Eric Lusk
Sports Editor
elusk@elkintribune.com

The Yadkin Stingrays made the most of their first appearance in the annual Greater Winston-Salem Swim Meet on Friday.

The ‘Rays won the small team championship, besting 11 other squads in their division. They finished with the second-best overall score behind large-team champion Sherwood. The meet at Bolton Pool featured 21 teams in all.

Yadkin’s Julianna Prim won all four of her individual events, while Sierra Winters and Steven Caudill touched first in three.

Prim, a recent Starmount graduate who will swim for Pfeiffer in 2009-10, aced the 100-yard freestyle, 50 freestyle, 100 individual medley and the 50 butterfly in the open women’s division. She was one of just two swimmers in the meet to capture gold in four events.

Winters, competing in the 9-10 girls division, won the 25 free, 25 butterfly and 25 backstroke. She was second in the 100 IM, just .07 seconds behind event champion Makena Markert.

Caudill, a seven-time state champion during his Elkin High career, won the 50 fly, 50 backstroke and 100 IM. The rising junior at Gardner-Webb was third in the 50 free.

“With the great showing we had I am looking forward to bringing the majority of the team next year,” Stingrays coach Joy Prim said. “Everyone who came and swam truly enjoyed themselves, and many swimmers swam personal or season best times.

“With conference being just a few weeks away this meet shows that everyone is right on track for great swims at conference.”

Prim joined Hannah Cesare, Sarah Cesare and Kimberly Benton on a second-place senior girls 200 medley relay team.

Winters, Gina Myers, Tessa Cesare and Palmer Duncan placed second in both the 10-under girls freestyle and medley relays.

Duncan was second individually in the 25 breaststroke and 50 freestyle. Hannah Cesare finished second behind Prim in the 50 free and 100 free, and was third in the 50 fly.

Grace Cesare placed third in the 11-12 girls 50 free. Sarah Cesare was third in the women’s 50 backstroke.

Noah Medwin had a solid meet for the Stingrays. His best race came in the 11-12 boys 50-yard breaststroke, where he earned third.

Grace Medwin and Brian Norman also raced for Yadkin in the city meet.

“All the swimmers helped contribute to our small team championship,” coach Prim said. “I could not be more proud of the swimmers who swam and the ones who showed up to cheer them on. It truly showed how we have grown as a team.”

A select group of swimmers with Stingray ties, including their head coach, swam in Saturday’s State Games of North Carolina in Charlotte. This was considered a “long course” meet in a 50-meter Olympic sized pool.

Joy Prim, who recently completed her Pfeiffer swim career, was second in the 200 breaststroke and 100 backstroke in the 19-29 women’s age group. She was third in the 100 free and 200 free.

Julianna Prim swam in eight events in the 15-18 girls bracket, winning six — 200 IM, 100 fly, 200 fly, 400 free, 200 free and 100 back. She finished second in the 100 free and third in the 50 free.

Sierra Winters won the 9-10 girls 50 backstroke, placed second in the 200 IM and finished third in the 100 free, 50 fly, 100 breaststroke, 100 fly and 100 back.

Hannah Cesare outtouched Prim in the 15-18 girls 50 free and 100 free. She also won the 100 breaststroke and placed second in the 200 IM, 200 free and 400 free.

Stingrays coach Jillian Kowalcik, a former Surry Central High standout, won the 200 breaststroke and placed third in the 100 breast.

Others competing in the State Games from the Stingrays roster included Brian Norman (15-18 boys), Sarah Cesare (15-18 girls), Kim Benton (15-18 girls), Lyncee Kowalcik (15-18 girls), Grace Cesare (11-12 girls), Rachel Evans (11-12 girls), Tessa Cesare (9-10 girls) and Sean Evans (9-10 boys). Sierra Winters’ mom, Julie Winters, also competed.

Rachel Evans swam the 100-meter freestyle for the first time ever and did well, Coach Prim said. Tessa and Grace Cesare also were making their competitive debuts in a long course pool.

“This meet was much bigger than it was last year with the meet being located in Charlotte,” Coach Prim said. “Many swimmers tried new events, some used this meet to look at where they were at in their training, and for others this was their first meet in this size of a pool.

“Overall the Stingrays had a solid showing at the State Games and I couldn’t be more pleased about the way the meet turned out. The experience of swimming at a meet this size will certainly help the swimmers as we prepare for conference, and swimming in an Olympic size pool is a great experience for the swimmers. “

The Stingrays will return to dual-meet action Thursday night at home against Greenbriar. Warm-ups start at 5:30 p.m.

Yadkin lost a dual meet at North Forsyth last Tuesday night. The ‘Rays were missing several key swimmers but fared well overall.

Sierra Winters continued her strong presence in the 10-and-under division, sweeping the 100 IM, 25 breaststroke, 25 backstroke and 25 butterfly. Myers was top three in all four of her events in the same age group.

Sean Evans was a quadruple winner among the 10-and-under boys, while Noah Medwin matched that feat in the 12-and-under boys division. Evans went undefeated in the 100 IM, 25 free, 25 back and 25 fly. Medwin won the 100 IM, 50 free, 50 breaststroke and 50 fly.

Jay Lomax won three events in the 18-and-under boys division — 100 IM, 50 free and 50 butterfly. He touched second in the 50 breaststroke.

Dakota Wallace was first in the 50 backstroke and was top five in his other three events. Dustin Brannam was second in the 50 back behind Wallace and was third in two other races.

Rachel Evans was solid in the 12-and-under girls division. She placed second in the 50 fly, fourth in the 50 free and fifth in the 100 IM.

