SGSC women win first, men second in opening swim meet

The South Georgia State College swim teams opened their season last Saturday with a strong showing in their home invitational meet. SGSC’s women won the four-team meet in a convincing fashion amassing 302 points to second place Darton State College’s 115. The men finished a close second to Darton by a score 246 to 200. Thomas University placed third and LaGrange College placed fourth.

Leading the women were sophomore Leeanne Bagaoisan of Bonnaire with two first places in the 100 and 200 backstroke; freshman Caitlyn Meece of Kathleen in the 100 and 200 breaststroke; and freshman Carolyn Ives of Carrollton in the 50 and 100 free. Ives also set a new school record in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:01.29.

Freshman Austin Vines of Moultrie set a new school record in the 50 back with a time of 24.5, and he won the 100 backstroke event. Freshman Ryan Davis of Ochlocknee won the 1000 yard freestyle for the men.

The Hawks won four relays at the meet. The women won all three of their relays and the men won the 200 medley. Swimming in the men’s medley were Vines; Austin McCollough of Lafayette, La.; Dylan Villhauer of Woodstock; and Alex Haymond of Columbus. The women’s first place 200 medley and 400 freestyle teams consisted of Bagaoisan, Meece, Ives, and Hazlehurst’s Bonnie Brown. Megan Harding of Thomasville chipped in to help the women win the 200 freestyle relay.

“We were two swimmers down on the men’s side due to injury and illness which caused us to come up a little short, but our women easily dominated the meet. It’s always nice to win your own invitational meet, and our swimmers raced very well,” commented head coach CM Jenkins.

The Hawks swimmers will compete next Saturday at LaGrange College Invitational in LaGrange.