After winning district, Albemarle swim teams eye regional titles

With a list of goals entering the season, the Albemarle swim teams hoped their first postseason accomplishment would be winning the Commonwealth District Title.

Check.

Last Saturday, the Patriots swept the district championships at the Spotsylvania YMCA in Fredericksburg.

“Both teams swam really well for us,” Albemarle coach Jake Shrum said. “Both of the meets were supposed to be really close. We had a lot of people, not necessarily our top swimmers, really step up. They were able to score valuable points for us. That is what put us over the edge at districts.

“I was really happy, especially for the girls. That was their first district title since 2007. Last year we lost by a point...It was really satisfying to see.”

The boys finished with a score of 126.5, 16.5 points better than second-place Mountain View, earning their seventh consecutive title.

“We had a lot of breakout swims,” AHS junior Matt Lockman said. “Everybody did what they needed to do to win.”

The girls posted a score of 121, beating out Colonial Forge, which registered 93 points.

“I told them before the meet, I want everyone to move up one place, wherever they are, whether it be from ninth to eighth,” senior swimmer Holly Harper said. “They all took it to heart. A lot of the freshmen stepped up. It was just a team effort.”

Now, the Patriots look to keep it going. Today AHS will participate in the Group AAA Northwest Regional Championship in Mannasas.

“I feel pretty great about it,” Shrum said about his teams’ chances. “We had such a great meet on Saturday. Everyone is really focused on the regionals...The kids have enough confidence to swim fast. We will just go from there.”

No matter what happens at regionals, four Albemarle girls and one boy will participate in the Group AAA state meet at George Mason.

Harper, who will swim next year at Virginia Tech, leads the way, having already qualified in the 100 and 200 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.

She will be joined by her younger sister, Hannah, Corie Morton and Jeanette Yan.

Lockman carries the boys, having qualified for the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles.

The elder Harper and Lockman will be allowed to participate in two individual competitions at states.

“We are hoping for state championships for both of them, certainly,” Shrum said.

Having a spot in states clinched for several swimmers is not going to distract the team from what is in store today. According to Shrum, Osbourn Park is the team to beat on both sides.

“They have a really strong senior core of guys and girls,” he said. “I think [we] are very ready.”

Harper, Lockman and company certainly are.

“Everybody is pumped...We are ready to dominate,” Harper said.

Lockman hopes the momentum carries the team to another title.

“We are definitely pumped up especially after that district win,” he said. “This is pretty big...I'm pretty confident we can do well.”