Sequoyah High School

Boys Swimmer of the Year: Mason Thomas, Sequoyah | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan | [email protected]
• Apr 1, 2026

Sequoyah senior Mason Thomas was voted the Cherokee County Boys Swimmer of the Year for the third consecutive season, finishing his decorated high school career with another accolade.

Thomas led the Chiefs to a county championship and top-20 finish at the state meet, further showcasing his dominance in the pool.

However, ask Thomas and the credit goes to his coaches.

“This season came together thanks to coach (Cora) Hodgins, coach (Jennifer) Campbell and coach Mark,” Thomas said. “My teammates pushed me to be better in and out of the pool.”

With Thomas leading the way, the Sequoyah boys (391.5 points) won the Cherokee County title over second-place River Ridge (349.5).

Thomas won every race he competed in at the county championships, including individual titles in both the 200-yard IM (2 minutes, 1.18 seconds) and 100 backstroke (55.38), while helping the Chiefs win the 200 freestyle relay (1:33.93) and 200 medley relay (1:39.80).

That meet was his season highlight.

“I had a lot of fun at the county meet, and my most memorable race was my 100 backstroke at county,” Thomas said. “I also had a great time with my medley relay at county (with) Henry Yon, Caden Alindogan and Grant Harrison.”

At the Class AAAAA state meet at Georgia Tech, Thomas powered Sequoyah to 18th place with 61 points, making the Chiefs the top finisher from Cherokee County.

Thomas took fifth in the 100 backstroke (52.22), improving his time from the county championships. He also took 12th overall in the 200 IM (2:00.54).

After a decorated high school career, Thomas will continue to swim and compete in college. He will swim for Southern Indiana in the Division I Summit League.

“I have been trying to appreciate my last year of high school swim before I leave for the University of Southern Indiana, and I’m excited for the new experiences and opportunities in the future,” he said.

2025-26 All-Cherokee County Boys Swim Team | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan | [email protected]
• Apr 1, 2026

Swimmer of the Year

Mason Thomas, Sequoyah

Coach of the Year

Cora Hodgins, Sequoyah

First Team

Zavier Reinhart, Cherokee

Seth Hall, Cherokee

David Bryant, Etowah

Dane Ferrero, Etowah

Aiden Labrecque, River Ridge

Caleb Hendrix, River Ridge

Julian Brooker, River Ridge

Logan Dunn, River Ridge

Caden Alindogan, Sequoyah

Grant Harrison, Sequoyah

Mason Thomas, Sequoyah

Henry Yon, Sequoyah

Riley Buck, Sequoyah

Second Team

Jake Gurlanick, Cherokee

Connor Williams, Cherokee

Jaecob Franklin, Cherokee

Micah Owens, Creekview

Nathan Shillcutt, Etowah

Daniel Nobrega, Etowah

Alek Brooker, River Ridge

Ilias Arabi, River Ridge

John Schilling, River Ridge

Luke Trimble, Woodstock

Drew Terrado, Woodstock

Honorable Mention

Emmanuel Beltran, Cherokee

Aaron Potter, Etowah

Caleb Camento, Etowah

Ryan Vernie, Etowah

Tristan Felesco, Etowah

Michael Motsek, Etowah

Buyun Wang, River Ridge

Gabriel Espelid, Sequoyah

Rowan Kostka, Sequoyah

Beckett Bethmann, Sequoyah

Max Butera, Sequoyah

Boys Swimming Coach of the Year: Cora Hodgins, Sequoyah | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan | [email protected]
• Apr 1, 2026

Sequoyah swim coach Cora Hodgins led her boys team to another top-20 finish at the Class AAAAA state championships, along with a Cherokee County title as the Chiefs continued to showcase their prowess in the pool.

With 61 points, Sequoyah was the 18th-best team at Georgia Tech’s McAuley Aquatic Center. It also tallied 391.5 points at the county championships to outpace River Ridge (349.5).

Following those efforts, Hodgins was voted the Cherokee County Boys Swimming Coach of the Year.

“Coach Hodgins made a tremendous impact on our program this season, both in and out of the pool,” assistant coach Jennifer Campbell said. “Her leadership, attention to detail and genuine investment in each athlete elevated the entire team. She fostered a culture of accountability and encouragement that helped our swimmers grow in confidence and performance.”

Mason Thomas headlined Sequoyah at this the county meet, winning every race he competed in. He won the 200-yard individual medley (2 minutes, 1.18 seconds) and 100 backstroke (55.38), and he helped lead the Chiefs in the 200 freestyle (1:33.93) and 200 medley relays (1:39.80).

Thomas’ relay teammates were Caden Alindogan, Grant Harrison and Henry Yon.

Alindogan won the 100 freestyle (50.92) and was second in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.84). Harrison won the 100 butterfly (55.22) by nearly 3 full seconds and was second in the 100 backstroke (57.29), coming in only behind Thomas.

For Hodgins, her team’s performance at county was not a surprise.

