Prince Edward County High School’s swimming program performed well during the recent Virginia High School League Class 2 Swimming & Diving Championships in Richmond at SwimRVA.

Representing the program were, pictured above, from left, front row, freshman Aly Lucas, junior Renee Stimpert, freshman Mackenzie Fulcher, sophomore Josie Hemmer, senior Kaitlynn Faircloth; middle row, senior Preston Sutton, freshman Logan Tobias; back row, junior Gabe Dudley, freshman Matthew Swanson and freshman Charlie Swanson.

The Prince Edward boys 200-yard medley relay team entered the meet ranked 16th in the state and finished the meet ranked 15th, Prince Edward Head Coach Sarah Fulcher said. The team included Dudley, Sutton, Matthew Swanson and Tobias.

Out of 30 varsity boys teams producing points, the Eagles placed 25th, with four points.
With 10 points, the Lady Eagles placed 24th out of 28 scoring varsity girls teams.

Fulcher noted that the Lady Eagles’ 200-yard medley relay team held its ground at states, entering and leaving with a No. 17 ranking. The team included Faircloth, Mackenzie Fulcher, Hemmer and Stimpert.

Coach Fulcher said she “felt wonderful” about the program’s showing at the state level this season.

“We didn’t field any relay teams last year,” she said, “so the fact that we got two relay teams back to states this year says a lot about their hard work and where we stand in Class 2.”

The coach also noted that Stimpert swam in two individual events in addition to the relay. She entered the girls 50-yard freestyle ranked 17th in the state in the event, improved to 13th after the preliminary swim and finished in 14th place after the finals.

In the girls 100-yard backstroke, Stimpert began the state meet ranked 10th, Coach Fulcher stated. After the preliminary swim, she improved to ninth, and after the finals, she finished at 10th in the state.

The coach has already begun to think about next season.

“We’re pretty excited about next year, because three of the toughest schools to compete against are moving up to Class 3 next year,” she said.

Those schools are Goochland High School, George Mason High School and Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School.

Fulcher noted those schools were going 1-2-3 in the results in just about everything this season.

“So it’s kind of exciting because now somebody else is going to step into that role, so who’s it going to be?” she said.