2014 Lowcountry Palmetto Champs
Riptides’ Boys Team meet Champions; Team takes 2nd Overall
The Myrtle Beach Riptides swim team hosted the 2014 Lowcountry Palmetto Championships March 28-30 at the North Myrtle Beach Aquatic and Fitness Center. This was the third year hosting the event for the Riptides, which attracted over 250 swimmers from teams around the lowstate. The Lowcountry Palmetto Championships is a South Carolina Swimming State Championship meet.
More than 40 members from Riptides participated in the event. By meet’s end, the Riptides’ boys’ team had garnered the meet championship, winning by nearly 100 points! Combined with the girls’ team 3rd place finish, the Riptides were able to take 2nd place overall.
In addition to the team performances, the Riptides were able to achieve 5 new team records, 17 event champions and 230 personal best times. Connor Campbell (5 event wins) earned his first Eastern Section Southern Zone Age-group Sectional Championship qualifying time. Ty Kinner-Costello (one event win), Hannah McDonough, Peyton McWhorter, Ethan Nechemia (one event win) and Yianni Paraschos each earned their first SC Swimming State Championship qualifying times.
Nearly every member of Riptides achieved multiple personal best times. Chloe Stampfle led Riptides with the single largest improvement of more than 34 seconds in the 100 breaststroke. Hanna McDonough and Sammy Trezza each had a 20 second improvement in the 200 Individual Medley. Other Riptides with double-digit improvements were Jordan Brown, Andi Churchill (3 event wins), Riley Davis, Jake Flaherty, Tucker Hendrix, Matthew Key, Kylie McWhorter, Maddi Pannell, Anna Riley and Rui Zhang.
Rafael Adi, Mackenzie Angwin, Eddie Bateson (one event win), Keyon Berenji, Anaya Brown, Connor Churchill, Joel Cox, Alyssa Cozart, Danielle Flaherty (one event win), Walker Harwell (3 event wins), Megan Koppel, Fiona Mullaney, Sasha Riley, Ireland Rose, Ella Speir, Chase Teasley and Makenna Zeitz each earned several best times as well.
Chad Bateson won the 200 breaststroke and was able to place in the top-8 in five additional events. Julia Campbell won the 200 butterfly and placed in the top-8 in five additional events. Kailey Habib and Kamea Herte swam right on their best times. Dev Hablani and Prerna Hablani each competed in their first-ever meet with Riptides.
Said head coach James Smith, “The Lowcountry Palmetto Championships was a great meet for Riptides. Our Booster Club did an outstanding job of hosting the event. And the performances by the swimmers were fantastic.
“The boys’ win was a perfect way to end the season. It was the first-ever ‘state’ championship title and we can really build on this for the future. Our girls were doing their best to hold onto 2nd place, but by Sunday, they were just beat tired.
“Coach Mary [Churchill] has done an outstanding job preparing our younger swimmers. Her work is really showing, particularly with the recent achievements of Connor Campbell and Hannah McDonough,” Smith said.
The Riptides will take a short break the first week of April and return to practices April 7. In May, the Riptides are excited to be hosting a swim clinic featuring two-time US Olympian and 400 Individual Medley silver medalist Elizabeth Beisel.