“My boys have been dominating all season, so I was not shocked at all by them coming in first place,” Hodgins said after the meet.

At state, Sequoyah had the county’s top boys team in Class AAAAA, coming two spots ahead of River Ridge, which was 20th with 58 points. Thomas again led the way with a fifth-place finish in the 100 backstroke (52.22), while Alindogan was 11th in the 100 backstroke (1:00.47).

“Our season’s success is a direct reflection of (Hodgins’) dedication, knowledge of the sport, our bench strength in our boys program and ability to bring out the best in her athletes,” Campbell said. “This recognition is well-deserved and we are incredibly grateful for the influence she has on our team.”

2025-26 All-Cherokee County Girls Swim Team | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Swimmer of the Year

Willa Faulkner, Creekview

Coach of the Year

Tracye Bulger, River Ridge

First Team

Ximena Zapata, Cherokee

Saorsie Stewart, Cherokee

Weslynn Donahue, Cherokee

Sabrina Moran, Creekview

Payton Reyes, Creekview

Olivia Dwyer, Etowah

Kate Dallas, Etowah

Payton Horner, River Ridge

Ellie Portis, River Ridge

Ava Hoynowski, River Ridge

Evan Wiley, River Ridge

Addison Hodgins, River Ridge

Laura Butler, River Ridge

Jersey Saylor, River Ridge

Katie Lee Cutts, Sequoyah

Gracelee Lowry, Sequoyah

Olivia Parks, Sequoyah

Cassedy Griffin, Sequoyah

Emily McGhehey Becker, Sequoyah

Audrey Lovejoy, Woodstock

Genna McKinley, Woodstock

Georgia Schultz, Woodstock

Second Team

Carolyn Chen, Cherokee

Emily Walker, Cherokee

Ella Rae Hames, Creekview

Hayden Langton, Etowah

Austyn Jones, Etowah

Gloria Leite, River Ridge

Shayne Wiley, River Ridge

Evelyn Battle, Woodstock

Honorable Mention

Emma Sosebee, Cherokee

Connie Miller, Creekview

Mae Stevens, Creekview

Shaye McDonald, Creekview

Kendra Koschewa, Etowah

Avery Cheatham, Etowah

Brianna Gutierrez, Etowah

Abigail Pluta, Etowah

Jordan Gomez, Etowah

Sofia Valenzuela, River Ridge

Leilah Huynh, River Ridge

Audrey Toothman, Woodstock

Hadley Sawer, Woodstock

Izzy Fox, Woodstock

River Ridge, Sequoyah lead local teams at state swimming meets | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan [email protected]
• Feb 10, 2026

River Ridge and Sequoyah finished inside the top 10 at the swimming state championships as their girls teams finished eighth and ninth, respectively, Saturday at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center.

The River Ridge girls scored 166 points to finish just ahead of Sequoyah (162) in Class AAAAA. Creekview was 16th with 92 points, while Woodstock (58) was 19th.

In Class AAAAAA, the Etowah girls were 21st with 32 points.

River Ridge backed up last season’s fourth-place finish with another top-10 placement, while Sequoyah maintained its top-10 standing in the state with back-to-back ninth-place scores. Creekview’s girls moved up one spot after their 16th-place run in 2025.

Sequoyah had Cherokee County’s top boys team in Class AAAAA, coming in 18th with 61 points. River Ridge was 20th with 58 points. Etowah was 24th in Class AAAAAA with 30.5 points.

As she has done all year, Addison Hodgins showed up for the River Ridge girls, finishing inside the top 10 in all four of her event finals. Her best event was the 200-yard freestyle, in which she finished third overall in 1 minute, 52.30 seconds, just .28 seconds behind the runner-up. Hodgins also finished sixth in the 100 freestyle at 53.65.

Hodgins also helped River Ridge finish fourth in the 200 medley and ninth in the 400 freestyle relays. She swam with two different relay groups, alongside teammates Payton Horner, Laura Butler, Gloria Leite, Ellie Portis and Evan Wiley.

Individually, Horner had a third-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.13). and was ninth in the 200 IM (2:15.81) behind Sequoyah’s Olivia Parks, who was fourth in 2:09.84.

The Sequoyah boys were powered by Mason Thomas, who led the way with a fifth-place finish in the 100 backstroke (52.22). Caden Alindogan was 11th in the 100 backstroke (1:00.47).

More Photos from the State Meet:

PHOTOS: County swimmers at GHSA state championship | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan [email protected]

River Ridge claims fifth county title | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

River Ridge’s swim team won its fifth Cherokee County championship over the weekend, excelling in a meet that featured plenty of personal-best times.

The Knights scored 731.5 combined points to beat second-place Sequoyah (613.5) by more than 100 points. Etowah (347.5) was third, followed by Creekview (345), Woodstock (325) and Cherokee (233.5).

“This year, I saw us give a full team effort,” River Ridge coach Tracye Bulger said. “We had outstanding swims by all of our team members. Almost every member of our team had personal-best times at this meet. These kids have worked incredibly hard all year and the effort brought great results in this meet. They train with targeted goals and high expectations for themselves.”

