Riptides pounce at Jr Jaguar Invite

MB Riptides pounce at Junior Jaguar Invitational

The Myrtle Beach Riptides swim team participated at the 40^th Annual Junior Jaguar Invitational swim meet May 7-9 at the Augusta Aquatics Center, Augusta, GA.  The locally-based Riptides sent 9 members to the three day event where they garnered an impressive 41 personal best times, 38 top-8 finishes, 16 team records, 13 first-place finishes and 5 new SC Swimming State Championship qualifying times.

Mackenzie Angwin, 10/Under, was 7-for-8 in best times.  Angwin led the Riptides with the largest improvement of more than 51 seconds in the 200meter freestyle.  Angwin’s time in the 200m-free was also a new team record.

Garrett Beauprez, 11-12, competed in 5 events for the first time, earning three new SC Swimming Championship q-times in the 200-meter Individual Medley, 200m-backstroke and 100m-breaststroke.  All three swims were also new team records.

Julia Campbell, 13-14, earned five personal best times with her greatest improvements coming in the 200m- backstroke and butterfly events.  J. Campbell earned two top-8 finishes in the 100m- breaststroke and 200m- butterfly.

Lauren Campbell, Senior, swam to 11 top-8 finishes and three personal times in the 100m and 200m- breaststroke events and the 200m-butterfly.

Ryan Dallas, Senior, earned 5 personal best times in the 100m- and 200m-freestyles, 200m-IM, 100m-breaststroke and butterfly events, and competed in three events for the first time.

Danielle Flaherty, 10/Under, led the Riptides with 9 personal best times, 8 team records and 2 new SC Swimming Championship q-times.

Megan Kingsley, 13-14, earned 6 personal best times, all of which were new team records.  Kingsley led the Riptides with 10 first-place finishes.

Keenan Lineback, Senior, picked up 3 event wins and eleven top-8 finishes.  Lineback earned four personal best times in the 50m-free, 100- and 200m- backstroke events and 200m- breaststroke.

Jeremiah Sharp, 13-14, competed in his very first long-course meet in seven events.

Head coach of the Riptides, James Smith, said the performances by the swimmers was much improved from their first competition of the season at Charleston, SC just two weeks earlier.

“With each competition we attend, the swimmers adapt to the long-course pool and will continue to improve,” said Smith.  “Not having a long-course pool to train in puts us at a little disadvantage since it takes about two meets for the swimmer to get used to the added distance of the course.”

Age-group coach Justin Shreer was pleased with the times turned in by the 10/Under swimmers.

“Mackenzie and Danielle are only in their second year of swimming and they have improved so much.  As the girls, and their training-mates, continue to commit themselves to their sport, they will just keep improving,” commented Schreer.

The senior members of the Riptides now have about one month to prepare for their first major competition of the season at the Capital City Invite in Cary, NC.  This will be the first preliminary/Finals’ formatted event of the season and has typically attracted very good competition.

“This event will be an important event for the Riptides attending as it will gauge their ability to qualify to USA-Swimming Summer Junior Nationals in Irvine, California,” Said Smith.

The age-group members of the Riptides continue to train and will compete in the City of Myrtle Beach Summer Swim League events, beginning in late-June.