MSC three-peats as Tarheel League champs

By: STAFF REPORTS | The News Herald | Morganton News Herald
Published: August 06, 2011

GRANITE FALLS --

For the third consecutive summer, the Morganton Swim Club won the Tarheel League meet on Tuesday in Caldwell County, topping teams from Valdese, Marion, Transylvania and Forest City, as well as host Granite Falls.

“It was a true team effort,” said MSC coach Dan St. Louis. “Our relays were the difference in the meet, which shows our depth.”

High-point winners by age and gender for Morganton included Hannah Keller (15-18 girls), Kirsten Harrison (11-12 girls), Mario Sacchetti (9-10 boys), Gabe Crawley (8U boys) and Riley Carswell (8U girls).

Morganton event winners included Isabella Sachetti (6U girls 25-yard freestyle), Emerson Miller (6U boys 25 free), R. Carswell (8U girls 25 backstroke, 25 butterfly), Christina Fisher (8U girls 50 free), Gabe Rodriguez (8U boys 25 fly, 50 free), G. Crawley (8U boys 25 free), Bailey Shuping (9-10 girls 50 free), M. Sacchetti (9-10 boys 50 fly, 100 individual medley, 100 free), K. Harrison (11-12 girls 50 free, 50 back, 50 fly), Jaclyn Bowers (11-12 girls 100 IM), Elizabeth Evanko (11-12 girls 100 free), H. Keller (15-18 girls 50 free, 100 free, 100 back), Ellen Anderson (15-18 girls 200 IM) and Sarah Evanko (15-18 girls 100 fly).

Morganton also claimed a whopping 13 relay titles: the 8U girls and boys 100 medley and 100 free, the 9-10 girls and boys 200 medley, the 9-10 boys 200 free, the 11-12, 13-14 and 15-18 girls 200 medley, the 11-12 girls 200 free and the 15-18 girls and boys 200 free.

“This is a credit to coaches Kristin Erwin, Wilson Hamer and Sean Alexander, who do a fantastic job for our team,” St. Louis added. “We also had several individual swimmers who really helped with outstanding swims and many personal bests.”

The Valdese squad led by coach David Andersen also finished strong to give Burke County a 1-2 finish at the meet.

Their event winners included Caroline Lucas (8U girls 25 breaststroke, 100 IM), MacKenzie Baker (9-10 girls 50 free, 100 free, 100 IM), Trey Blackwood (9-10 boys 50 back), Austin Gorman (11-12 boys 50 breast, 100 IM), Tanner Stirewalt (13-14 boys 100 back, 100 fly, 200 IM), Sam Frederick (13-14 boys 100 free), Mack Mobley (13-14 boys 50 free), Zach Key (15-18 boys 100 back, 100 breast, 200 IM), Alec Blackwood (15-18 boys 100 fly, 200 free) and Grant Guittard (15-18 boys 100 free).

Valdese also took first place in three relays: the 13-14 and 15-18 boys 200 medley, as well as the 9-10 girls 200 free.