Swim & dive teams have experienced a fast start to the 2014-15 campaign, Coach John Gullickson looks for more good things at state and national competitions in February.
The Bishop Ireton swimming Cardinals kicked off their 2014-2015 season on November 18, 2014 against St. Albans and the National Cathedral School.
The Men’s squad lost 100-70 while the women won by a hefty margin of 115-55, giving the team a combined win of 185 – 155.
Next up was the VISAA (Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association) Relays hosted by Woodberry Forest School in Orange, Virginia on November 22, 2014. Both the Men and Women’s squads were in the top four overall at this unscored relay carnival. This event gave the team an opportunity to get split times and refine their relay line-ups.
During the WMPSSDL (Washington Metropolitan Preparatory School Swimming and Diving League) Relay Carnival pm at Georgetown Preparatory School in North Bethesda, Maryland on November 22, 2014, the Women’s squad took third and Men took fifth overall.
Women – Team Rankings & Scores
1. Academy of the Holy Cross 306
2. Our Lady of Good Counsel 264
3. Bishop Ireton Swim and Dive 258
4. Bishop O’Connell 230
5. Georgetown Visitation 216
6. Sidwell Friends School 198
7. Georgetown Day School 164
8. National Cathedral/W 112
9. The Bullis School 106
10. Oakcrest School Chargers 98
11. Edmund Burke School 78
12. Bishop McNamara Mustangs 54
Men – Team Rankings & Scores
1. Georgetown Preparatory School 300
2. Gonzaga College High School 290
3. Our Lady of Good Counsel 240
4. St. Albans/M 218
5. Bishop Ireton Swim and Dive 202
6. Sidwell Friends School 180
7. Georgetown Day School 110
8. Bishop O’Connell 82
9. The Bullis School 70
10. Edmund Burke School 60
11. Bishop McNamara Mustangs 18
On December 11, 2014, the BI Cardinals flew past the Paul VI Panthers in dual meet action at Marymount University. The Cardinals’ women garnered 94.5 points to the Panther’s 75.5, while the men’s squad dominated 101-69. The combined team score was Cardinals 195.5 and Panthers 155.5
Showing their team spirit to help others, the BI Water Cardinals dug deep and helped to deliver Christmas to ten Bucknell Elementary School families for their Holiday Service Project. School representative Mrs. St. John-Cunning was very appreciative of all of the donated gifts as well as the generous time donation to gather, assemble, and wrap everything. Gift wrappers included Clara Boggs, Jimmy Grant, Hayden Britt, Rose Meyers, and Annie Sullivan. A special thanks goes out to Carla Pena’s mom, Vanessa, who with the help of her son, came and wrapped presents for three families. And Carla isn’t even swimming this year! The gifts were delivered on December 18, 2014 by team moms Phyllis Boggs and Joy Kelly. As observed by team dad Rob McGuckin, “I am sure I speak for everyone when I say “great job” with this initiative. What you all have done here is a true game-changer for these families. I was moved when I read the initial email, and continued to be through viewing the picture below. Thank you for representing the school and your families with this selfless act.”
The Bishop Ireton Cardinals kicked off 2015 with decisive defense of their champion title at the Northern Virginia Catholic High School Invitational on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at the Freedom Fitness and Aquatic Center of the George Mason University Manassas campus. Competing against Bishop Denis J. O’Connell , Paul VI, Saint John Paul the Great, Seton School, Saint Michael the Archangel, Oakcrest and Saint Gertrude, the BI swimmers splashed their way to a first place for the second year running for the men and the third year for the women.
The BI women divers Kate Wimbush and Kate Murray (both freshmen), kicked off the meet with 4th and 5th places in the one-meter event against three seniors from O’Connell, putting the first points on the scoreboard for Ireton.
Sophomore Anna Shumate broke two meet records with incredible swims in the 50 Free and the 100 ******. The women’s 200 Medley relay team of sophomores Emma Klein and Anna Shumate, junior Anna Fracasso and senior Hayley Snell snagged first place in a breathtaking finish that was a National Catholic qualifying time. Emma Klein also grabbed first place in the 100 butterfly with a powerful finish that was a VISAA-qualifying time.
The men’s Most Valuable Swimmer, as voted by all the coaches at the meet, was senior Ben Gorski, with first place swims in the 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke as well as his role in the 200 Medley relay’s team first place result (with senior A.J. Salvatori, junior Michael Morrison and senior Ryan Scott, also a National Catholic qualifying time) and the 200 Free relay team’s second place finish (with sophomore Jermaine Thompson, senior Ryan Scott and senior Jimmy Grant, another National Catholic qualifying time). Michael Morrison took a commanding first place in the 200 IM (and a National Catholic qualifier) and A.J. Salvatori landed a stunning first place in the 100 backstroke (another National Catholic qualifier). Along with all these impressive swims was a supporting team of second through fourth team swimmers, all of whom contributed to the winning totals and team spirit at the invitational meet.
Keeping the championship pace up, the BI Swim & Dive team brought home a first place trophy for both the men’s and women’s squads as the perennial favorite at the Alexandria City Championship meet, soaring past the T.C. Williams Titans and the Saint Stephens / Saint Agnes Saints at Chinquapin Recreation Center on January 13, 2015. This year’s meet included a very competitive Saint Stephens / Saint Agnes swim and dive team, but the Cardinals out-swam the Saints by a combined 35-point margin of 189 – 154. The combined point spread between the Cardinals and the Titans was 79 with final score of 214 – 135. Unofficially, this is the 13th year running that BI has defended the Tri-City Championship.
First place winners included:
Women’s 200 Medley Relay – Hayley Snell, Anna Shumate, Anna Fracasso and Abigail Grillo
Men’s 200 Freestyle – Michael Morrison
Women’s 200 Freestyle – Emma Klein
Men’s 200 Individual Medley – Ben Gorski
Women’s 50 Freestyle – Hayley Snell
Women’s 100 butterfly – Emma Klein
Men’s 100 Freestyle – A.J. Salvatori
Women’s 100 Freestyle – Anna Shumate
Men’s 400 Freestyle – Michael Morrison
Women’s 200 Free Relay – Emma Klein, Lori Abbed, Anney Matlock and Clara Boggs
Men’s 100 Breaststroke – Ben Gorski
Women’s 100 Breaststroke – Anna Shumate
Men’s 400 Freestyle Relay – Michael Morrison, Jimmy Grant, A.J. Salvatori and Ben Gorski
Women’s 400 Freestyle Relay – Emma Klein, Abigail, Hayley Snell and Anna Shumate
The freshman women divers Kate Wimbush and Kate Murray also placed 4th and 5th in the one meter dive event, respectively.
In this meet, only the top six places in each event count toward the final team scores. Worthy of note are all the individuals and relay teams, in addition to those listed above, who contributed to the total points scored to push the Water Cardinals to the wall to win the meet. The depth of the BI bench was in play with 3rd and 4th teams kicking to finishes that were competitive with, and, in some cases, exceeded the 1st and 2nd team results. Incredible team spirit was evident as the Cardinals cheered teammates to photo finishes. Also evident was the Cardinal sportsmanship of supporting friends on competing teams in their efforts in the pool.
The regular season swimming will conclude with meets against Our Lady of Good Counsel on January 19 and Bishop Denis J. O’Connell on February 5. The Cardinals will be competing at the National Catholic Swimming and Diving Championship at the Mangione Aquatic Center in Baltimore on January 24-25, the WMPSSDL Championship at the Fairland Aquatic Center on January 31 and the Metros in Germantown on February 6-7. The season concludes with the VISAA State Tournament on February 13-14.
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