Seahorses swim to the top of Western Highlands Conference
Owen girls claims conference championship, boys finish second
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
January 31, 2022
The Owen girls swim team is the 2021-22 Western Highlands Conference Champion, following the Jan. 26 championship meet. The boys Seahorse squad finished in second place in the conference. Photo by Fred McCormick
The 2021-22 Western Highlands Conference Championship was on the line, Jan. 26, as teams representing five schools dove into the pool at the Jimmy C. Draughn Aquatic & Fitness Center in Valdese.
When the competition ended, the Owen Searhorses emerged from the waves as the top girls swimming team in the conference.
Four WHC teams - Owen, Avery, Mountain Heritage and Draughn - faced off in the championship meet, which included non-conference entry East Burke. The Seahorses placed first in four events, outscoring second-place Draughn, 284-242.
Sophomore Isabella White captured the gold medal in the 100 yard freestyle (1:08.19) and the 200 yard freestyle (2:28.49), while senior Chloe Little finished first in the 100 yard breaststroke with a time of 1:17.82. Both swimmers joined Olivia Hale and Abby Carter on the team that placed first in the 400 meter freestyle relay.
The Seahorses were “ready to compete” for the conference, according to second-year Owen head swimming coach Beth Dalton Rathbone.
“My athletes know I expect them to give 100% of whatever they have at that moment,” Rathbone said. “I try to teach them that, in swimming or in life, every day is different. So, 100% effort may look different some days, but it’s about giving the most effort you can give at that time. I was proud of their effort.”
A gold medal performance in the 200 yard individual medley by junior Stephen Henson helped lead the Owen boys swim team to second place in the championship meet. The Seahorses collected 11 medals in the competition for 226 points, falling short of the 399 posted by Draughn.
All 12 swimmers on the girls and boys Owen teams qualified for the 1A/2A Western Regional Meet, which will be held Friday, Feb. 4, at the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center.
“Last season we took 11 of 15 swimmers to Regionals, and this year everyone on the team qualified,” Rathbone said. “One thing that really stands out to me about this team is how they work together. They’re always supportive of each other, and always there to lift up their teammates when they need it. They’re really like a family.”
Much of that camaraderie is rooted in familiarity, with many of the swimmers on the Owen roster having competed together for the Black Mountain Stingrays Youth Swim, which Rathbone has led since 2014. The coach is encouraging her Seahorse swimmers to make the most out of their trip to the Regional meet.
“As someone who comes from a swimming background, I don’t really remember which events I won and lost,” said Rathbone. “What I do remember is the trips we took, the fun times we shared and the people who were there. That’s what I want these kids to do; get out there, give their best effort and make memories that they’ll keep with them long after high school.”