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Proving there is strength in numbers, First Flight swimmers stormed to second and fourth place finishes in Saturday’s 3A East Regional Championships at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary

Although First Flight swimmers were unable to earn any finish places higher than third for the boys, and no better than fourth for girls, both teams scored enough overall points to finish second and fourth in their respective competitions. Currituck County boys finished sixth and Currituck girls were 20th in the 32-team regional event.

According to First Flight coach Robert Trivette, they were the best team finishes ever.

With at least a dozen different swimmers earning points, First Flight boys had four swimmers score in two events, the 500 freestyle and the 100 backstroke and three finishers score in three other events.

“It’s our depth that pushed us to the top this year,” Trivette said. “We scored 40 points in the 100 back, and 29 points in the 500 free. That’s incredible, and it’s why we finished so well. If you want a clear example of a true team effort, this was it.”

Team are only allowed to enter a maximum of four swimmers in each event, and only one relay in the relay events.

Clearly, First Flight girls also benefited from multiple swimmers scoring in several events. With four girls picking up 29 points in the 500 free, three swimmers earned points in three other events: the 100 backstroke, the 200 freestyle and the 100 butterfly.

“This type of depth is our recipe for success at the regional level,” Trivette added. “We may not have a lot of superstars, but we have a phenomenal supporting cast.”

Individual standouts for Currituck boys included Andrew Sarnowsk, winning the 100 yard breaststroke with a time of 1:03.90 and Logan Kennemore with two second place finishes. Currituck girls earned their points in the relay events.

Top finishers in each event now advance to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Championships February 10-12 at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary.

First Flight qualifiers for boys events include Brodie Nash, Tyler Anderson, Jack Brown, Merrick Shumaker and the 200 medley, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay teams.

Qualifiers in girls events include Maura Trivette, Bella Cooper, Kira Walters and the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay teams.

Boys 3A East Regional Championship team rankings include:
1. Croatan 351
2. First Flight 263
3. West Carteret 259
4. Swansboro 183
5. South Brunswick 140
6. Currituck County 135
7. South Central 128
8. Cape Fear 108
9. J.H. Rose 75
10. Southern Wayne 69
11. Franklinton 52
12. Hunt 49
13. Smithfield-Selma 44
14. Rocky Mount 38
15. Havelock 36
15. Ralph L. Fike 36
17. West Johnston 33
18. Jacksonville 32
18. C.B. Aycock 32
20. West Brunswick 29
21. East Wake 22
22. Western Harnett 17
23. Terry Sanford 15
24. Harnett Central 14
25. Northside 6
26. Dixon 4

Girls 3A East Regional Championship team rankings include:

1. J.H. Rose 407
2. West Carteret 208
3. Croatan 200
4. First Flight 191.5
5. South Central 163.5
6. Rocky Mount 161
7. Smithfield-Selma 133
8. Cape Fear 129
9. West Brunswick 118
10. South Brunswick 87
11. Ralph L. Fike 75
12. Southern Nash 47
13. Western Harnett 39
14. Swansboro 38.5
15. Dixon 37.5
16. Triton 32
17. Havelock 28
18. Northern Nash 22
19. C.B. Aycock 18
20. Currituck County 16
21. Terry Sanford 14
22. Hunt 11
23. West Johnston 6
24. Jacksonville 4
25. Harnett Central 2
25. Richlands 2

Area athletes scoring points in the February 5 East Regional 3A Championships at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary include:

