Myrtle Beach boys swim team makes statement in Seahawks’ sweep

The Myrtle Beach boys swimming team made a bit of a statement Saturday.

It read something to the effect of: Hey, Waccamaw. You’re not alone.

The Seahawks edge the Warriors by four points to claim a title in the Warrior Invitational at the Georgetown YMCA and the Myrtle Beach girls team continued its dominance to give the school a sweep.

“It was great. The excitement was good,” Myrtle Beach coach Michael Angwin said. “We met with the team halfway through to let them know it was going to be close. The boys had to swim very good to win the meet.”

Myrtle Beach’s Yianni Paraschos (200-yard individual medley, 2:25.30), Sean McGonigal (50-yard freestyle, 23.55) and Isaiah Ivey (100-yard backstroke, 56.93) were individual winners, and the Seahawks’ 200-yard medley relay – Isaiah Ivey, Yianni Paraschos, Ian Morgan and San McGonigal (1:49.91) and 200-yard freestyle relay – Ivey, Nester Llanot, Morgan and McGonigal – (1:34.95) teams won events.

Waccamaw’s Patrick Sullivan (50-yard freestyle, 22.79; 100-yard freestyle, 50.20), Sean King (100-yard butterfly, 58.06), Michael Paglio (500-yard freestyle, 5:47.49) and Jonah Crosby (100-yard breaststroke, 1:10.47) were individual winners, and the Warriors’ 400-yard freestyle relay team – John Grey Crosby, Paglio, Cameron Bonham and Jonah Crosby – placed first (3:43.00).

While Waccamaw won more events, Myrtle Beach made up for it with other finishers.

“They stepped up. We got two points, three points here and there that we needed. We need those fourth-place, fifth-place finishes to grab those points,” Angwin said. “We needed every point we could get. The top swimmers did what they usually do.

“We have a little more depth than Waccamaw does this year. Our depth really comes through. Our depth of swimmers gets us points in fourth, fifth and sixth place.”

Myrtle Beach’s Olivia McGonigal (50-yard freestyle, 26.58; 100-yard backstroke, 1:02.49) and Kennedy Drew (100-yard freestyle, 57.19) were individual winners on the girls side, while the Seahawks’ 200-yard freestyle relay – Drew, Danielle Flaherty, Catherine Miller and McGonigal (1:47.93) and 400-yard freestyle relay – Drew, Flaherty, Miller, McGonigal (3:57.49) teams both won.

“The girls did what they had to do. They finished strong,” Angwin said. “We have a really strong girls team. They’re coming along very well. Hopefully we’ll peak around regionals at the right time and have that boost us into states.”

However, this time it was the boys who shone brightest it the spotlight, giving the Seahawks their first girls-boys sweep of the event.

“They were elated and jumping for joy,” Angwin said. “It was a full team effort. From top to bottom, all of them needed to swim well.”

Carolina Forest’s Ethan Nechemia (200-yard freestyle, 2:03.03) was the other boys individual winner.

Other girls individual winners included: Carolina Forest’s Peyton McWhorter (500-yard freestyle, 5:39.35) and Taylor Steele (100-yard butterfly, 1:04.99), Socastee’s Jenn Paul (200-yard freestyle, 2:07.29), Waccamaw’s Emma Sullivan (200-yard individual medley, 2:24.82) and North Myrtle Beach’s Rivers Chandler (100-yard breaststroke, 1:14.19).

Carolina Forest’s 200-yard medley relay team – Eliazbeth Gatley, Steele, McWhorter, Jensen Helgerson – won (2:00.88).

This story was originally published September 11, 2016 at 12:31 AM with the headline "Myrtle Beach boys swim team makes statement in Seahawks’ sweep."