2021 Winter Junior Championships- East: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST

• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Prelims: 9 am (ET)
• Finals: 5 pm (ET) – Wed. relays at 6 pm
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Stream

Friday morning heat sheet

The third day of Winter Juniors kicks off this morning in Greensboro, with the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast and 100 back to be contested this morning. Prelims start at 9 AM EST.

Following a massive new meet record which put him only behind David Nolan’s legendary high school record in the 200 IM, SwimMac’s Baylor Nelson returns for an encore performance in the 400 IM. Also looking to win his second event of the meet is Cavalier Aquatics’ Thomas Heilman, who will contest the 100 fly after posting a blistering 45.83 fly split on last night’s medley relay. 15-year-old Levenia Sim comes in as the top seed in the 100 back in 51.03, which currently stands as the 13-14 NAG record which broke Olympic Medalist Regan Smith’s former record.

A pair of notable high seeds, Michael Cotter and Caroline Pennington, both distance swimmers from the TAC Titans, have scratched their events. SwimSwam has been told that both swimmers have come down with the flu and are out for the remainder of the meet.

Girls 400 IM

• Meet record: Brooke Forde (Lakeside Seahawks): 4:02.51

Top 8 finishers:

1. Michaela Mattes (SYS): 4:15.82
2. Lilla Bognar (TG): 4:16.00
3. Elizabeth Tilt (GOLD): 4:16.34
4. Grace Rainey (MAC): 4:16.57
5.  Hana Shimizu-Bowers (BAD): 4:16.99
6. Rye Ulett (DYNA): 4:17.47
7. Grace Weyant (SYS): 4:17.61
8. Haley McDonald (LAK): 4:17.91

Last night’s 500 free champion Michaela Mattes of the Sarasota Sharks takes the tops seed heading into tonight by posting a 4:15.82. That swim clocks in just off her lifetime best of 4:15.39.

Team Greenville’s Lilla Bognar dropped two seconds from her lifetime best to secure the 2nd seed just behind Mattes in 4:16.00.

Top seed Hana Shimizu-Bowers of Badger in New York cruised to the 5th seed in 4:16.99, adding three seconds from her lifetime best.

Boys 400 IM

• Meet record: Carson Foster (Mason Manta Rays): 3:38.65

Top 8 finishers:

1. Baylor Nelson (MAC): 3:48.17
2. Will Scholtz (LAK): 3:48.75
3. Kyle Ponsler (FAST): 3:49.63
4. Jack Anderson (LAK): 3:50.00
5. Jackson MIllard (KYA): 3:51.07
6. Sebastien Segile (SA): 3:51.14
7. Drew Hitchcock (BAY): 3:51.36
8. Spencer Aurnou-Rhees (NAAC): 3:51.67

As expected, SwimMac’s Baylor Nelson cruised to the top seed by winning the final heat in 3:48.17. Nelson was out quick, but clearly backed off on the second half, leaving plenty in the tank for this evening.

Lakeside Seahawks’ Will Scholtz dropped a 4.7 second lifetime best to qualify second in 3:48.75. His teammate Jack Anderson will also swim in the A final this evening after qualifying 4th in 3:50.00

Girls 100 Fly

• Meet record: Claire Curzan (TAC Titans): 50.87

Top 8 finishers:

1. Alex Shackell (CSC): 51.47
2. Charlotte Crush (LAK): 53.12
3. Devon Kitchel (CSC): 53.25
4. Levenia Sim (TNT): 53.32
5. Anna Boemer (SOLO): 53.36
6. Emily Thompson (GSCY): 53.69
7. Gigi Johnson (SA): 53.70
8. Gaby Van Brunt (GCAT): 53.71

Fresh off her 200 IM win from last night, Carmel’s Alex Shackell kept it rolling with a full second drop to take the top seed in the 100 fly with a 51.47. She enters tonight’s final as the clear favorite, almost two full seconds ahead of the field. Her teammate Devon Kitchel qualified third, touching the wall in 53.25.

13 year old Charlotte Crush of the Lakeside Seahawks also rocked a new lifetime best, dropping 1.3 seconds to hit a 53.12. That swim is good enough for the second fastest 13 year old of all time and qualifiers her second for tonight’s final.

