Though the Orange men’s and women’s swimming teams will celebrate its Senior Night at the Orange County Sportsplex, there won’t be much in the way of finality for the five seniors.
Next Wednesday, the Sportsplex will host the Central Conference Championship meet, which will give Katie Bells Sikes, Riley White, Harper Trost, Dylan Cowan and Ben Sirgany a chance to bid a proper farewell.
Last week, Sikes added another mark to her lengthy resume when she set the school record for the 100 meter butterfly, completing the course in 56.40 seconds. She broke the previous record that had stood since 2011. Sikes won in a meet against Chapel Hill, Jordan and Northern Durham at the Homestead Aquatic Center in Chapel Hill.
In the men’s meets, Chapel Hill edged Orange 123-118. Jordan defeated Orange 159-103. The Panthers won over Northern Durham 155-86.
In the women’s meets, Orange defeated Northern Durham 153-57. Chapel Hill held off Orange 159-98. Jordan defeated Orange 165-100.
Sikes also won the 100 yard backstroke, touching the wall at 1:00.69. For the second year in a row, Sikes has qualified for regionals in all individual events. She will be allowed to compete in only two of them, most likely the 50 yard and 100 yard freestyle. She is the defending 3A State Champion in both events, winning the 50 yard freestyle in 2022 and 2023.
In addition, sophomore Piper White set her best time of the season in the 100 yard freestyle. She qualified for regionals when she touched the wall at 58.90 seconds, good enough for a fourth place finish.
Orange’s women’s relay team of Sikes, White, Riley White and Ainsley Rasinske, who won the 3A State Championship in the 200 freestyle relay last year, finished first once again at 1:54.69. Jordan’s team came in second at 1:57.36.
Sikes, White, White and Rasinske also won the 200 yard medley relay with a time of 1:45.38.
Riley White qualified for regionals in the 500 yard freestyle with a season-best time of 5:39.76, finishing third. She also qualified for regionals in the 100 yard breaststroke at 1:13:04, just finishing behind the winner, Chapel Hill’s Alena Volpe (1:12.45).
Orange junior Alex Andre qualified for regionals in two events. In the 200 yard freestyle, Andre finished at 1:51.05, finishing third overall. Andre also registered a third-place finish in the 100 butterfly at 56.25 seconds, third overall. Northern Durham’s Chris Erickson finished first at 53.84 seconds.
Sirgany also qualified for regionals in the 200 individual medley, finishing third at 2:27.50. Orange junior Luke Roman, who has already qualified for regionals in the 200 IM, came in second.
On January 4, Orange defeated Walter Williams at New Millennium Fitness Center in Mebane. The Orange men won 123-20, while the women won over the Bulldogs 85-36.
Among the highlights for the men was Alex Andre automatically qualifying for the 200 individual medley. Andre also teamed with Roman, Nick Baczara and Noah Jones to win the 200 yard medley relay at 1:57.98, which earned them a trip to regionals at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
Roman, who finished in the top eight in the state championships in the 500 yard freestyle last year, won the 50 yard freestyle at 24.39 seconds. It was the first time that Roman earned a spot in regionals for the 50 freestyle. Roman also won the 100 yard breaststroke.
In the women’s meet, Zoe Jones won the 200 yard freestyle at 2:18.34. Jones also earned a spot in regionals in the 100 yard butterfly with a time of 1:11.66, finishing only behind Sikes.
Piper White also qualified for regionals in the 50 yard freestyle, winning the event at 27.15 seconds.
In the 500 yard freestyle, Nick Baczara won the event, touching the wall at 5:52.59. Ayden Twiddy of Orange finished second.
Following the conference championships on January 24, the Central Regional Championships will be held on February 3 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center, where Orange raced last month during the Robert Sawyer Invitational. The State Championships will be held on Thursday, February 8 at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary.
Last year, Sikes was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer of the 3A State Championships after winning two individual state championships, along with a relay state title with White, Rasinske and White.