The women's team, from left: (1st row) Asst. Coach Beeker, Shannon Bauer, Katie O'Brien, Ali Kitchens, Payton Schrum, Heather Merritt, (2nd row) Allison Vest, Rachel Bright, Emily Allen, Blair Timberlake, Ally Dupay
W.A. hough High School is celebrating its first ever state championship, a girls swimming title.
The women’s team beat 38 other schools in the 4A state championship meet on Feb. 11 in the Triangle Aquatics Center.
“I couldn’t have been prouder of those kids,” Hough Coach Tim Queen said. “They exceeded expectations.”
The relay team of Kathryn O’Brien, Heather Merritt, Payton Schrum and Emily Allen set the state record for the 400-yard freestyle. The women’s 200-yard freestyle team of Alexandria Kitchens, Ally Dupay, Heather Merritt and Emily Allen also took first in their event, and Allen won the 100-yard freestyle.
Hough’s men’s team also had a strong showing, coming in second out of 46 teams. The men took first in the men’s 400-yard freestyle relay, with Patrick Cowley, John Manchester, Andrew Botelho and Peter Brumm edging out the Lake Norman High School team. Brumm also took first in the Men’s 200-yard freestyle.
And, Hough took first place in both women’s and men’s diving, with divers Blair Timberlake and Harrison Mitchell.
“That’s pretty much unheard of,” Coach Queen said, “for the same school to win both women’s and men’s.”
The women’s victory marks the first state championship for Hough, that opened in 2010 with its first freshman, sophomore and junior classes, and this year will graduate its first senior class.
“We’ll miss senior captains Peter Brumm and Brian Graham (on the men’s team) and Peyton Schrum and Ally Vest (on the women’s team) next year,” coach Queen said, “but we’re looking forward to a strong freshman class and to keeping the tradition at Hough.”
