Elkin continues to dominate swim league

There are a lot of new things about the Elkin Wet Lightning summer swim team this season.

The uniforms are new. There are a couple dozen new faces standing behind the blocks. There’s a new, enthusiastic head coach — Emily Morrison — cheering and instructing with every event.

But, as the season kicks off, there is plenty that is familiar, too.
Elkin still has a ton swimmers on its roster. The team still has a ton of very talented swimmers. And the Wet Lightning group just keeps winning meets.

The long-time powerhouse program of the Blue Ridge Swim League won its home opener Tuesday night, sweeping the Reeves Community Center Rapids and Carroll County Tiger Sharks.

Elkin finished with 754 points in the three-hour meet. Reeves, from Mount Airy, scored 401 points, followed by Carroll with 149. The Wet Lightning won its first meet this past Saturday, defeating Wilkesboro on the road.

It has been several years since Elkin has lost a regular season meet.
A loaded lineup kept the win streak alive Tuesday night despite a solid performance from Reeves.

Brothers Tucker and Carter Holmes dominated the 15-18 boys events. Tucker won the 50 freestyle, 50 backstroke and 50 butterfly. Carter aced the 100 individual medley, 100 free and 50 breaststroke.
Likewise, Victoria Holmes — the younger sister of Carter and Tucker — teamed up with Tessa Cesare to give Elkin a sweep in the all the 9-10 girls individual events.

Victoria Holmes touched first in the 25 free, 25 breaststroke and 25 backstroke. Cesare won the 100 IM, 50 free and 25 butterfly.

Grace Cesare was a triple-winner in the 13-14 girls division. With strokes that seemed to match her first name, she cruised to victories in the 50 free, 100 free and 50 breaststroke.

Cesare was a prominent name on the leader board all night, with

Hannah and Sarah Cesare each winning two events in the 15-18 girls division. Hannah was first in the 100 IM and 50 free, while Sarah won the 100 free and 50 backstroke.

Other double winners from Elkin included

• Palmer Duncan (11-12 girls): 50 free and 50 breaststroke
• Lakan Beaver (13-14 girls): 100 IM and 50 fly
• Cameron Burleson (7-8 boys): 25 free and 25 back
• Daniel Brinegar (11-12 boys): 50 free and 50 breaststroke
• Andrew Peterson (13-14 boys): 100 free and 50 fly

Margaret Freeman, Caroline Owings, Maia Schweikert, Kirstan Beaver, Priscilla Holmes, Marshall Wells, James Owings and Dockery Sloop won single events for the Wet Lightning.

Elkin’s girls won every freestyle relay. The Elkin boys touched first in four freestyle relay events. The medley relays were not staged Tuesday night because of time constraints.

Reeves had a pair of triple-winners in Julie Hicks and Sean Evans. Hicks was untouchable in the 100 IM, 25 free and 25 breaststroke for the 7-8 age group. Evans won the 100 IM, 25 free and 25 fly for the 9-10 boys division.

The Stroupe family did well for the Mount Airy team. Zeb Stroupe won the 25 breaststroke and 25 fly for the 7-8 age group. Eli Stroupe touched first in the 25 breaststroke and 50 free among the 9-10 boys.

Matheson Williams (6 & under boys), Cassie Hull (6 & under girls), Ashley Hicks (11-12 girls), Andrew Jones (13-14 boys) and Allee Taylor (15-18 girls) also were double-winners for Reeves.

Elkin will travel to Wytheville for its next meet this Saturday. Races are slated to start at 9 a.m. Long-time rival Dobson will visit the Elkin pool next Tuesday.

The Wet Lightning has five home meets this summer, with the last three coming in July.

Morrison replaces Sybil Myers as head coach. Myers, who has been with the team all of this decade, still has swimmers on the team but wanted to spend more time with family following the birth of her third child.

Blue Ridge Swim League Tri-Meet

Tuesday, June 23 * at Elkin

Overall Team Scores: Elkin Wet Lightning 754, Reeves Rapids 401, Carroll County Tiger Sharks 149
Girls Team Scores: Elkin Wet Lightning 443, Reeves Rapids 193, Carroll County Tiger Sharks 60
Boys Team Scores: Elkin Wet Lightning 311, Reeves Rapids 208, Carroll County Tiger Sharks 89

GIRLS EVENT WINNERS
Ages 6 & Under
25 freestyle = Cassie Hull (Reeves), 32.21
25 breaststroke = Margaret Freeman (Elkin), 55.13
100 freestyle relay = Elkin “A”, 3:11.27
25 backstroke = Cassie Hull (Reeves), 37.52
25 butterfly = Valeria Bramscome (Carroll), 47.59

