After years of being dominated by Stingrays, there was a more dangerous predator in the water Saturday at the Savannah Coastal Swim League’s City Meet Championship.
“It was a day for the Sharks,” said Dan Willoughby, head coach of the champion Isle of Hope Sharks swim team. “They’ve got Shark Week on Discovery Channel. It’s Shark Day at the Chatham County Aquatic Center.”
The Stingrays of Savannah Golf Club had won the summer league’s annual season finale each year since 2017, according to SCSL officials. Last year, Willoughby’s squad finished fourth to SGC by “a thousand points,” he said.
The outcome was still undetermined heading into the last of 64 events on Saturday. The meet had run about four hours and included 341 boys and girls from eight neighborhood teams. No live team standings were posted, so the drama intensified.
When it was over, Willoughby only knew that it was close, about 20 points separating the top two teams. In one meet with age divisions 6-under, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-18, that’s a very slim margin.
“It’s just a relay here or a relay there that’ll do it,” Willoughby said afterward. “If you got three sixth-places, that would get you to 17 points.”
That was the final margin of victory, as IOH had 2,138 points to 2,121 for Savannah Golf Club.
When the final standings were revealed in reverse order, eighth to first, the Isle of Hope contingent of swimmers, coaches and supporters burst into celebration when the Stingrays were announced in second place.
And when the “Sharks” were said to be first, celebratory music blared from the speaker system, followed by the theme from “Jaws.”
“I was just really excited,” said swimmer Ethan Zimmerman, 10, after posing for the requisite team photo with the trophy.
There were 10,176 points distributed among the eight squads, who with each finish can collect points and push their opponents further down for fewer points.
Isle of Hope Sharks Swim Team
The Mayfair Marlins were third (1,707.50), followed by the Wilmington Park Barracudas (1,410), Savannah Quarters Sailfish (1,194), Savannah Yacht Club Swimming Commodores (762), Landings Lightning Bolts (680.5) and Horizons Hurricanes (163).
In the separate Rising Star Meet for novice and developmental swimmers on Friday, Wilmington Park was first (985), Savannah Quarters second (942) and Isle of Hope third (860).
The Sharks had been targeting Saturday’s championship meet all season, said Willoughby, in the second year of his second stint as head coach. He had the same role in 1981-83, then moved to Atlanta for 30 years and worked as a lawyer and raised his family, then retired and returned to Savannah.
“Swimming has changed so much, the techniques have changed so much, but the kids haven’t changed a bit,” Willoughby said. “At this level, it’s enthusiasm, energy and having kids that want to come and learn to do it right. Island of Hope kids in 1980 were like that, and they’re like that now. It’s just now they’re swimming faster with better techniques.”
The team employed numerous incentives during the training routine, such as prizes for swimming a mile, completing a lap underwater with the correct technique, and doing 50 flip turns in one hour, the coach said.
They also talked each week about the necessary steps to accomplish the ultimate goal at the City Meet, such as winning close relays, recording their best times individually and getting off the blocks for great starts to even have a chance at victory in tough competition.
“We knew it would be close,” Willoughby said. “I personally thought it would take us until next year, but I am delighted that Isle of Hope are the city champs.”
He noted the exemplary performances of Zimmerman (9-10 Division), in his first year on the team, and Owen DeLoach in the Boys 7-8 Division. Each won the individual high-point title for their divisions with three individual victories and also contributed to three relay victories.
“I just work hard and do my best,” said Zimmerman, who won the 50-yard freestyle, 50 backstroke and 50 breaststroke, and was part of the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay in his age division.
He also swam up one age division on the Boys 11-12 200 free relay.
DeLoach, 8, moved up to swim with Zimmerman on the Boys 9-10 200 free relay. DeLoach also won the Boys 7-8 25-yard free, 25 backstroke and 25 butterfly, and helped the 100 medley relay and 100 free relay teams.
City Meet Championship on July 1
Combined team scores
1. Isle of Hope Sharks, 2,138 points
2. Savannah Golf Club Stingrays, 2,121
3. Mayfair Marlins, 1,707.50
4. Wilmington Park Barracudas, 1,410
5. Savannah Quarters Sailfish, 1,194
6. Savannah Yacht Club Swimming Commodores, 762
7. Landings Lightning Bolts, 680.50
8. Horizons Hurricanes, 163
Individual rankings
Girls 6-Under
1. Ainsley Shahien, Landings, 35; 2. Payton Hunt, IOH, 34; T3. Penelope Brown, WP, Evie Houghton, Mayfair, 33.
Boys 6-Uuder
1. Ellis Houghton, Mayfair, 40; T2. Clay Adams, WP, Thomas Culbreth, Landings, 31.
Girls 7-8
1. Mia Montano, SGC, 60; 2. Kelsey Grace Wolk, Landings, 45; 3. Josephine Upton, WP, 44.
Boys 7-8
1. Owen DeLoach, IOH, 60; 2. Grant Adams, IOH, 51; T3. Grant Martin, Landings, Tyndale Posner, Mayfair, 50.
Girls 9-10
1. Sara Stigall, Mayfair, 60; 2. Esther Posner, Mayfair, 54; 3. Logan Tacbas, SGC, 49.
Boys 9-10
1. Ethan Zimmerman, IOH, 60; 2. Koby Yakabovits, WP, 51; T3. Pierson Montano, SGC, Seth Howard, Mayfair, 49.
Girls 11-12
1. Scarlet McLaughlin, SYC, 60; 2. Aubrey Hester, SGC, 54, 3. Scarlett Stanley, SGC, 47.
Boys 11-12
1. Oliver Lin, WP, 60; 2. Rhett McCarthy, IOH, 52; 3. Wilkes Sabogal, IOH, 48.
Girls 13-14
1. Amy Shonk, SGC, 60; 2. Reese Jones, SGC, 54; 3. Abby Found, SGC, 49.
Boys 13-14
1. Victor Stanley, SGC, 60; 2. Luke Brown, SQCC, 51; 3. Rey De La Cruz, Mayfair, 50.
Girls 15-18
1. Kyleigh Shonk, SGC, 55.50; 2. Ella McLaughlin, SYC, 54; 3. Emily Semones, IOH, 52.50.
Boys 15-18
1. Aiden Gray, Mayfair, 57; 2. Caden Cahill, Mayfair, 53; 3. Will Taylor, SGC, 52.
Rising Star Meet on June 30
1. Wilmington Park Barracudas, 389 boys, 596 girls, 985 points total
2. Savannah Quarters Sailfish, 375, 567, 942
3. Isle of Hope Sharks, 545, 315, 860
4. Horizons Hurricanes, 328, 191, 519
5. Mayfair Marlins, 149, 158, 307
6. Savannah Yacht Club Swimming Commodores, 102, 194, 296
7. Landings Lightning Bolts, 64, 33, 97
8. Savannah Golf Club Stingrays, 24, 33, 57
PHOTO CREDIT: Nathan Dominitz
