Cavaliers boys, girls take RRC titles

The Cuthbertson High boys and girls swim teams set new heights in participation numbers and success during the 2012-13 season.

The teams won their regular season Rocky River Conference championships at Wingate University on Jan. 22.

The Cuthbertson Cavaliers – directed by first-year coach and Cuthbertson teacher, Dr. Lee Henage – sent eight boys and five girls to regionals last month in Huntersville. Eighteen swimmers posted qualifying times at the RRC meet.

Henage spent several years as an assistant coach at Central Academy before coming to Cuthbertson.

This year, Henage saw participation in swimming increase.

The boys team, which had only five returning swimmers, had 20 team members. The girls’ squad held 27 members.

Henage gave credit to former coaches Chris and Danielle Martin, and assistant coach Monica Laux, who helped build the team’s foundation after the school’s opening a few years ago. The coaches have all helped the team persevere through less than ideal practice conditions; they did not have a pool on campus.

So the teams traveled to Monroe Aquatics and Fitness Center two nights a week, where they used three lanes during their 90-minute allotted practice time.

The teams make the most of each practice session, with the girls and boys teams finishing in first place in seven out of eight regular season meets. During many of the conference meets, the Cavaliers compete against as many as six or seven schools during a single evening.

“I’m proud of each of these kids for their strong commitment both in the pool and in the classroom,” Henage said. “They swim with a lot of heart and always display the ultimate sportsmanship.”

The girls team boasts four of the top 10 swimmers in the region, led by Conference Swimmer of the Year Kimberley Parnell. The senior took home first-place honors at the conference meet in the 50-yard freestyle, the 100-yard butterfly; in addition, she was on the winning 200-yard medley relay team.

Seniors Kristin Everhart and Kristen Pounds, junior Allie Everhart and freshman Summer Abrunza were also named to the all-conference team and advanced to regional competition as the Cavaliers won the conference for the fourth consecutive year. Cuthbertson edged Piedmont 358-353 to finish its final season of the 2A RRC competition.

Henage credits senior captain Rachel Wells as having a tremendous influence on the Cavalier swimmers.

“These kids win and win the right way,” Henage said. “This was a great year of growth for us, and our upperclassmen were great role models for the younger ones.”

While the girls team had experienced championships in past years, the Cuthbertson boys claimed its first conference championship in school history after finishing with 380 points – topping its nearest competitors Union Academy (309 points) and Piedmont (302 points). The boys squad was led by captains Cain Poling and Nick Robison. They were joined on the all-conference team by Vedaant Arora, Mark Goodson, Seamus Kearney, Justin Laramee and Brandon Lofton.

Cuthbertson will enter the 3A/4A Southern Carolina Conference next season and join county swimming powers Marvin Ridge and Weddington.

“It will be a big change next year as we’ll be facing a large number of year-round swimmers,” Henage said. “We’ll step up to the challenge, though, and continue to build on all the things this swimming program has already accomplished.”