West girls win another title

Wed. January 25, 2012 at 11:43 p.m. | By Mike Duprez

Grace Baird of West Davidson swims to a win in the girls 200-yard individual medley during the Central Carolina Conference Championship swim meet Wednesday in Salisbury. (Photo by Donnie Roberts/The Dispatch)

SALISBURY | West Davidson’s girls won the 1-A/2-A state championship and, in case anybody’s wondering, the Green Dragons are still very good.

Led by a pair of overwhelming wins by Grace Baird, the Dragons totaled 131 points and held off second-place Central Davidson by 15 points to win their fourth straight Central Carolina Conference championship on Wednesday at the Salisbury YMCA.

Lexington was a strong third with 97 points. Salisbury was fourth with 74 points and East Davidson had 48.

Strong performances by veterans Katherine Fletcher and Taylor Koonts helped the Dragons win despite having a lineup of just 10 swimmers.

“It was good to see the girls win,” said West coach Carl Spake. “We’ve been pretty much outmanned most of the season with a limited number of swimmers. Everybody showed up, everybody swam good. That was a nice victory for us.”

Baird, especially, showed up by winning the 200 individual medley by a whopping 27 seconds and the 500 free by 20 seconds. Freshman Taylor Blankenship was West’s other individual winner, taking the 100 back. Koonts was second. Baird, Fletcher, Blankenship and Koonts won the 200 medley relay. Savannah Newsome and Blankenship finished 3-4 in the 50 free. Fletcher also came in second behind Baird in the 500 free.

It added up to a showing strong enough to hold off Central.

“Obviously, Grace Baird, Katherine Fletcher, Taylor Koonts, Taylor Blankenship, Savannah Newsome really stood up,” Spake said. “It’s a good win for us all around.”

Central used a pair of second places in relays and some top-five finishes to rack up points. April Kearns, Mamie Gates, Allyson Bowers and Korbin Eller were second in the 200 medley relay. Lexi Boxford, Gates, Bowers and Eller were second in the 200 free relay. Kearns, Marisa Laws and Caroline Belk placed 3-4-5 in the 100 back while Kearns and Bowers were 3-4 in the 100 fly.

It was enough to push the Dragons.

“We don’t have any year-round swimmers and we came within 15 points,” said Central coach Chad Hench. “I’m happy about that.”

Lexington’s Blythe Riggan won the 100 fly and took second in the 100 free.

East Davidson’s Marina Moore was a double winner, claiming the 50 free and 100 breast. The Eagles also won the 200 free relay with Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Hannah Rice, Carly Murphy and Moore outdueling Central.

McKenzie Stevens of Salisbury was also a double winner, taking the 100 free and 200 free.

Mike Duprez can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 218 or mike.duprez@the-dispatch.com.