River Ridge was the girls champion as well with 382 points, finishing ahead of the Creekview (240), Sequoyah (222) and Etowah (180 points).

Sequoyah took the boys championship with 391.5 points, in a closer race, coming in ahead of River Ridge (349.5), Etowah (167.5) and Woodstock (147).

“My boys finished in first place and my girls in third place, and I was so proud of both,” Sequoyah coach Cora Hodgins said. “My boys have been dominating all season, so I was not shocked at all by them coming in first place. My girls coming in third place makes me so proud, considering there are less girls on our team than all of the other county teams, except for one. To have several top-three finishers for sure helped our team.”

Mason Thomas headlined the Sequoyah boys as he won every race he competed in, both individually and in relays. Thomas was the 200-yard individual medley (2:01.18) and 100 backstroke (55.38) and helped lead the Chiefs in the 200 freestyle relay (1:33.93) and 200 medley relay (1:39.80).

Thomas’ teammates for both relays were Caden Alindogan, Grant Harrison and Henry Yon.

Alindogan picked up a first-place time in the 100 freestyle (50.92) and a second-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.84) behind Etowah’s David Bryant, who took nearly 4 seconds off his seed time to win in 58.98.

Addison Hodgins excelled for the River Ridge girls, clocking three first-place finishes. Individually, she won the 100 (54.36) and 200 freestyles (1:54.13), while also being part of the Knights’ first-place 400 freestyle relay with Laura Butler, Ava Hoynowski and Payton Horner (3:44.37).

Butler won the 50 freestyle (26.33) and was runner-up in the 100 freestyle (58.03).

The swimming state championships are set for Feb. 4-7 at Georgia Tech, and Cherokee County has plenty of podium hopefuls.

“Our kids always overperform expectations,” Bulger said. “We will be taking 20 swimmers to state in a few weeks, with a total of 10 swimmers achieving individual state-qualifying times, showing the depth and versatility of these kids. We have several swimmers, including Payton Horner and Addison Hodgins, who are positioned to make podium runs at Georgia Tech, and we are excited to get there and see them compete.”

More Photos from the County Meet:

PHOTOS: 2026 Cherokee County Championship Swim Meet | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan [email protected]

River Ridge takes third at Region 6AAAAA meet | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

River Ridge was the top Cherokee County finisher at the Region 6AAAAA championships, grabbing third place overall with 589 points.

The Knights finished behind region champion Lassiter (1,003 points) and runner-up Pope (895). The order remained the same between the boys and girls categories, with River Ridge’s boys scoring 254 points, while the girls accounted for 335.

“I feel our swimmers did very well, and we were proud of them for a solid performance,” River Ridge coach Tracye Bulger said. “We lost a key swimmer to injury this year, and our team has stepped up to cover those areas. … To finish so closely to Pope without divers and with missing personnel speaks to the unity and depth of our team.”

Overall, Sequoyah (446) was fourth, followed by Creekview (341), Woodstock (298) and Sprayberry (193).

Payton Horner led the River Ridge girls 37 points with a pair of first-place finishes in the 100-yard breaststroke (1 minute, 6.49 seconds) and 200 medley relay (1:52.34). She also finished second in both the 100 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay.

Laura Butler, Addison Hodgins and Ava Hoynowski each tallied 32 points as the Knights girls had a three-way tie for the second. All three were part of the second-place 400 freestyle relay, while Hoynowski helped power the first-place 200 medley relay.

Aiden Labrecque was River Ridge’s top swimmer on the boys side with 28 points, backed by Julian Brooker’s 26 points and Logan Dunn’s 20.

Labrecque’s top individual event was the 200 freestyle, where he finished third (1:54.94). Brooker was fifth in the 100 butterfly (57.18) and Dunn was sixth in the 200 IM (2:11.60).

Katie Lee Cutts and Olivia Parks each totaled 37 points to lead the Sequoyah girls, while Grant Harrison’s 32 points paced the boys. Cutts was the 200 freestyle champion (1:57.94) and Parks won the 200 IM (2:11.39). Both swimmers were part of the first-place 200 freestyle relay.

Harrison recorded three third-place events in the 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 200 medley relay.

Willa Faulkner (40 points) and Micah Owens (12) were Creekview’s top girls and boys scorers, respectively. Audrey Lovejoy and Georgia Schultz led Woodstock’s girls, each finishing with 28 points, while Drew Terrado paced the boys with 16 points.

https://www.cherokeek12.net/post-detail/~board/ccs...

Fifty-three Cherokee County School District student athletes have signed commitment letters to compete at the college level!

The students were honored with ceremonies at their high schools to celebrate their signing of National Letters of Intent. This week’s National Signing Day was the earliest day on which high school seniors can sign a binding commitment to play competitive college sports other than football. More signing days will be held throughout the rest of the school year. Congratulations to our student athletes and coaches and thank you to our School Board for its laser focus on ensuring our students are learning more, growing more, and achieving more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else!

