Parkersburg South swimmers celebrate during Saturday’s Mountain State Athletic Conference championships in Huntington. (Photo Provided)

HUNTINGTON — The Parkersburg South boys and girls finished runner-up here Saturday to George Washington during the Mountain State Athletic Conference swimming championships held at Marshall University.

The GW girls topped the field with 319 points and were followed by the local Patriots (262) and third-place Parkersburg (226). The GW boys amassed 358 points as South placed second with 215. Huntington nipped the Big Reds, 172-164, for third.

Camryn McLain led the way for PSHS head coach Ryan Radcliff’s squad. McLain touched the wall first in the 200 freestyle (2:06.91) and in the 500 freestyle (5:45.11). She also was joined on the victorious 200 freestyle relay team that finished in 1:49.59 by Isabella Scarberry, Paige Johnson and Vivian Grimm, who sped to victory in the 100 freestyle with an effort of 58.71.

Big Red Delaney Snodgrass also was a double-winner thanks to her clockings in the 100 backstroke, where she topped Johnson 1:02.74 to 1:05.20, as well as in the 200 individual medley where she touched the wall in 2:19.75.

Parkersburg’s Adelaide Vann (50 free, 26.71) and Lily Jones (100 fly, 1:08.04) also had runner-up efforts as Vann finished just ahead of Johnson’s 27.22 third-place clocking.

Parkersburg South competed in its first Mountain State Athletic Conference swimming championships on Saturday at Marshall University with the boys and girls both finishing as runners-up to George Washington. From left, Remington Blair, Vivian Grimm, Camryn McLain and Paige Johnson pose for a picture with their All-MSAC awards. (Photo provided)

Parkersburg South’s first MSAC championship appearance also featured Grimm taking third in the 100 breaststroke (1:15.73). The quartet of Johnson, Grimm, McLain and Scarberry nearly won the 200 medley relay, but came up just short of GW 2:01.37 to 2:02.18.

“We had a fabulous meet,” admitted coach Radcliff. “Both teams exceeded expectations. Every girl on the team had PRs. Camryn McLain, Vivian Grimm, Ihla Freshour and Paige Johnson stepped up huge.

“Charlotte Blair, Sierra Jones and Ryanne Erb stepped up big to do events they don’t normally do and it helped us a lot. Alexandra Smith, Marie Silvis, Jalyn Eddy, Isabella Scarberry and Karissa Epperly also played a big factor in scoring points.”

The Big Red girls also had a third-place showing from Lily Farinash in the 200 free (2:23.33). Farinash also swam a leg on the runner-up 400 freestyle (4:10.97) relay with Jones, Vann and Snodgrass.

Cabell Midland’s Gaby Robertson was honored as the swimmer of the year. McLain, Grimm, Johnson, Snodgrass and Vann were joined on the All-MSAC girls team by George Washington’s Emma Hill, Reese Holbert and Presley Pendell as well as Hurricane’s Kyleigh Higginbotham.

From left, Parkersburg’s Adelaide Vann, Levi Morr and Delaney Snodgrass pose for a picture with their All-MSAC awards. (Photo provided)

Only one Patriot (Remington Blair) and one Big Red (Levi Morr) earned a spot on the All-MSAC boys team, which featured swimmer of the year John David Humphreys of St. Albans.

Morr had the lone event win which came in the 100 freestyle. The Big Red finished in 49.31 to top Cabell Midland’s Nicolo Rota (50.25) and the third-place effort by Blair (51.72).

Morr finished second in the 200 IM to Humphreys – 2:01.99 to 2:03.02. Blair also had to settle for a runner-up effort in the 50 freestyle after coming up just short to Hurricane’s Malachi Smith – 23.29 to 23.36.

Parkersburg’s Brayden Lotton had a third-place showing in the 500 freestyle (5:49.56).

The Big Reds of head coach Emily Martin, who hadn’t competed since the Penguin Invite on Jan. 10, also had a second-place clocking in the 400 freestyle relay (3:46.82) thanks to Lars Youngstrom, Lotton, Noah Brown and Morr.

“The kids swam really solid today,” expressed coach Martin. “The snow days this week really messed with our training schedule at a really critical time, but the kids have done a fantastic job at rolling with it, training on their own when we couldn’t train as a team and are pushing through with our eyes on regionals next week and states after that. I would have been really nervous if they had posted a ton of lifetime bests today.

“The time for that is next week when they are looking to qualify for states. This isn’t a meet we want to peak at. That comes next week. With all the adversity of everything they had working against them this week, they looked so strong and so ready to just take off next week. I am so proud of what I saw today, but I’m even more excited for what I think I’m going to see a week from now.”

Parkersburg South’s boys also had a pair of silver efforts in the 200 medley relay (1:52.50) with Shawn Thornhill, Isaac Blair, Ben Marks and Remington Blair as well as the 200 freestyle relay (1:38.41) with Brant Freels, Marks, Thornhill and Remington Blair.

“The guys shocked everyone and delivered big performances,” added coach Radcliff. “Led by Remington Blair and Ben Marks, the guys moved up in every event. Gatlin McLain, Isaac Blair and Brent Feels all dropped time and got lifetime bests.

“Freshman Easton Parsons scored big points. Shawn Thornhill and Ryland Nichols played a huge role in relays. Levi Benton dropped time in his 500 free and had great relay legs.”

Humphreys, Blair, Morr, Rota and Smith were joined on the All-MSAC team alongside Huntington’s Liam McClure and the GW trio of Ali Elkhansa, Wes Hamrick and Sam Lopinsky.