The William Byrd boys were third out of 14 swim teams at the annual All-Timesland Meet at the Gator Center in Roanoke last Saturday. The Patrick Henry boys and Cave Spring girls won team titles at one of the biggest meets of the high school season in the Roanoke Valley.
The preliminary races are held in the morning and Byrd advanced 13 of 15 swimmers to the finals. The top eight relays and top 16 overall individuals make the finals and compete in the big evening meet.
“We had lots of best times and some great races,” said Byrd coach Krista Martin. “All-Timesland is always one of my favorite meets.”
Byrd’s Colin Murtaugh breezed through the prelims and had a great night in the finals. He won the 200 individual medley and also won the 100 butterfly with a time of 51.07, breaking the meet record of 51.12 which was set by Byrd’s Khalil Fonder in 2018.
Colin’s sister Lindsay, a freshman, took third in both the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle.
In the relay events Colin Murtaugh swam on both the sixth place 200 medley and 200 freestyle events. He was joined by Cole Kovacevic, Evan Copening and Michael Hoyos in both. The boys 400 freestyle team of Bruno DeMelo, Jay Rozenboom, Owen Humphreys and Blake Richardson took sixth.
Lindsay Murtaugh swam on the seven place girls’ 200 medley with Isabella Posadas, Gabby Romeo and Cary Jones, and that same foursome made the finals in the 400 freestyle.
Individual performances in the finals for the boys included Copening with a fifth in the 50 free and a seventh in the 100 breast, Kovacevic with a sixth in both the 100 free and 100 back, Hoyos with a sixth in the 500 free and a ninth in the 200 free, Richardson with a 10th in the 100 fly, Keith Schutt with a 14th in the 100 back and Rozenboom with a 15th in the 100 back.
For the girls, Romeo was seventh in the finals in the 200 IM and eighth in the fly while Posadas was ninth in the 100 back and 13th in the 100 free.
Byrd also swam at Hollins last week against Northside and Alleghany and swept the meet. The Terrier boys had 446 points to 83 for Northside and 29 for Alleghany and the Byrd girls had 355 points to 185 for Northside and 40 for Alleghany.
“We had a great night,” said Martin. “Several swimmers broke their own personal records and others hit milestones like breaking 30 seconds in the 50 free or swimming the 500 or 200 IM for the first time. I am really proud of this group. It has been such a privilege watching them grow and improve over the course of this season!”
Individual first places for the boys included Colin Murtaugh in the 100 fly and 100 back, Hoyos in the 200 free and 500 free, Copening in the 200 IM and 100 breast, and Richardson in the 100 free. Girls’ winners were Romeo in the 100 fly, Jones in the 500 free, Posadas in the 100 back, Maddy Davis in the 50 free and Addi Kincer in the 100 breast. Byrd’s boys took first in all three relays and the girls won the 200 medley and 400 free.
The Terriers are back in the pool tonight in Daleville as they take on Lord Botetourt and Franklin County at the Botetourt YMCA at 7 pm.