Congratulations to CCSD’s participating student athletes:

SEQUOYAH HIGH SCHOOL
Kolby Martin, Baseball, Georgia Tech
Amberley Moseley, Lacrosse, Lander University
Miki Parrott, Volleyball, Georgia College and State University
Logan Pichon, Lacrosse, University of the Cumberlands
Mason Thomas, Swim, University of Southern Illinois
Ella Waters, Lacrosse, Coker University
Sydney Willyard, Cheer, University of the Cumberlands

NOTE: other high schools listed as well in the story

University of Tampa Signs Futures Qualifier Lainey Blase For 2025

Lainey Blase, a U.S. Futures Qualifier from Canton, Georgia, sent her verbal commitment to the University of Tampa for Fall of 2025.

Blase specializes in races in the mid-d and distance range. She spent her high school career training with Chattahoochee Gold club and attending Sequoyah High School. Here’s what Blase said about the next chapter of her career:

I committed to swim at the University of Tampa because the team made me feel so welcome and I love the culture the coaches have created. The campus is really beautiful along the river and I love how much there is to see and do in the Tampa area. I have family in the surrounding area which makes it all the more special!

Blase has been a competitive force in the Georgia high school state scene throughout her career. She made seven individual finals in her four years at Sequoyah. This year, Blase placed 5th in the 200 IM (2:08.36) and 6th in the 500 free (5:11.51).

Her accolades also extend to USA Swimming meets. Blase is a Futures qualifier, an NCSA Junior Nationals qualifier, and has made several podium appearances at Georgia’s Senior Championships. Last summer, she placed 3rd in the long course 400 IM (5:06.99) and 4th in both the 200 back (2:26.49) and 200 IM (2:27.07) at her Senior Champs.

Blase’s Best SCY Times

• 500 free: 5:00.25
• 400 IM: 4:27.70
• 1000 free: 10:26.88
• 200 free: 1:53.70

Blase arrives in Florida’s Gulf Coast with competitive times for the University of Tampa’s Division II conference, the Sunshine State Conference. Her 5:00.25 would put her in the top eight of this year’s conference meet, while her best 400 IM and 1000 times would rank her in the top 16.

Tampa is bringing in a recruiting class of at least 11 women’s commits for the Class of 2029. Blase will have several in-class training partners for her mid- and long-distance events, including Riley Wagers and Arabelle Johnson.

https://bvmsports.com/2025/05/14/building-discipli...

CANTON, Ga. — Lainey Blase, who will be graduating this May with the Sequoyah High School Class of 2025, has been swimming competitively for 14 years. What she loves most about her sport is the friendships that she has gained over those years as well as how it has helped her achieve discipline in her day-to-day life. This fall, she is headed to the University of Tampa, a NCAA Division II school, where she has earned an opportunity to swim for the Spartans.

((more))

Eight County Athletes Honored By Positive Athlete Georgia | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Eight standout athletes from Cherokee County were honored by Positive Athlete Georgia on Monday, May 12, making them eligible for the upcoming best in state awards.

At least one athlete came from each of the county’s six high schools, led by Cherokee and River Ridge, which each had a pair of honorees. Evan Cato (baseball) and Ella Jarrett (cheer and gymnastics) were the Warriors standouts, while Kaitlyn Manderano (lacrosse) and Eva Yokley (golf) represent the Knights.

Creekview’s Malachi Burnett (track and field), Etowah’s Addison Bishop (cheer and gymnastics), Sequoyah’s Lainey Blase (swim and dive) and Woodstock’s Chloe Gray (swim and dive) round out the group.

Positive Athlete Georgia, a nonprofit organization which promotes positivity among youth athletes, will determine one statewide winner for their respective sport later this spring.

https://www.cherokeek12.net/post-detail/~board/ccs...

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJfZ7O2Md4d/?hl=de

Eight Cherokee County School District student athletes have been honored by Positive Athlete Georgia and now are eligible for best in state awards! Positive Athlete Georgia organization, which promotes the benefits of positivity to young athletes around the world, presents annual awards to outstanding high school student athletes. The nonprofit organization has named its “Top 7” Positive Athletes in 29 different sport categories from nominated athletes statewide. One of these honorees in each category later this spring will be named the statewide winner for their sport. Congratulations to our eight “Top 7” honorees and their coaches and thank you to our School Board for its continued investment in our athletics program!

Addison Bishop, Grade 11, Etowah HS, Cheer and Gymnastics
Lainey Blase, Grade 12, Sequoyah HS, Girls Swim and Dive
Malachi Burnett, Grade 11, Creekview HS, Boys Track and Field
Evan Cato, Grade 12, Cherokee HS, Baseball
Chloe Gray, Grade 11, Woodstock HS, Girls Swim and Dive
Ella Jarrett, Grade 12, Cherokee HS, Cheer and Gymnastics
Kaitlyn Manderano, Grade 12, River Ridge HS, Girls Lacrosse
Eva Yokley, Grade 12, River Ridge HS, Girls Golf

Boys Swimmer of the Year: Mason Thomas, Sequoyah | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

For the second consecutive season, Sequoyah standout Mason Thomas was voted the Cherokee County Boys Swimmer of the Year.

