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PHS PENGUIN INVITATIONAL: Big Reds’ girls finish second

Bridgeport High sweeps team titles

Photo by Josh Hughes Parkersburg High’s David Snider participates in the 100 Backstroke during the PHS Penguin Invitational Saturday at the YMCA of Parkersburg. Snider broke the event record held by Notre Dame’s Jake Preaskorn (54.82) with a finishing time of 54.09.

PARKERSBURG –The first swim meet of the new year for the Parkersburg Big Reds and Parkersburg South Patriots is in the books.

The 2019 Parkersburg Penguin Invitational had plenty of local swimmers looking to make waves in plenty of events. The girls 400 freestyle relay meet record was broken by the Big Reds team of Olivia Collett, Emma Padden, Grace Cox and Jaden Welsh (3:52.79). Parkersburg broke another meet record, as David Snider set a new record in the 100 backstroke (54.09). That passes the old mark (54.82) set by Notre Dame’s Jake Preaskorn in 2014. Parkersburg South’s Jorge Sato finished second in the event with a time of 57.53.

The Big Reds and Patriots couldn’t keep up with Bridgeport’s team in the boys 200 medley relay, as the Indian swimmers set a new meet record of 1:43.24.

The Big Reds were second with a time of 1:46.23, and the Patriots were close behind in third with a time of 1:48.83.

The girls 200 freestyle was well-represented with local talent. Parkersburg’s Welsh won the race in 2:07.18, and her teammate Mary Strobl finished third in 2:14.58. Parkersburg South’s Hailey Boothe rounded out the top five, when she finished with a time of 2:20.11. Grace Cox won the 200 individual medley in 2:16.61.

Big Reds coach Terry Nisewarner was pleased with Cox’s showing in the day’s events.

“We had a lot of good swims from some girls,” said Nisewarner. “Grace Cox had a really great swim, especially in her 200 IM. Her 500 was really good, too. She won both of her events and got best times.”

The Big Reds team of Tori Fluharty, Mary Strobl, Emma Padden and Olivia Collett were runners-up to Wheeling Park in the 200 freestyle relay, as the Patriots won by over three seconds in 1:47.70. Park would get the better of the Big Reds again, as they won in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:56.85.

Parkersburg South had a winner in the boys 50 freestyle when Macguire McDuff bested the competition in a cool 22.74. McDuff would finish third in the 200 individual medley (2:06.43) behind Bridgeport’s winning swimmer, Randy Keener (2:03.33. The Patriots would round out a fine day by winning in the boys 200 freestyle relay via the team of Sato, McDuff, John Kinnaird and Oliver Fletcher in 1:34.63.

Even though both area schools had good meets, they came up short in the overall standings. Bridgeport took home the win in both boys and girls competition. The Big Reds finished second in the girls competition and fourth in the boys competition. Parkersburg South’s girls finished in sixth place, and the boys finished in fifth.

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