Charlotte Latin boys’ swim team wins state title

Patty Waldron had been a part of 57 age-group championships as a coach at SwimMAC Carolina.

She was part of four ACC championships as a swimmer at North Carolina.

Coming into this year, she’d never been a part of a high school state championship.

After finishing second two years in a row, the Charlotte Latin boys’ swim team won the N.C. Independent School Athletic Association 3A state swim meet Feb. 18 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.

“The whole thing was beautiful,” said Waldron, who is in her fifth year coaching at Latin. “The boys definitely got what they were looking for.”

Charlotte Latin finished with 286 points. Cary Academy finished second with 231. Charlotte Country Day (167) finished fourth and Providence Day (159) finished fifth. It’s the team’s first state championship since 2007.

Seniors Hayes McCullagh and Michael Chadwick led the Hawks, winning two individual state titles each and swimming in two state championship relays.

“When you bring back a Hayes McCullagh, and when you bring back a Michael Chadwick as your centerpieces, you know you’ve got a shot,” said Waldron.

McCullagh, who will swim at Navy next year, won the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1:42.8, beating second-place Bailey Burt from Providence Day by more than three seconds.

McCullagh also won the 100-yard butterfly in 50.62 seconds.

Chadwick, who is signed to swim at Missouri next year, easily won the 200-yard individual medley by more than six seconds (1:53.22). He followed that with a record-breaking performance in the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing in 57.51 seconds to break a state mark set in 2005.

The difference between this year and last year’s second-place team was the addition of three talented freshmen and junior Butler transfer Madison Jaulin.

“I liked the blending of the young kids and the older kids tying the team together,” Waldron said.

Jaulin and freshman Jackson Dickey swam on the state-champion 200-yard medley relay with McCullagh and Chadwick (1:38.83). Dickey also finished seventh in the 100-yard freestyle.

Jaulin finished third in the 200-yard individual medley and 500-yard freestyle events.

Freshman James Hardy joined Dickey, McCullagh and Chadwick on the state-champion 400 freestyle relay (3:17.84). Hardy also finished sixth in the 200 IM and fifth in the 100 butterfly.

Freshman Jack Ratterree placed eighth in the 200-yard freestyle and seventh in the 500 freestyle.

Senior Chuma Eruchalu also contributed by scoring points in the 50 and 100 freestyle events.

Providence Day’s Eddie Cochell was the only other area swimmer to win a 3A state title, winning the 50 freestyle in 22 seconds.

The Charlotte Latin boys were disappointed with a second-place finish last season. When Waldron saw Chadwick in fall, he told her that this was the team’s year to win.

“It’s been on the boys’ mind since August,” Waldron said. “What a way to go out, winning a state championship and feeling good about what you did.”

Girls’ championship

Providence Day finished second at the NCISAA 3A girls’ swim meet at the Greensboro Aquatic Center on Feb. 18, 92 points behind champion Raleigh Ravenscroft.

The Charlotte Latin girls finished third, just four points behind the Chargers. Charlotte Christian finished 11th, Charlotte Country Day finished 12th and Covenant Day finished 21st.

The Chargers, who also won the girls’ conference championship, didn’t win any event championships but had third-place finishes in the 200-yard IM (Julia Sneden) and 400-yard freestyle relay (CJ Miles, Grace Garver, Sneden and Meredith Lindblom).

Latin had strong performances by Ashley Dyke (second place, 200 IM and 100 breaststroke), Hope Dragelin (second place, 100 butterfly) and Rohzina McClanahan (third place, 100 breaststroke).

Latin’s 200-yard medley relay (Chapman Hughes, McClanahan, Dragelin and Dyke) and 400-yard freestyle relay (Dragelin, McClanahan, Hughes and Dyke) finished second.

Latin wins wrestling title

Charlotte Latin won its second straight NCISAA wrestling championship and 16th overall Feb. 16 at Christ School.

The Hawks won five of the 14 weight classes and made it to the finals of one other class.

Three of Latin’s championships came against wrestlers from conference rival Providence Day.

Billy McClelland beat Providence Day’s Amit Naik to win the 122-pound class. Sam Wilson beat the Chargers’ Alex Pourlos to win the 222-pound class, and Toby Okwara beat Chike Ekwanu to win the 287-pound class.

Charlie Horvath was the biggest surprise of the championships for Charlotte Latin. The 140-pounder faced Wesleyan Christian’s Wes Sutton, whom Horvath hadn’t beaten in seven tries. Horvath pinned him in 3 minutes and 2 seconds.

“He stepped up and wrestled a better match then he’s ever wrestled,” said Charlotte Latin coach Richard Fletcher. “He peaked at the right time and put the kid on his back and pinned him.”

Horvath’s teammate Alex Julian pinned his opponent after that to win the 184-pound class.

Charlotte Latin’s Matthew Bredder lost the 162-pound class title to SouthLake Christian’s Sam Bryant.

Providence Day’s Tanner Love won the 134-pound championship, and Charlotte Christian’s Charlie Rand won the 128-pound class.

Sergio Tovar contributed to this story.