Thomas, a junior, led the Chiefs to a 15th-place showing at the Class AAAAA state championships, along with a county championship and third-place performance at the Region 6AAAAA meet.

“Mason was an absolute cornerstone of our team’s success this year,” Sequoyah coach Cora Hodgins said. “He not only set a great example for his teammates but also pushed himself to new heights by breaking the county record for the backstroke.”

Thomas stole the show for Sequoyah at the region meet, accounting for a team-high 45 points. Teammates Grant Harrison and Caden Alingdogan each scored 37 points, while Henry Yon added 35 to complement Thomas.

Thomas secured a victory in the 100-yard backstroke, finishing in 54.27 seconds, while also playing a key role in the Chiefs’ first-place 200 medley relay alongside Alindogan, Harrison and Yon (2:04.29).

At the Cherokee County meet, Thomas broke the county meet’s 100 backstroke record, reaching the finish line in 51.15 seconds.

"The feeling of breaking the record was amazing," Thomas said. "I have been staring at that record and dreaming of it since freshman year. I knew I was going to get it, it was just a matter of when."

He again headlined the Chiefs at the Class AAAAA state championships, finishing fourth in the 100 backstroke (51.30) after taking third in the preliminary race.

“His dedication to refining his technique and building his endurance really paid off and he was able to break his own personal records, as well as contribute to several relay victories,” Hodgins said. “Without a doubt, Mason is a huge asset to the team and we saw his hard work translate into consistent results throughout the season.”

It was a worthy follow-up to last season, when Thomas rewrote records again and led the Chiefs with 34 points at the Class AAAAAA state championships and 32 points at the county meet.

"The way to my success was the hours I spent at the pool every week," Thomas said. "Without Chattahoochee Gold Swim Club and Sequoyah swim I would not have been able to do it. The support from my coaches and teammates kept me motivated even on the hard days."

2024-25 All-Cherokee County Boys Swim Team | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

First Team

Hudson Evans, Cherokee

Myles Merges, Creekview

Mason Reed, Etowah

Caden Alindogan, Sequoyah

Grant Harrison, Sequoyah

Mason Thomas, Sequoyah

Second Team

Marcus Kjaerulff, Creekview

Dane Ferrero, Etowah

Jacob Howell, Etowah

Julian Brooker, River Ridge

Skyler Cook, River Ridge

Logan Dunn, River Ridge

Henry Yon, Sequoyah

Honorable Mention

Connor Williams, Cherokee

Charley Dahlen, Cherokee

Isaac Arthur, Cherokee

Jake Gurlanick, Cherokee

Caleb Miller, Creekview

Micah Owens, Creekview

Adam Berwald, Etowah

Jarrof Dobson, Etowah

John Schilling, River Ridge

Logan Nielsen, River Ridge

Gabriel Espelid, Sequoyah

Hunter Sample, Sequoyah

Ian Sweazey, Sequoyah

Ryan Thomas, Sequoyah

Teams voted for by Cherokee County swim coaches

Boys Swimming Coach of the Year: Cora Hodgins, Sequoyah | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

After finishing second at last season’s Cherokee County championships, Cora Hodgins led Sequoyah to the top in 2024-25.

Hodgins was voted the Cherokee County Boys Swimming Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive time. The Chiefs reset records and consistently competed for meet titles, leading to a 15th-place overall finish at the Class AAAAA state championships.

“This season has been nothing short of remarkable for our boys team,” Hodgins said. “They’ve truly exceeded expectations and showcased incredible talent and determination. From start to finish, our team displayed a level of performance that was both inspiring and dominant in the pool.”

Cherokee County Boys Swimmer of the Year Mason Thomas had a substantial hand in Sequoyah’s success, though he was not alone. Grant Harrison and Caden Alindogan joined Thomas on the all-county first team, while Henry Yon made the second team and four more were honorable mentions.

“Every member of the team worked hard and it showed in both their individual and relay achievements,” Hodgins said.

The Sequoyah boys scored 317 points to win the county title, beating out Etowah (308) and River Ridge (228).

Individually, Alindogan won the 100-yard breaststroke in 1 minutes, 4.14 seconds, while Harrison won the 100 butterfly (54.53). Thomas secured two victories in the 100 backstroke (51.15) and 200 freestyle (1:45.00), while the Chiefs were the top 200 medley team behind Alindogan, Harrison, Thomas and Yon.

That success carried over to the state championships, where Alindogan, Harrison, Thomas and Yon scored. Sequoyah’s 200 medley relay finished sixth in Class AAAAA.

