LHS Red Devils Swim In December Invitationals

Contributed by David Smith, Loganville High School Red Devil Swim Team Coach.

The swim team finished up with some strong showings in December while participating in the Holiday Invitational Meet on Dec. 3 in Carrollton as well as a 14-team invitations at the University of Georgia on Dec. 17. Two of the swimmers, Blayke Kortman, and qualified for state during the meets. Alaina also set a new school record in the 200-yard Individual Medley.

The Holiday invitational in Carrollton included 17 teams from multiple classifications and with over 400 swimmers participating. The team swam well as both the boys and girls placed 9^th in the team competition.

The girls A relay of Blayke Kortman, Brandi Ramsey, Jessie Fortner, and Chelsea Roberts placed 8th in both the 200-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard freestyle relay with times of 2:02.25 and 4:47.39 respectively. The boys A relay of Davis Vincent, Kolbie Watters, Justin Fortner and Josh Torres placed 6^th in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 4:18.81 and 9^th in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:48.06

Individual highlights for the Varsity girls included, Blayke Kortman who qualified for State and placed 2^nd in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 26.43.  Kortman also finished 4th in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:18.19. Chelsea Roberts swam strong and finished 8^th in the 200-yard freestyle and 5^th in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:17.47.  In JV competition Ashley Hyers finished 2^nd in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 30.17 as well as placed 2^nd in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:29.14. For the varsity boys, Davis Vincent placed 6th in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:11.62 and 4^th in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:03.28.  Josh Torres finished 6^th in the 50- yard freestyle with a time of 25.10 and 7^th in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 57.61.

The 14-team invitational meet at UGA was hosted by Clarke-Oconee Swimming and Diving and included schools from multiple classifications and with over 300 swimmers in attendance. The Devils swam well and placed 9^th overall in the team competition.

The boys A relay of Davis Vincent, Justin Fortner, Sully Harris and Josh Torres placed 8^th in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:59.13 and 12^th in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:44.82. The girls A relay of Chelsea Roberts, Brooke Dobson, Jessie Fortner and Alaina Mattix finished 11^th in the 200-yard freestyle relay, while the relay of Mattix, Roberts, Fortner and Brandi Ramsey placed 10th in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Individual highlights for the boys included, Sully Harris who placed 5th in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:01.60 and 6^th in the 200-yard Individual Medley with a time of 2:18.43.  Davis Vincent finished 11^th in the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:10.34.

As for the girls, Alaina Mattix set a new school record in the 200-yard Individual Medley as well as qualified for state and placed 2^nd with a time of 2:20.24. Alaina also placed 3^rd in the 100-yard freestyle with a state qualifying time of 55.29. Chelsea Roberts finished 8^th in both the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard butterfly with times of 2:21.24 and 1:16.12 respectively. Lauren Bowen placed 15^th in the 100-yard backstroke.

The Devils next meet will be The Packer Invitational in Augusta on Saturday, Jan. 7.