JCHS girls place 2nd

Connersville was often the team in the Patriots’ way in the Olympic Athletic Conference. And the first Jay County Invitational Saturday, the Spartans were there again.
The JCHS girls swim team finished as the runner-up at the inaugural meet, which replaced the OAC Tournament on the schedule, scoring 380 points to finish behind Connersville (411) in the five-team event.
“They had a lot of personal-best times,” said JCHS girls coach Matt Slavik of the Spartans. “They set two pool records today. They definitely brought the thunder with them, and we didn’t have quite enough to hang in there.
“But in general the girls swam a good meet. There’s nothing bad I can say about how we swam.
“We had good swims, we just weren’t good enough to beat them today.”
The Patriot boys team scored 223 points to finish behind champion Bellmont (350) and Connersville (342).
“We swam really well,” said JCHS boys coach Barry Weaver. “Before the last relay I only counted about four or five swims that weren’t personal bests … Obviously we’re not at the top of the pack, but we’re getting better.”
Jay County’s divers dominated with senior Megan Taylor racking up 342.2 points to win by 16 over Connersville’s Caitlin Lawson.
Freshman Rachel Vogler placed third, and sophomore Sammi Compton finished fourth.
“Our divers were phenomenol,” said Slavik. “Megan Taylor had the best meet of the year, possibly one of the better meets she’s had career-wise … Our divers gave us a huge point advantage.”
Charlotte Becot and Mary Hudson turned in the other individual wins for the Patriots.
Becot took the 50-yard freestyle in 26.31 seconds, and also cut more than two seconds off her career-best time in the 100 freestyle to place second in 56.58. Hudson took the 100 breaststroke by more than four seconds in 1 minute, 12.27 seconds, and was the runner-up in the 200 individual medley.
In the 200 medley relay, Becot, Hudson, Eme Miller and Brie McGhee took the top spot in 1:57.19.
Neal Fennig dominated the 200 freestyle relay to earn the only victory for the Patriot boys. He was more than four seconds ahead of the field with his time of 1:53.72, and finished in the 100 freestyle.
Other top efforts for Jay County girls came from Eme Miller (second - 200 freestyle, third - 500 freestyle) and Brie McGhee (second - 100 freestyle, third - 100 backstroke).[[In-content Ad]]