The 2021 GHSA Swimming and Diving State Championships came to a close Saturday at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, with individual medals and team titles being given to the boys and girls in Class 7A.
The North Gwinnett boys won their second-consecutive title in Class 7A with a score of 361.5. In second and third place were Alpharetta (308.5) and Parkview (301.5), respectively. In last year’s 200-yard freestyle race, Milton’s Cooper Cook placed third with a time of 1:39.78. This year, Cook finished with an improved time of 1:37.56, enough to land him the gold. West Forsyth’s Jack Aikins defended his medal in the 50-yard freestyle, finishing first with a time of 19.68, while also winning a consecutive gold in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 43.29.
Peachtree Ridge’s Tyler Schroeder placed second in last year’s 100-yard butterfly, with Brookwood’s Nathaniel Stoffle finishing first. This year, Schroeder was able to come out on top with a first-place time of 48.35, while Stoffle (48.37) placed second just behind him. Stoffle did however defend his 100-yard backstroke title, finishing first with a time of 47.65.
For the girls, the Lambert Longhorns claimed the Class 7A team title, their first since their stellar four-consecutive title run from 2013-2016 in Class 6A. They had first-place finishes in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:31.31), the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:37.05) and the 200-yard medley relay (1:46.17). Lambert’s Ella Jones also placed first overall in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 54.17. Coming in second overall was Walton (320) followed by Brookwood (282) in third.
In the 200-yard freestyle, Parkview’s Abigail McCulloh defended her spot at the top, claiming a consecutive gold medal with a time of 1:48.37. McCulloh also defended her title in the 500-yard freestyle, placing first with a time of 4:44.96. Last year, Brookwood’s Lily Burke took home the gold in the 200-yard IM, and came out on top again this year with a first-place time of 2:02.69. Burke also defended her title in the 100-yard freestyle, repeating as the top finisher with a time of 51.02.
Norcross swimmer Catie Choate was also among those to have a repeat first-place finish. She defended her 100-yard backstroke title with a first-place time of 55.01. In last year’s 50-yard freestyle, Campbell’s Allison Damron placed third with a time of 23.78. This year, Damron jumped up two spots to finish first with a time of 23.26 to take home the gold.
See the results from Saturday’s Class 7A GHSA Swimming State Championships below.
TEAM RESULTS
Class 7A
Boys
1. North Gwinnett (361.5) 2. Alpharetta (308.5) 3. Parkview (301.5)
Girls
1. Lambert (324) 2. Walton (320) 3. Brookwood (282)
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Class 7A
Boys
200-Yard Medley Relay
1. Parkview (1:33.36) 2. Brookwood (1:34.01) 2. North Gwinnett (1:34.01) 4. Lambert (1:35.40)
200-Yard Freestyle
1. Cooper Cook, Milton (1:37.56) 2. Luke Han, North Gwinnett (1:40.40) 3. Tristan DenBrok, North Gwinnett (1:40.55)
200-Yard IM
1. Dane Charleston, North Cobb (1:51.75) 2. Nathan Jin, Alpharetta (1:51.92) 3. Griffin Egolf, West Forsyth (1:51.95)
50-Yard Freestyle
1. Jack Aikins, West Forsyth (19.68) 2. Charles Lu, Alpharetta (20.71) 3. Brett Sasser, West Forsyth (21.22)
100-Yard Butterfly
1. Tyler Schroeder, Peachtree Ridge (48.35) 2. Nathaniel Stoffle, Brookwood (48.37) 3. Tommy Bried, Hillgrove (48.76)
100-Yard Freestyle
1. Jack Aikins, West Forsyth (43.29) 2. Luke Han, North Gwinnett (45.38) 3. Charles Lu, Alpharetta (45.43)
500-Yard Freestyle
1. Tommy Bried, Hillgrove (4:31.63) 2. Jack Casey, Alpharetta (4:33.66) 3. Tristan DenBrok, North Gwinnett (4:34.98)
200-Yard Freestyle Relay
1. West Forsyth (1:22.56) 2. Milton (1:25.35) 3. North Gwinnett (1:25.52)
100-Yard Backstroke
1. Nathaniel Stoffle, Brookwood (47.65) 2. Patrick Morris, Lambert (49.18) 3. Cooper Cook, Milton (49.94)
100-Yard Breaststroke
1. Preston Lin, Norcross (54.71) 2. Aidan Chen, Dunwoody (56.80) 3. Joshua Kim, Parkview (57.08)
400-Yard Freestyle Relay
1. West Forsyth (3:03.13) 2. Milton (3:07.24) 3. Alpharetta (3:07.43)
Girls
200-Yard Medley Relay
1. Lambert (1:46.17) 2. Walton (1:47.04) 3. Alpharetta (1:48.45)
200-Yard Freestyle
1. Abigail McCulloh, Parkview (1:48.37) 2. Ella Jones, Lambert (1:48.53) 3. Emma Reiser, North Gwinnett (1:51.11)
200-Yard IM
1. Lily Burke, Brookwood (2:02.69) 2. Elizabeth Isakson, Walton (2:04.10) 3. Alicia Henry, Alpharetta (2:06.01)
50-Yard Freestyle
1. Allison Damron, Campbell (23.26) 2. Kara West, Lambert (23.51) 3. Abby Wenham, Discovery (23.64)
100-Yard Butterfly
1. Ella Jones, Lambert (54.17) 2. Catie Choate, Norcross (55.81) 3. Alexandra Clark, Alpharetta (56.12)
100-Yard Freestyle
1. Lily Burke, Brookwood (51.02) 2. Kara West, Lambert (51.13) 3. Abby Wenham, Discovery (51.82)
500-Yard Freestyle
1. Abigail McCulloh, Parkview (4:44.96) 2. Emma Reiser, North Gwinnett (4:56.12) 3. Sydney Starnes, Walton (4:57.46)
200-Yard Freestyle Relay
1. Lambert (1:37.05) 2. Brookwood (1:37.57) 3. North Gwinnett (1:39.49)
100-Yard Backstroke
1. Catie Choate, Norcross (55.01) 2. Sarah Livingston, Parkview (56.49) 3. Lily Alderman, Walton (58.29)
100-Yard Breaststroke
1. Alicia Henry, Alpharetta (1:02.05) 2. Elizabeth Isakson, Walton (1:02.51) 3. Allison Damron, Campbell (1:03.99)
400-Yard Freestyle Relay
1. Lambert (3:31.31) 2. Walton (3:31.93) 3. Brookwood (3:32.63)