewall squads are currently 2-2 having lost meets to Clarke County and Sherando. All four of their combined wins have come against Central.