Ages 7-8
100 IM = Julie Hicks (Reeves), 1:48.67
25 freestyle = Julie Hicks (Reeves), 20.00
25 breaststroke = Julie Hicks (Reeves), 27.84
100 freestyle relay = Elkin “A”, 1:37.95
25 backstroke = Caroline Owings (Elkin), 24.22
25 butterfly = Maia Schweikert (Elkin), 26.49

Ages 9-10
100 IM = Tessa Cesare (Elkin), 1:30.26
25 freestyle = Victoria Holmes (Elkin), 17.20
50 freestyle = Tessa Cesare (Elkin), 34.97
25 breaststroke = Victoria Holmes (Elkin), 23.87
100 freestyle relay = Elkin “A”, 1:18.81
25 backstroke = Victoria Holmes (Elkin), 22.52
25 butterfly = Tessa Cesare (Elkin), 18.17

Ages 11-12
100 IM = Ashley Hicks (Reeves), 1:23.09
50 freestyle = Palmer Duncan (Elkin), 32.57
50 breaststroke = Palmer Duncan (Elkin), 42.51
200 freestyle relay = Elkin “A”, 2:27.47
50 backstroke = Ashley Hicks (Reeves), 40.60
50 butterfly = Kirstan Beaver (Elkin), 37.98

Ages 13-14
100 IM = Lakan Beaver (Elkin), 1:23.64
50 freestyle = Grace Cesare (Elkin), 30.73
100 freestyle = Grace Cesare (Elkin), 1:14.11
50 breaststroke = Grace Cesare (Elkin), 44.10
200 freestyle relay = Elkin “A”, 2:18.58
50 backstroke = Priscilla Holmes (Elkin), 41.91
50 butterfly = Lakan Beaver (Elkin), 35.17

Ages 15-18
100 IM = Hannah Cesare (Elkin), 1:14.24
50 freestyle = Hannah Cesare (Elkin), 29.35
100 freestyle = Sarah Cesare (Elkin), 1:03.43
50 breaststroke = Allee Taylor (Elkin), 39.04
200 freestyle relay = Elkin “A”, 2:23.91
50 backstroke = Sarah Cesare (Elkin), 36.09
50 butterfly = Allee Taylor (Reeves), 34.83

BOYS EVENT WINNERS
Ages 6 & Under
25 freestyle = Marshall Wells (Elkin), 34.93
25 breaststroke = Matheson Williams (Reeves), 48.44
100 freestyle relay = Reeves “A”, 2:50.93
25 backstroke = Matheson Williams (Reeves), 43.72
25 butterfly = James Owings (Elkin), 1:02.51

Ages 7-8
25 freestyle = Cameron Burleson (Elkin), 20.57
25 breaststroke = Zeb Stroupe (Reeves), 27.19
100 freestyle relay = Elkin “A”, 1:46.98
25 backstroke = Cameron Burleson (Elkin), 28.08
25 butterfly = Zeb Stroupe (Reeves), 29.53

Ages 9-10
100 IM = Sean Evans (Reeves), 1:36.91
25 freestyle = Sean Evans (Reeves), 16.77
50 freestyle = Eli Stroupe (Reeves), 40.79
25 breaststroke = Eli Stroupe (Reeves), 24.23
100 freestyle relay = Elkin “A”, 1:42.48
25 backstroke = Dockery Sloop (Elkin), 23.40
25 butterfly = Sean Evans (Reeves), 19.19

Ages 11-12
100 IM = Hunter Bolen (Carroll)
50 freestyle = Daniel Brinegar (Elkin), 36.18
50 breaststroke = Daniel Brinegar (Elkin), 48.67
200 freestyle relay = Elkin “A”, 2:53.75
50 backstroke = Spencer Smith (Carroll), 48.07
50 butterfly = Hunter Bolen (Carroll), 42.63

Ages 13-14
50 freestyle = Andrew Jones (Reeves), 29.93
100 freestyle = Andrew Peterson (Elkin), 1:14.99
50 breaststroke = Andrew Jones (Reeves), 41.45
200 freestyle relay = Elkin “A”, 2:30.32
50 backstroke = Blake Bond (Reeves), 38.36
50 butterfly = Andrew Peterson (Elkin), 35.81

Ages 15-18
100 IM = Carter Holmes (Elkin), 1:15.79
50 freestyle = Tucker Holmes (Elkin), 27.25
100 freestyle = Carter Holmes (Elkin), 1:07.21
50 breaststroke = Carter Holmes (Elkin), 36.46
50 backstroke = Tucker Holmes (Elkin), 36.29
50 butterfly = Tucker Holmes (Elkin), 30.60