Boys 100 Fly

• Meet record: Ryan Hoffer (Scottsdale Aquatic Club): 45.46

Top 8 finishers:

1. Thomas Heilman (CAY): 46.42
2. Tate Bacon (UN-NC): 47.01
3. Carl Bloebaum (RAYS): 47.03
4. Kamal Muhammad (SPAC): 47.05
5. Mitchell Ledford (TCSC): 47.20
6. Will Modglin (ZSC): 47.41
7. Gibson Holmes (RAYS): 47.43
8. Logan Zucker (MAC): 47.63

14 year old Thomas Heilman of Cavalier Aquatics dropped a commanding 46.42 prelim swim in the 100 fly to take both the top seed for tonight’s final and the 13-14 NAG record in the process. The swim cuts nearly a full second off of his previous lifetime best and slashes over a half second off of Michael Andrew’s now-former NAG of 46.95.

Top seed Mitchell Ledford of Treasure Coast, the only other swimmer in the field who has ever been under 47 seconds, qualified fifth in 47.20.

The Mason Manta Rays will have two swimmers in tonight’s A final, courtesy of Carl Bloebaum qualifying third in 47.03 and Gibson Holmes qualifying 7th in 47.43

Girls 200 Free

• Meet record: Regan Smith (Riptide) 1:43.27

Top finishers:

1. Anna Moesch (UN-NJ): 1:46.31
2. Natalie Mannion (CS): 1:46.84
3. Kirsti McEnroe (YSSC): 1:47.46
4. Katherine Helms (Mason Makos): 1:47.50
5. Malia Amuan (PHX): 1:47.59
6. Addison Sauickie (SYS): 1:47.78
7. Catherine Meisner (GSCY): 1:48.49
8. Gretchen Lueking (CSC): 1:48.52

Anna Moesch came in with a long course seed and blasted out a 1:46.31 in the early heats, good enough to stand as the top time through the remainder of the heats and qualify first by over a half second.

Commonwealth Current’s Natalie Mannion qualified for her third A final of the meet, swimming right on her lifetime best with a 1:46.84.

Top seed Gretchen Lueking of Carmel qualified 7th in 1:48.52, well off of her lifetime best of 1:45.48.

Boys 200 Free

• Meet record: Drew Kibler (Carmel Swim Club): 1:33.40

Top 8 finishers:

1. Daniel Diehl (CUY): 1:34.56
2. Thomas Heilman (CAY): 1:35.38
3. Baylor Nelson (MAC): 1:36.16
4. Sebastien Sergile (SA): 1:36.23
5. Roman Valdez (CCAC): 1:36.46
6. Owen McDonald (DYNA): 1:37.05
7. Henry McFadden (JW): 1:37.08
8. Lucca Battaglini (UN-NC): 1:37.25

Daniel Diehl blasted a new lifetime best in the 200 free to take the top seed in 1:34.56. That swims chops almost 1.5 seconds off his former lifetime best of 1:35.99.

A pair of winners from last night follow behind, with both qualifying for their second A final of the day. Cavalier Aquatics’ Thomas Heilman smashed his second NAG record of the morning, this time breaking his own 200 free record by nearly a second in 1:35.38. Interestingly, the previous 13-14 200 free NAG record holder was Daniel Diehl, who Heilman will flank this evening.

SwimMac’s Baylor Nelson is the third qualifier, posting a 1:36.16. Nelson split a 1:34 on SwimMac’s 800 free relay on night one so he may be in play for the title this evening after swimming the 400 IM.

Girls 100 Breast

• Meet record: Alex Walsh (Nashville Aquatic Club): 58.19

Top 8 finishers:

1. Devon Kitchel (CSC): 1:00.77
2. Zoe Skirboll (RXA): 1:01.14
3. Mackenzie Headley (FVYT): 1:01.26
4. Grace Rainey (MAC): 1:01.42
5. Jessey Li (RAYS): 1:01.45
6. Elizabeth Isakson (GOLD): 1;01.56
7. Gracie Weyant (SYS): 1:01.75
8. Samantha Armand (TAC): 1:02.01

Carmel’s Devon Kitchel dropped a new lifetime best of 1:00.77 to win the final heat and take the top seed for tonight’s final. That marks a 4 tenth drop for the 17 year old and her first time ever dipping under 1:01.

