[New] Powhatan swim makes its mark at Hanover meet

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

Powhatan’s swimming team is off to an excellent start to the season, with the team getting the opportunity to once again compete with some equally strong competition at the Hanover Hawks Holiday Swim Invitational held at SwimRVA on Dec. 17.

20 schools were in attendance at the Hawk Invitational with many getting an early look at what their top swimmers could do at a state of the art pool alongside talented athletes from around the Richmond area.

For Powhatan, there were top results found from multiple Indians swimmers. Senior state-qualifier and team leader Cole Malkerson’s 200-yard freestyle was among the most interesting results of the day, as the star swimmer just barely missed the state cut by 0.26 seconds. He swam that competition in 1:50.30.

The Powhatan girls 500 freestyle finals were also one that got Indians fans excited in the stands. In the finals, sophomore Elizabeth Vallent and freshman Hayden Russell went over their best times by over five seconds and ultimately finished in a thrilling tie with times of 5:52.93.

Three girl swimmers qualified for individual finals and relay finals for the first time in over five years. Vallent, who qualified with that 500 freestyle time along with Russell, also qualified after competing in the 50-yard freestyle as well as the 200-yard freestyle relay.

Vallent swam with freshman Kayla Blinn, sophomore Jenna Autry and Russell in the 200