Knights swimmers set for Senior Night

Earlier this month, Vance Charter competed in a meet hosted by Eno River, recording a second place finish as a team.

The boys program, comprised of five members, earned third place with one first place finish, two second places finishes, and one third place finish.

In the 100-meter freestyle, sophomore Bridger Stewardson recorded a first place and personal best time of 54.87. His performance also earned him an invite to the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A/2A Eastern Regionals in February.

Following up his record-setting outing, Stewardson continued his success in 100-meter backstroke, securing second place with a time of 1:05.54. He finished less than four seconds behind the winner and over 19 seconds ahead of the next closest competitor.

Vance Charter rounded out their silver medal finishes with Jacob Paynter, whose time of 2:58.44 was good for second in the 200-meter freestyle.

On the girls’ side, the Knights impressed, posting five finishes of third place or better en route to second place.

The 200-meter medley relay brought a first place medal for Vance Charter, as the quartet of Jordan Bender, Kailen Craddock, Caroline Honeycutt, and Hayden Schneider tallied a time of 2:27.45. This achievement qualified them for the 1A/2A Eastern Regionals next month.

As an individual, junior Kailen Craddock recorded the Knights’ other first place finish in the 100-meter breaststroke. Her time of 1:17.85 will send her onto the Eastern Regionals and give her another chance to advance to the State Championships.

Craddock also amassed a time of 28.50 in the 50-meter freestyle, good for second place and just .85 seconds shy of first.

As a team, Vance Charter nine third places finishes or better with a score of 118. Eno River was the overall winner with 204 points, while Voyager Academy finished third with 110 points.

While Tuesday’s meet at 5 p.m. brings the regular season in the water to a close, the Knights will honor their senior swimmers and also provide the opportunity for others to qualify for the 1A/2A Eastern Regionals.

The regionals will take place on Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary. Less than a week later on Feb. 9, the 1A/2A State Championships will take place at the Triangle Aquatic Center.