Top seed Zoe Skirboll of Racer X gained almost a full second from her seed but nonetheless qualified second overall in 1:01.14. She was followed closely by 15-year-old Mackenzie Headley, who dropped a half second from her previous lifetime best to qualify third in 1:01.26.

Second seed Grace Rainey of SwimMac qualified fourth in 1:01.42, an 8 tenth add.

Boys 100 Breast

• Meet record: Michael Andrew (Indie Swimming): 52.21

Top 8 finishers:

1. Will Scholtz (LAK): 53.61
2. Ethan Maloney (BSS): 53.74
3. Will Heck (BSS): 53.79
4. Ethan Schwab (BBD): 54.47
5. Preston Lin (SPAC): 54.62
6. Wyatt Porch (BSS): 54.66
7. (Tie) Michael Zhang (AAC)/ Justin Bender (SPAC): 54.95

Lakeside Seahawks’ Will Scholtz qualifies for his second A final of the day, taking the top seed in the 100 breast in 53.61. That swim comes in as an 8 tenth drop.

The Bolles School Sharks were dominant in the event, qualifying three swimmers to the A final. Ethan Maloney dropped over a full second to take the second seed in 53.73, while Will Heck qualified third just behind him in 53.79. Wyatt Porch, their 15-year-old teammate who came in with a long course seed, blasted a 54.66 in the early heats and qualified 6th in 54.66.

Spartans Aquatic Club also qualified two swimmers to the A final, with Preston Lin qualifying 5th in 54.62 and Justin Bender qualifying in a tie for 7th in 54.95.

Girls 100 Back

• Meet record: Katherine Berkoff (Missoula Aquatic Club): 50.72

Top 8 finishers:

1. Berit Berglund (CSC): 52.65
2. Carly Meeting (NAAC): 52.91
3. Natalie Mannion (CS): 52.97
4. Levenia Sim (TNT): 52.99
5. Rye Ulett (DYNA): 53.18
6. Charlotte Crush (LAK): 53.66
7. Sabrina Johnston (BGNW): 53.68
8. Erika Pelaez (EA): 53.75

Carmel Swim Club’s Berit Berglund grabbed the top seed in the 100 back in 52.65, despite adding a half second from her lifetime best. She is followed closely by New Albany’s Carley Meeting, who dropped three quarters of a second to qualify second in 52.91.

Commonwealth Current’s Natalie Mannion qualified for her second A final of the day after dropping a tenth to finish third in 52.97. Top seed Levenia Sim of TNT swimming added almost two seconds from her lifetime best to qualify fourth in 52.99.

Lakeside Seahawks’ 13-year-old Charlotte Crush qualified for her second A final, finishing in 6th in 53.66.

Boys 100 Back

• Meet record: Ryan Hoffer (Scottsdale Aquatic Club): 45.58

Top 8 finishers:

1. Will Modglin (ZSC): 46.70
2. Hudson Williams (NAAC): 46.88
3. Daniel Diehl (CUY): 47.13
4. Jonny Marshall (FAST): 47.41
5. Sam Powe (MCC): 47.43
6. Tommy Janton (WEST): 47.59
7. Owen McDonald (DYNA): 47.65
8. Carl Bloebaum (RAYS): 47.80

Top seed Will Modglin of Zionsville cruised to the top seed this evening, winning the final heat in 46.70. That swim comes just a tenth off of the class of 2023 top recruit’s lifetime best of 46.60.

New Albany’s Hudson Williams blasted a huge lifetime best to qualify second for the finals, dropping over a full second from his lifetime best to finish in 46.88. Two other Ohioans made the A final, with Firestone Akron’s Jonny Marshall qualifying 4th and Mason Manta Rays’ Carl Bloebaum qualifying 8th.

Cumberland YMCA’s Daniel Diehl qualified for his second A final of the day, dropping two tenths to qualify third in 47.13.