South’s Swim and Dive Team Wipes Out Competition at State Championship
Used with permission from Erin Loggins
Swimming into victory. South Forsyth’s Swim team smiles bright as they prepare to compete at their state championship. All the swimmers were very excited to showcase their skills as they went into the weekend.
February 9, 2022
Beginning on Friday, February 4th, the South Forsyth Swim & Dive team went to Georgia Tech University to compete in the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) State Swimming Championships. Students, staff, and teachers lined the hallway with encouragement and support as they cheered on the swim team before they left for their swim meet. At the meet, the War Eagles soared to the top and placed top 10 in the state with many swimmers advancing to the finals.
The SOFO swim team had been such a positive influence on my life. All of the endless support and love from the team helped me become the person I am today. — Senior, Captain Gavin Cullinan
“This meet was a little different; at the moment I wasn’t even thinking about what we placed,” said senior Sarah Davis. “My friends and I were all gathered by the pool after the girls’ last relay hugging, congratulating each other, and just taking in the fact that it was our last swim meet all together. Later, when I found out we had placed in the top 10, I was so excited and we all celebrated afterward on the bus and at dinner.”
For the seniors on the Swim & Dive team, this meet was their last chance to make a lasting impact on their sport. They all rose to the challenge and gave it their all. The following seniors helped South advance to the finals during the championship:
Gavin Cullinan: 200 Medley Relay, 100 Free, 100 Fly, 400 Free Relay
Owen Cullinan: 200 Medley Relay, 400 Free Relay
Caroline Blair: 200 Medley Relay
Lizzie Ryan: 200 Medley Relay
Katie Herman: 200 Medley Relay, 50 Free, 100 Free, 400 Free Relay
Jenny Chung: 200 Free, 400 Free Relay (200 Free Relay)
Sarah Davis: 200 Free Relay
Max Betzer: 500 Free
Senior Jenny Chung, who took the spotlight in several races, said, “Swimming is all about mentality, and really going into the final meet with a positive attitude was a big thing. I set up some personal goals that I wanted to achieve and had the mentality that it was my last year and I couldn’t let anyone down.”
The following War Eagle swimmers advanced to the finals, soaring South’s rankings to the top 10 of the state championships.
Kara Cullinan: 200 Free, 500 Free, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay
Charlotte Tully: 200 Medley Relay, 400 Free Relay, 200 Free Relay, 100 Back
Matthew Malone: 200 Medley Relay, 100 Fly, 200 Free Relay
Derek Henry: 200 Medley Race, 100 Breast, 200 Individual Medley
Owen Rhone: 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay
Julian Van Peteghem: 400 Free Relay
Amelia Bergdahl: 200 Free Relay
Brandon Kim: 500 Free
Ultimately, the 2021-2022 swimming championship was definitely one for the books. While the team faced some challenges along the way due to COVID-19 guidelines, the captains and swimmers persevered through the obstacles and swam to the finish line in success.
“SOFO swim has always made swimming ‘fun’ for me again as opposed to what I sometimes felt swimming year-round,” mentioned senior Katie Herman. “There’s a lot of team spirit and it just feels like a family. It’s definitely a great feeling considering our team is a lot smaller than some of the other teams we swim against at state. It’s just a feeling that our hard work paid off.”
Check out the gallery before to see some fun moments from this past weekend!