“The boys demonstrated remarkable teamwork and competitive spirit, especially in relays,” Hodgins said. “Notable individual performances also came from athletes like Mason Thomas, who had some phenomenal swims in both freestyle and backstroke events, earning several first-place finishes throughout the season.”

At the Region 6AAAAA meet, Sequoyah finished third with 388 points, behind only Lassiter (749) and Pope (652). Thomas secured a victory in the 100 backstroke (54.27) and played a key role in the Chiefs’ first-place 200 medley relay alongside Alindogan, Harrison and Yon (2:04.29).

Individually, Harrison was the fourth in the 100 backstroke (59.97), fifth in the 100 butterfly and fourth in the 200 freestyle relay with Yon, Ian Sweazey and Ryan Thomas. Alindogan’s best individual event was the 100 breaststroke (fourth, 1:04.93).

In a season filled with high expectations, Sequoyah delivered and saw progression from up and down the lineup.

“While we had high hopes for the season, there were definitely some unexpected moments that made the journey even more exciting,” Hodgins said. “For instance, some of our younger swimmers really stepped up to the challenge, surprising us all with their growth and resilience. Their performances exceeded our expectations and were a major factor in our success.”

River Ridge, Sequoyah Girls Finish Top 10 at State | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan [email protected]

River Ridge and Sequoyah earned Top 10 finishes at the Class AAAAA state championship swim meet at Georgia Tech over the weekend, while every other Cherokee County team but one ended inside the Top 25.

The Knights had the county’s top performance as its girls took fourth place with 234 points. The Chiefs’ girls finished ninth with 157 total points, while their boys team was 15th-best at 95 points.

Following the successful meet, River Ridge coach Tracye Bulger believes Cherokee County swimming is a force to be reckoned with.

“We may not have some of those deep pockets of swimmers that some of the Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett County schools have, but I think overall, Cherokee County had a great showing,” Bulger said. “Cherokee County produces some really good swimmers that certainly hold their own at state.”

The Woodstock (87 points) and Creekview (45) girls finished 16th and 17th, respectively, while Etowah checked in at 20th in Class AAAAAA.

Behind Sequoyah, Creekview (23rd) and River Ridge (24th) paced the Class AAAAA boys, with Cherokee (23rd) and Etowah (25th) earning their spots in the state’s highest classification.

River Ridge’s girls, on the way to their county-best showing, broke five school records and excelled in its backstroke events. Four backstroke swimmers scored between Ava Hoynowski, Addison Hodgins, Macie Portis and Sofia Valenzuela.

The 200 and 400 freestyle relays were among the Knights’ broken records, with the group of Hodgins, Laura Butler, Maja Brooker and Jersey Saylor finishing the 200 in 1:41.62. Hodgins, Hoynowski, Portis and Saylor secured a time of 3:39.55.

Individually, Saylor and Portis stood out to their coach.

“Jersey Saylor had a fantastic meet, finishing fourth in the 100 free and sixth in the 50 free,” Bulger said. “Macie Portis finished out her high school swimming career in a great way, getting a personal best time, being in the A final and breaking a school record. We just had a lot of great moments.”

The ninth-place Sequoyah girls peaked at the perfect time, led by Lainey Blase and Olivia Parks. Blase was the sixth-place finisher in the 500 freestyle finals (5:11.51), while Parks’ best event was the 200 IM (2:07.27).

Mason Thomas headlined the Chiefs’ boys team. He was the fourth-place finisher in the 100 backstroke (51.30) after taking third in the prelims.

“We have kind of a small team, and even though we are Class AAAAA, our team is not as big as some of the others,” Sequoyah coach Cora Hodgins said. “We don’t typically go in thinking we’ll get first, second or third as a team, but we have so many kids that finish in the Top 5, and it makes up for that.”

Outside of Sequoyah and River Ridge, Shannyn Lambert made the podium for Woodstock with her second-place 100 breaststroke race at 1:04.91. Cherokee’s Hudson Evans was second in the Class AAAAAA 500 freestyle (4:32.02).

Luiza Carvalho led the Etowah girls with 12th-place finishes in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.11) and 100 butterfly (59.81). Mason Reed paced the Eagles’ boys team with a 12th-place swim in the 500 freestyle (4:49.69).

Team Scores

Girls (5A)

4 - River Ridge (234)

9 - Sequoyah (157)

16 - Woodstock (87)

T17 - Creekview (45)

Girls (6A)

20 - Etowah (64)

Boys (5A)

15 - Sequoyah (95)

23 - Creekview (24)

34 - River Ridge (4)

Boys (6A)

23 - Cherokee (39)

25 - Etowah (15)

UPDATED: River Ridge Wins County Swim Championship | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan [email protected]
• Jan 27, 2025

The River Ridge swim team is back on top after finishing first in the 2024-25 Cherokee County Championship meet with 617 combined points on Saturday at the Cherokee Aquatic Center.

Two county records fell during the meet as Cherokee's Hudson Evans broke the 200 IM mark (1:54.66) and Sequoyah's Mason Thomas eclipsed the 100 backstroke record (51.15).