Yadkin vs. North Forsyth Meet Results

Tuesday, June 23 • at North Forsyth

YADKIN GIRLS

Ages 6-and-under

Carissa Hurst: 2nd in 25 free, 3rd in 25 free

Ages 8-and-under

Riley Warfel: 4th in 25 free, 4th in 25 backstroke

Suzie Beamguard: 8th in 25 backstroke, 13th in 25 free

Monlea George: 10th in 25 backstroke, 12th in 25 free

Hailey Gomez: 11th in 25 free, 14th in 25 backstroke

Yadkin 100 Free Relay (Riley Warfel, Suzie Beamguard, Hailey Gomez): 3rd place

Ages 10-and under

Sierra Winters: 1st in 100 IM (1:19.53), 1st in 25 breaststroke (18.44), 1st in 25 backstroke (16.78), 1st in 25 butterfly (15.25)

Gina Myers: 2nd in 25 free, 3rd in 100 IM, 3rd in 25 backstroke, 3rd in 25 butterfly

Taylor Baity: 4th in 25 free, 4th in 25 butterfly, 7th in 25 breaststroke, 7th in 25 backstroke

Hallee Dewees: 10th in 25 free, 10th in 25 backstroke

Yadkin 100 Free Relay (Sierra Winters, Taylor Baity, Hallee Dewees, Gina Myers): 1st place (1:21.81)

Yadkin 100 Medley Relay (Taylor Baity, Sierra Winters, Gina Myers, Hallee Dewees): 2nd place

Ages 12-and-under

Rachel Evans: 2nd in 50 butterfly, 4th in 50 free, 5th in 100 IM, 9th in 50 backstroke

Amber Hurst: 5th in 50 free, 8th in 50 backstroke

Taylor Wood: 6th in 50 breaststroke, 10th in 50 free

Sophia Barron: 14th in 50 free

Yadkin 200 Free Relay (Rachel Evans, Maris Bey, Amber Hurst, Taylor Wood): 4th place

Yadkin 200 Medley Relay (Sophia Barron, Taylor Wood, Rachel Evans, Amber Hurst): 4th place

Ages 18-and-under

Stephanie Pittman: 3rd in 50 free, 5th in 50 breaststroke, 6th in 50 backstroke

Linda Hurley: 4th in 50 breaststroke, 4th in 50 backstroke, 5th in 50 free

Grace Medwin: 5th in 50 backstroke, 5th in 50 butterfly, 6th in 50 free, 6th in 50 breaststroke

Libby Hurley: 7th in 50 free, 7th in 50 backstroke

Tiffany Varner: 8th in 50 free, 8th in 50 backstroke

Yadkin 200 Free Relay (Libby Hurley, Linda Hurley, Grace Medwin, Stephanie Pittman): 2nd place

Yadkin 200 Medley Relay (Libby Hurley, Linda Hurley, Grace Medwin, Stephanie Pittman): 2nd place

YADKIN BOYS

Ages 10-and-under

Sean Evans: 1st in 100 IM (1:34.19), 1st in 25 free (16.50), 1st in 25 backstroke (19.63), 1st in 25 butterfly (20.03)

Jamie Beamguard: 1st in 25 breaststroke (25.38), 4th in 25 backstroke, 6th in 25 free

Wes Fletcher: 10th in 25 free

Yadkin 100 Free Relay (Jamie Beamguard, Sean Evans): 2nd place

Ages 12-and-under

Noah Medwin: 1st in 100 IM (1:21.31), 1st in 50 free (30.97), 1st in 50 breaststroke (37.69), 1st in 50 butterfly (38.97)

Ian Medwin: 4th in 50 breaststroke, 4th in 50 backstroke, 5th in 50 free

Reece Warfel: 6th in 50 backstroke, 7th in 50 free

Yadkin 200 Free Relay (Ian Medwin, Noah Medwin, Reece Warfel): 1st place (2:32.25)

Yadkin 200 Medley Relay (Ian Medwin, Noah Medwin, Reece Warfel): 2nd place

Ages 18-and-under

Jay Lomax: 1st in 100 IM (1:09.53), 1st in 50 free (24.09), 1st in 50 butterfly (28.56), 2nd in 50 breaststroke

Dakota Wallace: 1st in 50 backstroke (35.07), 4th in 100 IM, 4th in 50 breaststroke, 5th in 50 free

Dustin Brannam: 2nd in 50 backstroke, 3rd in 100 IM, 3rd in 50 butterfly, 4th in 50 free

Adam Wise: 3rd in 50 free, 3rd in 50 backstroke, 4th in 50 butterfly, 5th in 100 IM

Will Wooten: 3rd in 50 breaststroke, 7th in 50 free

Yadkin 200 Free Relay (Jay Lomax, Dustin Brannam, Adam Wise, Dakota Wallace): 1st place (1:49.00)

Yadkin 200 Medley Relay (Adam Wise, Will Wooten, Dustin Brannam, Jay Lomax) 1st place (2:12.46)

Greater Winston-Salem Swim Meet

Friday • at Winston-Salem

TEAM SCORES

Small Team Championships

1. Yadkin Stingrays 167.5

2. Greenbrier Farm Gators 113.5

3. Oak Valley 90

4. Arcadia Swim Club 66

5. New Sherwood 57

6. Willow Run 40

7. Old Town/Grandview 29

8. Salem Glen Swim Club 28

9. Clemmons West Aqua Demons 25.5,

10. PeaceHaven 16

11. Old Town Country Club 5

12 Town and Country Typhoons 3

Large Team Championships

1. Sherwood Sharks 273.5

2. Chadwyck Flyers 142.5

3. Waterford Stingrays 138.5

4. Brookwood Barracudas 135

5. Jonestown Swim and Tennis 120

6. Forsyth Crazy Ducks 119

7. Long Creek/Brookcliff 111

8. Shallowford Lakes 85

9. Central Squids 65