Seahorses make waves with Western Highlands Conference Championship

Owen women take top spot, men finish second to claim share of overall title

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
January 23, 2024

An action-filled night, Jan. 22, at the Buncombe County Schools Aquatic Center, ended in celebration, as the Owen swim team claimed a share of the Western Highlands Conference title. 

Led by a first-place finish from the women’s team and a second-place showing by the men, the Seahorses tied Draughn, 428-428, in the championship meet.

The Owen women opened the night with the top finish in the 200 yard medley relay, as Grace Vale, Lillian Walker-Hanning, Abriella Taylor and Bay Allebach raced to a 2:08.00 finish. They ended the night with six first-place performances and nine top three finishes, outlasting Draughn by a score of 224-178.

Taylor, one of three seniors on the women’s team, collected three gold medals in relay events and an individual first-place finish in the 100 yard butterfly (1:12.87). Her sophomore teammate, Allebach, also claimed three top finishes in relay races and an individual gold medal in the 100 yard freestyle (59.60).

Elsa Quam raced to a pair of first-place relay finishes and took the top spot in the 500 yard freestyle (6:18.68). The senior posted a second-place performance with a time of 1:18.77 in the 100 yard breaststroke.

The Owen men’s team kicked off the event with a third-place finish in the 200 yard medley relay, as Charlie James, Caden Little, Ian Shirk and Maxwell Cogbill posted a time of 2:12.73. They were led through the meet by a first place performance from Shirk, as the senior claimed the top spot in the 100 yard butterfly with a time of 1:10.43. Little, a junior, claimed gold in the 500 yard freestyle with a time of 5:59.36.

The men’s team registered 13 top three finishes in the conference championship meet, sliding into second place to Draughn, which won the men’s championship, 250-204.

The Seahorses combined for 22 medals, as the women’s team won its third straight conference title and the combined team took a share of its second consecutive WHC Championship. Owen will travel to Charlotte, Saturday, Feb. 3, to compete in the NCHSAA 1A/2A Western Regionals.

While swimming was the focus of the night, the Seahorses shared the spotlight with the Owen Cheerleading team, which was one of two Western N.C. programs to qualify for the N.C. Cheerleading Coaches Association State Championship, Jan. 20, but was unable to travel due to potentially hazardous road conditions. The Seahorses hosted the cheer team in a designated section of the aquatic center and presented each member with a rose and novelty rings, in recognition of their season.

The Owen Cheer team performed during a break in the WHC meet.

Photos of the 2023-24 Western Highlands Conference Championship swim meet can be viewed int he gallery at the top of the page.