On Tuesday, September 27, the Rebels hosted the Second Annual 1Rebel Classic at Wald Park. Over 200 swimmers and divers from 18 schools attended the meet. The boys team finished as runner-up with 106.5 points, and the girls team finished third with 95 points.
The Vestavia boys team was led by senior Jonathan Wu and junior Patrick Ball. Wu placed third in the 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle, and Ball finished third in the 100 backstroke and fourth in both the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle to lead the boys teams to a runner-up finish. The boys 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay placed second behind Hoover.
On the diving side, senior Joey Sousa dove to a runner-up finish and middle-school diver Pierce Bolton, from Pizitz, finished third in the boys one-meter diving competition.
The Vestavia girls team was led by junior Maddie Hunsberger and freshman Rilie Reid, with Hunsberger finishing as runner-up in the 100 butterfly and third in the 100 backstroke, and Reid placing second in the 100 freestyle and fourth in 200 freestyle. The girls 200 freestyle relay (Rilie Reid, Emily Jin, Molly Myrick and Jasmine Zhang) placed second.
Eleven girls competed in the girls one-meter diving competition. Vestavia put five girls in the top ten with senior Conley McCormick leading the team with a third-place finish. Top-ten finishers included senior Emma Kate Watson (5th), freshman Abby Allen (7th), senior Emmy Ferris (8th), and seventh-grader Clara Karr from Pizitz (9th). Vestavia Hills Swim and Dive coach Oliver Aaron says that many cheerleaders and gymnasts join dive as a second varsity sport and become multi-sport athletes. Aaron explains that it is fairly easy to cross over and transition to diving.
Aaron admires how the swim and dive team is unique in the sense that “essentially you are competing against swimmers and divers as young as seventh grade all the way up to seniors.” Coach Aaron respects the middle schoolers putting themselves out there and competing in a varsity sport and appreciates the upperclassmen embracing their younger teammates.
“The ultimate goal is to develop young people who are in this sport. I have experienced swimmers and divers who joined the program in their middle school years, and I have had the privilege to watch them develop all the way up to their senior year,” Aaron said.
This year, 30 swimmers and 19 divers are part of the Swim and Dive team. “The numbers are gradually increasing year after year,” Coach Aaron said. He is looking forward to the program growing and increasing its potential in the next few years.
As the AHSAA state swim qualifying times are faster this year, we wish the Rebels good luck as they hit qualifying marks for sectionals and state this season. The swim and dive team will be competing in three more meets this season before sectionals and state. Mark your calendars as sectionals will be held at the Birmingham Crossplex on November 18-19, and state will be held at the Auburn Aquatics Center on December 2-3. Go Rebels!
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