Centennial Swimmer Advances To Junior National Championships

From Centennial High School: Let’s face it. Swimming, for the most part, is an individual sport. These athletes chose a sport where they push their bodies beyond what most of us can imagine. All the while, they are staring at a lone black line. And then there are special nights like Saturday, November 19, 2016 when Centennial High School made a strong statement as a Varsity team at the McCallie Invitational Swim & Dive Meet in Chattanooga, TN.

Led by Juniors Brianna Bender and Noland Deas, both the girls and the boys’ teams had strong finishes. The girls’ swim team finished second overall out of 27 teams, showing they are a force to be reckoned with this season. The only team to score more was the three time defending Tennessee state champions, Harpeth Hall, out of Nashville.

“I’m excited to see what our team can achieve this year,” said Head Coach Slade Dale. “We’ve got a strong bench. Not only did we medal in every girl’s event of the night, but we did so with seven different swimmers.”

The boys’ team also had many contributors which powered Centennial into 2nd place in the Combined Category. On a night when every race mattered, the Knights finished only 7 points behind AAAAAAA Collins Hill and just 4 points ahead of Lakeside.

In addition to a successful meet, Centennial Junior Noland Deas, will compete in the Speedo Winter Junior National Championships this weekend in Columbus, OH in both the 500FR and 200FR. Deas has also earned the Academic All-American Award from USA Swimming. This is a huge honor, awarded for his efforts both in the classroom and in the pool.

“We couldn’t be more proud of our Knights,” said Principal Kibbey Crumbley. “They are stars both in and out of the pool. We especially want to wish Noland good luck this weekend as he competes in Columbus!”

Images Courtesy Of Centennial High School