BOYS 100 YARD BACKSTROKE: 3 Brodie Nash (First Flight) :58.62; 9 Ben Tonnesen (First Flight) 1:06.54; 15 Micah Stewart (First Flight) 01:13.89
BOYS 100 YARD BREASTSTROKE: 1 Andrew Sarnowsk (Currituck County) 01:03.90
BOYS 100 YARD BUTTERFLY: 6 Merrick Shumake (First Flight) 1:02.44; 8 Logan Thiessen (First Flight) 1:02.63; 14 Thomas McGraw (First Flight) 01:13.27
BOYS 100 YARD FREESTYLE: 16 Ben Tonnesen (First Flight) :58.96
BOYS 200 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY: 3 First Flight  (Brodie Nash, Warner Campbell, Tucker Crook, Logan Thiessen) 1:36.82; 4 Currituck County (Logan Kennemore, Nolan Waugh, William Brumsey, Andrew Sarnowski) 1:39.62
BOYS 200 YARD FREESTYLE: 2 Andrew Sarnowsk (Currituck County) 1:55.10; 5 Tucker Crook (First Flight) 2:00.22; 7 Jack Brown (First Flight) 2:02.49; 16 Jack Spivey (First Flight) 02:15.20
BOYS 200 YARD IM: 2 Logan Kennemore (Currituck County) 2:09.97; 10 Merrick Shumake (First Flight) 2:30.78; 14 Noah Savage (First Flight) 02:37.53
BOYS 200 YARD MEDLEY RELAY: 5 First Flight (Tyler Anderson, Warner Campbell, Logan Thiessen, Tucker Crook) 1:54.55; 13 Currituck County  (Dylan Seamster, Nolan Waugh, Landen Wiggins, William Brumsey) 2:05.61
BOYS 400 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY: 2 First Flight  (Warner Campbell, Tucker Crook, Jack Brown, Brodie Nash) 3:38.14; 6 Currituck County (Logan Kennemore, Landen Wiggins, William Brumsey, Andrew Sarnowski) 3:47.30
BOYS 50 YARD FREESTYLE: 4 Brodie Nash (First Flight) :23.05; 12 Warner Campbell (First Flight) :24.77; 16 Logan Thiessen (First Flight) :25.10
BOYS 500 YARD FREESTYLE: 2 Logan Kennemore (Currituck County) 4:55.30; 6 Jack Brown (First Flight) 5:42.53; 10 Jack Spivey (First Flight) 6:11.83; 12 Noah Savage (First Flight) 6:22.26; 13 Micah Stewart (First Flight) 06:23.38

GIRLS 100 YARD BACKSTROKE: 6 Bella Cooper (First Flight) 1:09.08; 8 Kira Walters (First Flight) 01:12.76
GIRLS 100 YARD BREASTSTROKE: 7 Hadley Hedges (First Flight) 1:25.14; 15 Cameron Piland (First Flight) 01:31.41
GIRLS 100 YARD BUTTERFLY: 6 Kira Walters (First Flight) 1:08.81; 16 Hayden Hall (First Flight) 01:24.71
GIRLS 200 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY: 4 First Flight  (Bella Cooper, Hayden Hall, Hadley Hedges, Maura Trivette) 1:53.63
GIRLS 200 YARD FREESTYLE: 6 Maura Trivette (First Flight) 2:07.37; 15 Chloe Wienert (First Flight) 2:32.14; 16 Nellie Hall (First Flight) 02:32.99
GIRLS 200 YARD IM: 8 Laney Dexter (First Flight) 02:41.09
GIRLS 200 YARD MEDLEY RELAY: 7 First Flight  (Bella Cooper, Hadley Hedges, Kira Walters, Hayden Hall) 2:10.34; 13 Currituck County (Mary Indoe, Annabelle O’Donnell, Callie Basnett, Brooklyn Stratton) 2:28.66
GIRLS 400 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY: 4 First Flight  (Maura Trivette, Bella Cooper, Kira Walters, Hadley Hedges) 4:11.82; 13 Currituck County  (Emma Frierdich, Brooklyn Stratton, Alexis Martine, Annabelle O’Donnell) 4:53.88
GIRLS 500 YARD FREESTYLE: 5 Maura Trivette (First Flight) 5:54.60;  14 Chloe Wienert (First Flight) 6:52.55; 16 Nellie Hall (First Flight) 06:55.04

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