For the first time in school history, an athletic team has won back-to-back state titles. Tallulah Falls was successful in defending its titles in both girls and boys swimming. The Lady Indians once again dominated the field at Georgia Tech on Monday to claim their second consecutive championship, while the Indians also hoisted the ultimate trophy.
Both the boys and girls got out to an incredible start with a pair of relay teams winning gold in the first two events of the meet. From there, individuals and relay teams continued to put themselves on the podium.
Lady Indians
The 200 Medley Relay team (Carsyn Griffis, Mattie Patterson, Lucia Roser de Hoyos, Selah Wiltshire) claimed gold, as well as the 200 Free Relay (Arias, M Patterson, Roser de Hoyos, Wiltshire).
The B-Relay team of the 200 Medley took Runner-Up (Veronica Verberkmoes, Ida Patterson, Valentina Arias Camargo, Cassidy Coles), and Selah Wiltshire was the 50 Free runner-up. Arias was also second in the 100 Fly.
Those who took a 3rd-place finish include: Roser de Hoyos (200 Free), Mattie Patterson (200 IM), Wiltshire (100 Free in a school record of 53.83 and in the 100 Breast), and the 200 Free Relay ‘B’ team.
Fourth-place finishes included Arias (100 Back) and Mattie Patterson (100 Breast). Ida Patterson (200 Free), Mattie Patterson (100 Fly), and Roser de Hoyos (100 Free) all had a 5th-place finish.
Indians
The Indians opened the meet with a win in the 200 Medley Relay with Waldon McIntosh, Alex Degado, Martin Raybon, and Teagan Penland. McIntosh later won the 100 Fly with a school record time of 50.37. Alex Degado won the 100 Breast, and the 200 Free Relay (Raybon, Degado, Penland, McIntosh) finished off the meet with a title.
McIntosh also had a Runner-Up finish in the 100 Back in a school record time of 54:34, and added a 3rd-place finish in the 200 IM. Degado also was fourth in the 200 Free.
McIntosh was the GIAA Boys High Point Award winner.
TFS Middle School
The MS boys also earned the status of back-to-back State Champions. The Indians posted 82 points, nearly doubling the 2nd-place group. The 200 Medley Relay team (Brody Dampier, Lincoln Penland, Logan Thompson, Rhett Addison) won gold, as did the 200 Free Relay (Brody Dampier, Matteus York, Lincoln Penland, Logan Thompson). Dampier won individually in the 50 Back.
