Shumate, Eaton earn MVAC swim honors

PILOT MOUNTAIN — North Wilkes junior Olivia Shumate and Elkin senior Cory Eaton earned top honors at Saturday’s Mountain Valley 1A/2A Conference swim championships held at the Armfield Civic Center.

Shumate was voted the conference’s girls swimmer of the year, while Eaton earned the boys swimmer of the year honor.

Shumate won both of her individual events on Saturday. She cruised to gold in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:05.56, nearly 12 seconds faster than her nearest challenger. Shumate also won the 50 freestyle comfortably, touching in 26.80 – nearly two seconds ahead of the silver medalist from Elkin.

With Shumate’s help, the North Wilkes girls gave Elkin a solid run for top honors in the team standings. Elizabeth McCann of North Wilkes also earned two gold medals, winning the 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle. Sydney Hincher was second for the Vikings in the 200 free. Leandra Linderman placed second for North Wilkes in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly.

North Wilkes won the 400 freestyle relay on the girls side and placed second in the girls 200 medley relay.

Eaton is a veteran swimmer and a frequent visitor to the medals podium during his Elkin High career. He aced a pair of distance events Saturday, winning the 500 freestyle and 200 individual medley. His 500 free time of 5:45.70 was more than 40 seconds faster than any of the other challengers. He won the 200 IM by more than five seconds, clocking a time of 2:15.35.

Elkin’s Oz Prim (girls) and Forbush’s Mark Beuter (boys) were voted MVAC coaches of the year. The Lady Elks and Falcon boys both won conference championships Saturday.

Look for more coverage from the conference swim championships this weekend from Yadkin Valley Sports.

Other individual champions in the MVAC meet included:
* Austin Doub (Forbush) – 1st in boys 200 freestyle (2:16.18)
* Sarah Singleton (Elkin) – 1st in girls 200 IM (2:20.51), 1st in 100 butterfly (1:02.45)
* Casey Evans (Forbush) – 1st in boys 50 freestyle (24.55)
* Noah Medwin (Forbush) – 1st in boys 100 butterfly (58.73), 1st in 100 breaststroke (1:08.19)
* Dallas Handy (West Wilkes) – 1st in boys 100 freestyle (57.31)
* Renee Vanhoy (Forbush) – 1st in girls 500 freestyle (7:49.78)
* Devan Clark (Wilkes Central) – 1st in boys 100 backstroke (1:04.66)
* Samantha Dimmette (Elkin) – 1st in girls 100 breaststroke (1:22.74)

Final Team Scores

BOYS
Forbush 155
Elkin 132
Wilkes Central 57
West Wilkes 17
North Wilkes 12
Starmount 2

GIRLS
Elkin 152
North Wilkes 110
Wilkes Central 65
Forbush 62
Starmount 49