Oak Glen's Lyndon Graf

After 22 events — and a swim off to end the day — 14 local swimmers/relay teams earned automatic qualifying spots and several others put themselves in contention for at-large bids at the Division II, North Region meet.

The overall winners in team scoring came from outside the area as Elkins won the overall combined (279 points) and girls (169 points) team titles and Robert C. Byrd claimed the boys (140.5 points) team title.

Locally, Wheeling Central was third in the overall team scoring with 145 points, second in girls scores with 96 points and third on the boys side with 49 points.

Oak Glen placed fifth overall, fourth on the boys side and eighth on the girls side. Weir High was eighth in combined scoring with the girls placing fifth and the boys 10th.

Oak Glen's Shawn Ware

The bulk of the attention, though, was on the individual performances as the top four placers/relay teams in each event earned automatic bids in the WVSSAC Swimming Championships Feb. 19 and 20 at Mylan Park in Morgantown.

The next eight best times from the north and south regions combined will get at-large bids in the state meet.

WHEELING CENTRAL

The Maroon Knights finished the day with a strong contingent of automatic qualifiers.

Wheeling Central had an individual regional champion in Alex Mihalovich, who crushed the field in the 200 free in 1:53.53 and the 500 free in a blistering 5:07.05, more than 39.5 seconds better than second place.

Weir's Danielle Best

Also earning auto bids were Gracee Hump, third in the 200 free (2:14.23) and third in the 100 backstroke (1:12.64); Sarah Manning, third in the 200 IM (2:33.58); Ally Jefferson, fourth in the 50 free (:27.06); Ellie Manning, third in the 100 butterfly (1:08;61), third in the 100 free (:59.61) and second in the 500 free (6:01.33); Gamble, fourth in the 500 free (6:27.36); the 200 free relay team of Sarah Manning, Humpe, Jefferson and Ellie Manning, second in 1:50.97; Maddie Kirchner, fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:23.94); the 400 free relay team of Sarah Manning, Humpe, Jefferson and Ellie Manning, second in 4:11.23; the 400 free relay team of Mihalovich, Dawson Huggins, Josh Perry and Jacob Perry, third in 4:07.51.

In contention for at-large spots are the girls 200 medley relay unit of Olivia Blatt, Kirchner, Caleigh Gamble and Kaila Blatt which placed fifth in 2:34.50; Jacob Perry, sixth in the 200 free (2:16.47) and sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:19.47); Gamble, fifth in the 200 free (2:23.29); Kirchner, eighth in the 50 free (:30.22); Jefferson, sixth in the 100 free (1:03.14); Dawson Huggins, eighth in the 100 free (1:07.87); Josh Perry, sixth in the 500 free (6:18.61) and eight in the 100 breaststroke (1:25.26).

WEIR HIGH

The Red Riders will send multiple swimmers to Morgantown.

The girls 200 medley relay team of Leah Hildreth, Jamie Bissett, Dacodah Roche and Lana Sauer placed third in a time of 2:20.27 to earn an auto bid in the first event of the day; Alex Palacios placed fourth in the 100 free (:55.10) and fourth in the 100 backstroke (1:05.75);

Weir's Jamie Bissett

Potentially in contention for an at-large spot are Josh Cooper, ninth in the 200 free (2:25.27); Kaydence Cain, fifth in the 100 butterfly (1:26.56); Sophia Wysong, eighth in the 100 butterfly (1:47.33); Roche, seventh in the 100 free (1:06.29) and sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:26.36); the girls 200 free relay team of Lana Saner, Leah Hildreth, Wysong and Roche, fifth in 2:06.20; Hildreth, eighth in the 100 back (1:26.45); the 400 free relay team of Danielle Best, Cain, Bissett and Wysong, sixth in 5:11.14.

OAK GLEN

The Golden Bears will be represented at the state meet by three relay squads as the boys 200 medley relay team of Maddox McKay, Shawn Ware, Lyndon Graf and Samuel Jenkins placed second in 1:58.18, the 200 free relay team of Ware, McKay, Jenkins and Lynden Graf placed fourth in 1:44.35 and the 400 free relay team of Ware, McKay, Jenkins and Graf was second in 3:59.52.

Vying for an at-large spot after Saturdays finishes are Rylee Swartzmiller, eighth in the 200 IM (3:38.48); Ware, fifth in the 50 free (:25.38); Jenkins, seventh in the 50 free (:25.89); Graf, fifth in the 500 free (6:17.69); the 200 free relay team of Amelia Allison, Kay Culbreth, Cameron Michaud and Emma Francis, sixth in 2:14.68; the 400 free relay team of Allison, Culbreth, Michaud and Francis, fifth in 5:03.88.

THRILLING FINISH

Weir's Sophia Wysong

While it did not involve local swimmers, perhaps the highlight of the day came in a swim off between Robert C. Byrd’s Trenton Renner and South Harrison’s Ian Welch, who tied for the fourth and final auto bid in the 100 breaststroke, both finishing in 1:17.25.

The duo both went faster and were neck-and-neck again in the re-swim, with Renner edging Welch at the wall by :00.01, 1:16.63 to 1:16.64 to cheers and applause from the remaining crowd.

Both will likely qualify for the state meet.