Sports
UPCOMING EVENTS
08
11 2021
Prep golf: Atlee vs. Hanover at Vinaterra G.C. 11:00 a.m.
08
14 2021
USL Soccer: New England at Richmond Kickers 6:30 p.m.
| Youth, High School, College, Recreational & Professional
County swim teams clean up at Champs By Dave Lawrence Sports Editor RICHMOND – Last year, hundreds of young swimmers missed their chance to participate in a summer ritual, the Greater Richmond Aquatic League Champs meet, as it was cancelled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, however, Champs was held, with hundreds of young swimmers, plenty of fans and coaches, and abundant energy. By the time it was over, Burkwood capped two days full of strong Hanover County performances to win its fourthstraight GRAL championship in five years (given that last year’s Champs was cancelled). “We had 99 (swimmers) make it to Champs, which is our highest ever,” said Burkwood head coach Karen Seeber. “That was exciting.” Seeber was obviously pleased with the win, but most important for her was to see improvement in her swimmers – and there was plenty of that. “What we are really looking for each year – and I think I’ve said it before – are time drops . . . getting technique down,” she said. “Once the technique is down, time drops happen and then then you’re looking at ribbons and so forth.” Burkwood hammered the competition, amassing 1,290 points, almost 400 more than second-place Church Run. Ashland finished eighth, followed by Atlee Recreation Association and The Federal
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Joel Klein for The Local
Above, Ashland triple winner Christine Datovech takes to the water for her Champs record winning time of 56.72 seconds in the super varsity division of the 15-18 girls 100-yard backstroke in final day of the Greater Richmond Aquatic League Champs meet at SwimRVA on July 27. Left, Burkwood’s Sam Castle swims to victory in the varsity division of the 15-18 boys 100 butterfly.
Club to round out the top 10. County swimmers turned a host of dominating performances. Individual, The Federal Club’s Amanda Barnard topped everyone with six individual or relay wins. Her teammate, Molly Hoben, had five wins. Another teammate, Alex Gertner, had three.
The Mechanicsville Local
August 4, 2021
Burkwood had its own sixevent winner, Charlie Welsh, and a pair of quadruple winners: Teagan Gilhooly and Harrison Hammer. It also had a trio of triple winners: Veronica Burdsall, Russell Odor and Chandler Rose. Molly Sabo was a quad winner and Christine Datovech
a triple winner for Ashland. Reagan Strohhacker was a quad winner for Pebble Creek. County swimmers broke a number of Champs records. The Federal Club’s Barnard set records in the 13-14 girls 100yard individual medley (58.26), 50 breaststroke (30.51), 100 breaststroke (1:05.85) and 100
freestyle (53.12). Gertner set a new record in the 13-14 boys 100 breaststroke (1:01.13). He also broke Champs records in the 50 butterfly and 100 freestyle, but his times were bested by other swimmers. Barnard, Gertner, Molly Hoben and Catherine Callihan set new Champs records in the 13-14 200-yard mixed medley relay (1:49.62) and 200 freestyle relay (1:38.28). Burkwood’s Welsh set a new record in the 11-12 boys 50 breaststroke (31.62). He was
part of Burkwood’s recordbreaking 200 mixed freestyle relay team (with Gilhooly, Chandler Rose and Ava Jane Reynold). Their new Champs record is 1:46.45. Christine Datovech brought her Ashland team new Champs Records in the 15-18 girls 50 freestyle (23.52), 100 backstroke (56.72) and 50 butterfly 25.26). She broke the record in the 50 backstroke, but her time was bested by someone else. AshCreek’s Brock Rempe set Champs records in the 15-18 boys 50 breaststroke (25.84) and 100 breaststroke (56.41). Rempe beat Mechanicsville Recreation’s Logan Deal in the 50 breaststroke, though Deal had likewise broke the previous Champs record. Dave Lawrence can be reached at dlawrence@mechlocal.com. Team scores Combined: 1. Burkwood (BSRC) 1290; 2. Church Run (CRR) 891; 3. Canterbury (CRA) 877; 4. Hungary Creek (HCRA) 654.5; 5. Twin Hickory (THAT) 513; 6. Wyndham (WSRC) 452.5; 7. Fox Hall (FH) 450.5; 8. Ashland (ASH) 386; 9. Atlee Recreation Assoc 374.5; 10. The Federal Club (TFC) 371; 11. Wellesley (WELL) 333; 12. Colonies (CSC) 330; 13. Pebble Creek (PC) 311.5; 14. Rockville-Dolphin Club (RVDC) 308; 15. Old Church (OC) 272; 16. Milestone (MS) 262; 17. Kings Charter (KC) 252; 18. Raintree (RSRC) 247; 19. Mechanicsville Rec 217.5; 20. The Dominion Club (TDC) 189; 21. Goochland YMCA (GM) 188; 22. Ashcreek (AC) 177; 23. Wembly (WEM) 155; 24. Chestnut Oaks (CORA) 149; 25. Tuckahoe Village West (TVW) 115; 26. Bell Creek (BC) 70; 27. see CHAMPS, pg. 21