With their top finish, the Knight became back-to-back county title holders almost a year removed from taking 11th overall at last season’s Class AAAAAA state competition. River Ridge also won the girls category on Saturday while its boys finished third.

Behind the Knights, Sequoyah had the second-best combined score with 535 points, followed by Etowah (515), Creekview (373), Woodstock (285) and Cherokee (260).

The Chiefs won the boys’ crown with 317 points, while the Eagles (308) took second and Knights (228) finished third.

“We are really proud of how our team came together and gave it everything they had in the pool,” Etowah coach Kaitlyn Smith said. “We are especially proud of all of the best times from the meet and are looking forward to swimming even faster at state in a couple weeks.”

River Ridge’s 389 points earned it the girls win, with Sequoyah (218) and Etowah (207) checking in behind it.

River Ridge’s girls shined in their relays, winning both the 200 freestyle and 200 medley races. The Knights had two separate units between the two events, with Ava Hoynowski, Maja Brooker, Macie Portis and Addison Hodgins the first-place 200 medley group.

Jersey Saylor, Laura Butler, Hodgins and Brooker won the 200 freestyle relay.

Hodgins won her individual 200 freestyle race, reaching the wall with a time of 1:54.87. She took second in the longer 500 freestyle, finishing in 5:10.48. Hoynowski won the 100 backstroke (58.63) and Portis notched a 100 butterfly victory (59.12).

Saylor was both the 50 and 100 freestyle champion.

Etowah’s Luiza Carvalho took second in the 100 butterfly, while the Eagles snagged third in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays. Emma Reed clocked second in her 200 freestyle, narrowly breaking two minutes (1:59.69), and she finished third in the 500 freestyle (5:25.69).

Lainey Blase and Olivia Parks headlined the Sequoyah girls, with Parks winning both the 200 IM (2:08.14) and the 100 breaststroke (1:05.98). Blase was the 500 freestyle champion at 5:03.94.

On the boys’ side, Mason Reed placed second in both the 500 and 200 freestyle, at 4:52.45 and 1:45.91 respectively, for first-place Etowah. The Eagles won the 400 freestyle relay behind the four-person team of Anthony Berwald, Jacob Howell, Daniel Nobrega and Reed.

Sequoyah’s Caden Alindogan was the 100 breaststroke winner at 1:04.14, and Grant Harrison won the 100 butterfly (54.53). Mason Thomas secured two victories between the 100 backstroke (51.15) and 200 freestyle (1:45.00). The Chiefs were the top 200 medley team, led by Alindogan, Harrison, Thomas and Henry Yon.

River Ridge’s Julian Brooker had a solid day with a second-place 100 butterfly performance (58.38) and a fifth-place 500 freestyle swim (5:51.17).

Cherokee County teams now will begin gearing up for the 2025 GHSA swimming state championships, which are scheduled for Feb. 5-8 at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center.

Team Scores

Combined

River Ridge - 617

Sequoyah - 535

Etowah - 515

Creekview - 373

Woodstock - 285

Cherokee - 260

Girls

River Ridge - 389

Sequoyah - 218

Etowah - 207

Woodstock - 204

Creekview - 183

Cherokee - 97

Boys

Sequoyah - 317

Etowah - 308

River Ridge - 228

Creekview - 190

Cherokee - 163

Woodstock - 81

River Ridge Girls, Sequoyah Boys Finish Third at Region 6AAAAA Meet | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan [email protected]

The River Ridge girls and Sequoyah boys finished third in their respective Region 6AAAAA championships Saturday at Mountain View Aquatic Center in east Cobb.

Lassiter won both championships, with the boys scoring 749 points and the girls registering 650. Pope (652) and Sequoyah (388) trailed in the boys standings, with Pope (630) and River Ridge (460) following Lassiter in the girls standings.

Mason Thomas stole the show for the Sequoyah boys, accounting for a team-high 45 points. Grant Harrison and Caden Alingdogan each scored 37 points, and Henry Yon added 35.

Thomas secured a victory in the 100-yard backstroke, finishing in 54.27 seconds, while also playing a key role in the Chiefs’ first-place 200 medley relay alongside Alindogan, Harrison and Yon (2:04.29).

Individually, Harrison was the fourth-place swimmer in the 100 backstroke (59.97), fifth in the 100 butterfly and fourth in the 200 freestyle relay with Yon, Ian Sweazey and Ryan Thomas. Alindogan’s best individual event was the 100 breaststroke (fourth, 1:04.93).

Creekview was the fourth-place team in the boys standings with 283 points. Myles Merges was the 50 freestyle champion (22.76) and had a team-best 44 points scored, while Marcus Kjaerulff added 36.

In the girls meet, Addison Hodgins had a team-leading day with 45 points, followed by Jersey Saylor (42), Laura Butler (38) and Ava Hoynowski (37).

