Area swimmers reach their goals

Correspondent

Kyle Darmody has a lot to live up to. His older brother, Kip, was an All-American swimmer and state champion at Providence High and is having a standout career at the University of Texas.

Kyle, the South Charlotte News Boys’ Swimmer of the Year, now has compiled his own resume in his final high school season at Providence. He won a 4A state championship in the 50-yard freestyle (20.54) and was state runner-up in the 100 freestyle (45.30), both in All-American times.

Kyle, 6-foot-6, also helped the 400 freestyle relay team to a second place finish and the 200 medley relay to a third place finish at the state meet.

The younger Darmody is headed to Auburn University.

“I think we’ve just seen the foundation for how good Kyle can be,” said David Marsh, SwimMAC CEO and U.S. Olympic Team assistant. He still coaches Kip and Kyle.

“In many ways, we will start to see Kyle’s upside as he fills in and develops into a man’s body. I think he’s on track to be a viable contender for the Rio (de Janeiro, Brazil) Olympics (in 2016).”

Charlotte Catholic’s girls continued their run in the pool, winning their 12th straight state title over two classifications. They beat their closest competition by 211 points.

The Cougars, led by Brian Gross, the South Charlotte News girls’ swimming coach of the year, also set 13 school records, nine class 3A records and five all-classifications records.

Sophomore Nora McCullagh, the South Charlotte News girls’ swimmer of the year, set an all-class record in the 50 freestyle (22.92) and a 3A mark in the 100 backstroke to win both states titles and 3A state meet MVP.

McCullagh was also on the 200- and 400-free relay squads that set all-classification records and won state titles.

Charlotte Catholic’s boys, also coached by Gross, finished as 3A state runner-up for the fourth straight season.

Charlotte Latin’s boys won their first NCISAA 3A state title since 2007, with c o-South Charlotte News boys’ swimming coach of the year Patty Waldron leading the Hawks.

South Mecklenburg swim coach Leslie Berens shares the South Charlotte boys’ swimming coach of the year honors, after leading the Sabres to their first Southwestern 4A title in six years.

The Sabres also finished as 4A West Regional runner-up (to Hough) and third at states.

All-South Charlotte News Girls’ Swimming

50 freestyle: Nora McCullagh, Charlotte Catholic, So.: Set all-classification record in winning state title (22.92).

100 freestyle: Lauren Rhodes, Charlotte Catholic, Jr.: 3A state record in state championship performance (50.02).

200 freestyle: Rhodes, Charlotte Catholic, Jr.: Another state title, another 3A state record (1:47.98).

500 freestyle: Christine Sullivan, Charlotte Catholic, Jr.: State runner-up broke 5-minute barrier (4:59.18).

200 individual medley: Nicole Emery, Charlotte Catholic, Jr.: State and regional champ set 3A state mark (2:02.01).

100 butterfly: Elsa Welshofer, Charlotte Catholic, Jr.: Regional and state champ broke 3A state meet record (54.69).

100 backstroke: McCullagh, Charlotte Catholic, So.: Another state title, another 3A state record for 3A MVP (55.09).

100 breaststroke: Alexandra Martelle, South Mecklenburg, Jr.: 4A state champion (1:03.21) also won regional championship.

200 medley relay: Charlotte Catholic (Emery, Sara Stranick, Welshofer, Maria Sheridan): State champions set all classification record with 1:45.52.

200 freestyle relay: Charlotte Catholic (McCullagh, Allison McDonough, Sheridan, Rhodes): Another all-classification record with 1:35.00, just .04 better than Hough’s mark set the night before.

400 freestyle relay: Charlotte Catholic (McCullagh, Welshofer, Emery, Rhodes): Another state championship, broke Hough’s state record less than 24 hours later (3:24.61).

Diving: Mary Scott Alexander, Myers Park, So. and Becca Brennan, Charlotte Catholic: Both finished 6th at states.

All-South Charlotte News Boys’ Swimming

50 freestyle: Kyle Darmody, Providence High, Sr.: 4A state and regional champion (20.54).

100 freestyle: Darmody, Providence High, Sr.: 4A West champ was state runner-up (45.30).

200 freestyle: Hayes McCullagh, Charlotte Latin, Sr.: Navy signee, Nora’s big brother, was state champ here (1:42.80)

500 freestyle: Hunter Brakovec, Independence, Jr.: 4A West champion, third at states.

200 IM: Michael Chadwick, Charlotte Latin, Sr.: Missouri signee won first of two individual state titles here.

100 butterfly: McCullagh, Charlotte Latin, Sr.: Another event, another state title (50.62).

100 backstroke: Connor Long, Ardrey Kell, So.: 4A West runner-up was ninth at states (52.97).

100 breaststroke: Chadwick, Charlotte Latin, Sr.: Latin senior set a new state record (57.51).

200 medley relay: Charlotte Catholic (Chris Wilson, Matthew Rigali, William Webb and Ryan Hall): Catholic quartet won states (1:37.98).

200 freestyle relay: South Mecklenburg (Graham Weaver, Jason Hseih, Spencer Green and Kenny Dimitrov): 4A West Regional champions finished fourth at states (1:27.99).

400 freestyle relay: Providence High (Pierce Bradshaw, Zach Cox, Hunter Brawley, Darmody): Regional champion finished as state runner-up (3:09.52).

Diving: Brendan Schaffer, South Mecklenburg, Jr.: 4A West Regional runner-up was fifth at states.