On Friday, Jan. 29, the swim team travelled to the Warrenton Aquatic and Recreation Facility to compete in the Conference 21 West swim meet. It was the first of the three championship meets of the season, with the other two being regionals and states. To qualify for the regional meet, swimmers must place in the top six of their individual races or top three in their relays. Out of the 24 swimmers that attended, eight swimmers will move on to regionals in their individual events and two relays will also advance.

On the women’s side of the team, freshmen Andi Fox and Samantha Little qualified; Fox placing 5th in the 100 butterfly and 2nd in the 100 breaststroke, and Little placing 4th in the 100 backstroke and 3rd in 200 Individual Medley, also re-setting her previous school record in the event. Overall the women placed 6th as a team.

The men’s team placed 3rd and will send six individuals and two relays to regionals. Senior Aaron Gusler and sophomore Urie Conis qualified in both of their races; Gusler placing 3rd in the 200 Individual Medley and 5th in the 100 Breaststroke, and Conis placing 6th in the 200 Individual Medley and 6th in the 100 Butterfly. The following advanced in one of their two individual events: sophomore Christian rodriguez, placing 4th in the 100 Butterfly, senior Gavin Boontarue, placing 5th in the 100 Freestyle, junior Andrew Rath, placing 5th in the 100 Backstroke and freshman Kyle Brown, placing 6th in the 100 Backstroke.

The dive team also had their conference meet this week on Thursday, Jan. 28. All three divers, freshman Jack Fleming, sophomore Isaiah King and senior Abner Johnson, advanced with state-qualifying scores in the 1-meter springboard. Johnson placed 3rd overall, Fleming placed 2nd and King placed 1st, also re-setting the school’s eleven dive record.

The regional meet will be held on Feb. 13 at George Mason University in Manassas, Virginia.

Gallery • 10 Photos

Junior Andrew Rath swims the 200 IM at the Conference meet in Warrenton, Virginia.