SPORTS

By Adam Powell
Correspondent

CHAPEL HILL / CARRBORO — The swim teams from Chapel Hill and Carrboro high schools recently competed against a variety of local rivals in two meets on Dec. 4 — one in Chapel Hill and another in Hillsborough. The Tigers and Jaguars feature several talented swimmers who will contend for conference, regional and possibly state titles this winter. Here are the highlights from last week’s meets.

CHAPEL HILL RESULTS

Chapel Hill’s men’s and women’s teams hosted Northern Durham, Hillside, Southern Durham and Woods Charter on the evening of Dec. 4 at the Homestead Aquatic Center, where the Tigers won numerous individual and relay events.

Schooff wins freestyle, backstroke events for CHHS women

In one of the most competitive races of the night — the women’s 50-yard freestyle — Chapel Hill took the top two spots. Freshman Annie Schooff won the event in 26.28 seconds, a time that qualifies for NCHSAA 7A Regional consideration. Sophomore teammate Amelie Carneiro finished second in 27.43. Freshman Audrey Xu placed fourth in 28.24.

Carneiro won the women’s 100-yard freestyle in 1:00.71, with senior teammate Alena Volpe finishing second (1:01.59) and junior Sinead McKenna placing fourth (1:02.59). All three earned regional consideration.

The Tigers swept the women’s backstroke and breaststroke events. Schooff won the 100-yard backstroke (1:05.31), and senior Harper Ludwig won the 100-yard breaststroke (1:19.07), both regional-qualifying times. Sophomore Sophie Rodriguez finished second in the backstroke (1:25.85). Sophomore Helena Geraci placed second in the breaststroke (1:25.89), while sophomore Lucy Zarzar placed third (1:47.86).

In the women’s 200-yard freestyle, seniors Ludwig and Louisa Sanoff raced head-to-head. Sanoff finished in 2:11.02, and Ludwig posted a time of 2:13.70. Volpe swam alone in the 200-yard individual medley, finishing in 2:32.86. Sanoff also competed solo in the 500-yard freestyle, stopping the clock at 5:43.75.

Wulber claims 100 freestyle; strong sprint showings for Tigers

Sophomore Fletcher Wulber won the men’s 100-yard freestyle in 51.88 seconds. Junior William Benson was third (53.10), and sophomore Ethan Li finished fourth (56.96).

In the 50-yard freestyle, Wulber placed second behind Woods Charter’s Derek White, finishing in 22.18 seconds. Junior Jackson Schooff placed third (23.81), and Li placed fourth (24.90). Junior Jason Cao added a runner-up finish in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:23.15). Schooff also placed second in the 100-yard backstroke (1:02.55), with freshman Samuel Carroll finishing third (1:08.12).

In a head-to-head matchup, senior teammates Cao and Junhao Guan competed in the 100-yard butterfly. Cao won in 1:00.12, and Guan placed second (1:01.81). Benson added a second-place finish in the men’s 200-yard freestyle (1:58.48).

Chapel Hill relay dominance

The Tigers won the women’s 200-yard medley relay, as Carneiro, Xu, Schooff and senior Marion Geraci posted a time of 2:03.75. The Tigers also took first in the women’s 200-yard freestyle relay (1:52.58), with Xu, Carneiro, Marion Geraci and Helena Geraci. Sanoff, McKenna, Volpe and Schooff won the women’s 400-yard freestyle relay in 4:16.17.

Chapel Hill also raced uncontested in the three men’s relays:
• 200 medley relay — Schooff, Wulber, Li and junior Rubens Shundi (2:09.18)
• 200 freestyle relay — Benson, Guan, Li and Schooff (1:41.95)
• 400 freestyle relay — Wulber, Guan, Benson and Carroll (3:50.03)

CARRBORO RESULTS

While Chapel Hill hosted its Durham-area opponents, Carrboro traveled to the Orange County Sportsplex in Hillsborough to face conference rivals Oxford Webb and Orange, along with Southeast Alamance.

Maiorana wins two events for Jaguar boys

Carrboro’s Zach Maiorana earned wins in the men’s 200-yard freestyle (1:56.48) and the 100-yard butterfly (57.51). Both times qualified him for the NCHSAA 4A Regionals.

Teammate Duke Gadsden finished second in the 100-yard freestyle (58.92), another regional-qualifying time. He also placed second in the 100 breaststroke (1:21.03), earning a second regional berth. Tyler Pease placed third in the 100 breaststroke (1:28.87).

Carrboro swept the men’s 50-yard freestyle, with Pease winning in 26.13 and Garrett McDermott finishing second in 26.57. McDermott also placed third in the 100-yard backstroke (1:13.53).

The Jaguars won the men’s 200-yard medley relay behind McDermott, Pease, Gadsden and Helm (2:03.95). Gadsden, McDermott and Pease then teamed with Maiorana to win the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:44.67).

Jaguar girls win multiple events

Anna Hartsell won the women’s 50-yard freestyle sprint in 28.51. Teammate Anna Wesley placed third (29.09). Hartsell added a third-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:23.46).

Isla Van Hemert won the women’s 100-yard freestyle in 59.05. Jaguars teammates swept the next positions, with Defne Efir second (1:03.10) and Phoebe Loughery third (1:03.21). Van Hemert also placed second in the 200-yard freestyle (2:05.93), while Loughery finished second in the 200-yard individual medley (2:36.16).

Caroline Hoos won the women’s 100-yard breaststroke in 1:20.07. In the women’s 100 backstroke, Wesley and Lea Rak finished second (1:12.73) and third (1:15.49). Rak also placed third in the women’s 100 butterfly (1:13.08), and Hoos added a fourth-place result in the 200 IM (2:38.15).

Carrboro won the women’s 200-yard medley relay, as Wesley, Hoos, Loughery and Van Hemert posted a time of 2:03.95. Another Jaguars relay — Emilee Parr, Hartsell, Madison Bentz and Caroline Goodnight — finished fourth (2:24.75).

Loughery, Hartsell, Hoos and Van Hemert also claimed first in the women’s 200-yard freestyle relay (1:53.79), with Emir, Parr, Josie Buckley and Bentz placing second (2:06.45).

Adam Powell has been a correspondent for The Local Reporter since 2023. A 2001 graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Powell has served as managing editor of multiple local publications, including the News of Orange County, the Mebane Enterprise, the Caswell Messenger, and the ACC Sports Journal. Powell has won more than 20 North Carolina Press Association Awards throughout his journalism career for Excellence in Education Reporting, Excellence in Sports Columns and Features, and Excellence in Video Production. He has also been recognized by the North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA) for Excellence in Education Writing and for his newsletters representing Rockingham County Schools and the North Carolina Cyber Academy. The author of four books. Adam currently resides in Mebane with his wife Julie and children Colt and Jenna. This reporter can be reached at:Information@TheLocal Reporter.press