Hodgins was the first-place swimmer in the 100 backstroke (58.85) and second in the 200 freestyle (1:56.82). Hodgins’ 200 freestyle relay, also featuring Saylor, Macie Portis and Maja Brooker, was second in1:43.67.

Individually, Saylor was the top swimmer in the 100 freestyle (55.41) and took fifth in the 200 IM (2:18.96). Butler finished second in the 50 freestyle (26.91) and sixth in the 100 freestyle (59.20).

Woodstock had the next-best finish among Region 6AAAAA girls teams with 280 points, led by Shannyn Lambert (39 points), Emmy Mims (36) and Evie Testa-Neal (30).

Looking ahead, the Cherokee County championships are scheduled for Saturday. River Ridge was both the overall and girls champion last season, with Creekview winning the boys title.

Etowah, Sequoyah Win County Tri-Meet | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan [email protected]

Etowah was the overall champion this weekend as the Eagles’ swim team battled with Sequoyah and Woodstock at the Cherokee County Aquatic Center.

With 148 points, Etowah was the girls’ champion, while Sequoyah’s boys tallied 173 points to win that category. The Eagles finished with a combined 305.5 points, followed by the Chiefs (293) and the Wolverines (168.5).

Etowah and Sequoyah each had six first-place swimmers, while Emmy Mims delivered Woodstock its lone winning race.

Emma and Mason Reed led Etowah at the tri-meet as they both registered two first-place events. Emma won the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke, while Mason took the 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle.

Daniel Nobrega won the longest event — the 500 freestyle — with a time of 5 minutes, 53.68 seconds. Luiza Carvalho (100 butterfly), Olivia Dwyer (100 breaststroke) and Jacob Howell (200 IM) round out the Eagles’ top placers.

Mason Thomas and Lainey Blase headlined Sequoyah’s swimmers. Blase was both the 50 and 200 freestyle champion at 25.11 and 2:02.28, respectively, with Thomas winning the 50 freestyle (23.75) and 100 backstroke (55.96).

Caden Alindogan was the 100 breaststroke winner, while Henry Yon added a 200 freestyle win to his team’s resume. Gracelee Lowry won the 100 freestyle and Olivia Parks took the longer 500 freestyle to round out the Chiefs’ winning swimmers.

Eagles, Chiefs Place Top 3 at Holiday Invitational | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan [email protected]

The Etowah and Sequoyah swim teams took second and third place, respectively, in the 2024 Holiday Eagle Invite on Saturday at the Cherokee Aquatic Center.

In a field of 11 teams, the Eagles scored 380 combined points for their second-place finish, while the Chiefs followed closely behind with 351 points. Johns Creek was the overall champion in combined, boys and girls with 741 combined points.

Whitewater (89 points) rounded out the Top 5.

Etowah took second in the girls’ category, with Sequoyah clocking third. The boys were the other way around. Cherokee secured fourth place in all three categories.

Emma Reed headlines the Eagles’ second-place girls team with 25 points, followed by Luiza Carvalho and Kate Dallas, who accounted for 19 points apiece.

Reed’s best race of Saturday’s meet came in the 200 freestyle, where she won with a time of 2:08.16. She took second in each of her other three events — the 500 freestyle, 400 freestyle relay and 200 freestyle relay.

In the relays, Reed swam alongside Blaire Sherrer, Brianna Gutierrez, Dallas and Carvalho.

Dallas, individually, registered third in the 500 freestyle and fourth in the 100 butterfly. Carvalho snagged third in the 200 IM and fourth in the 100 backstroke.

Lainey Blase led Sequoyah’s girls with 28 points and a trio of first-place swims between individual and relay events. Blase won her two individual events, the 50 and 500 freestyle with times of 25.53 and 5:14.85, respectively.

Her relay teams won the 200 freestyle relay and notched second in the 200 medley relay.

Olivia Parks registered 22 points with two second-place swims between the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. Gracelee Lowry and Isabel Harper registered 21 points each for Sequoyah in Saturday’s meet.

Saorise Stewart (nine points), Kiersten Connell (eight points) and Ximena Zapata (eight points) headlined the Cherokee girls. Stewart took fifth in the 100 breaststroke and third in two relay events with Connell, Zapata and Weslynn Donahue.

On the boys’ side, Mason Thomas and Caden Alindogan paced the second-place Sequoyah, as they’ve done throughout the 2024 season. Thomas, who finished with 19 points, was the third-place swimmer in the 50 freestyle at 23.43.

The Chiefs had a pair of second-place relay ribbons between the 200 medley and 200 freestyle, with a team consisting of Thomas, Alindogan, Grant Harrison and Henry Yon.

Mason Reed (21 points) was Etowah’s top boys swimmer with second and third-place finishes in the 100 freestyle and 200 IM, respectively. Jacob Howell (15 points) was the Eagles’ second-leading scorer with a fourth-place mark in the 100 backstroke.

The Cherokee boys finished fifth in the 200 freestyle relay behind Jake Guralnick, Connor Williams, Isaac Arthur and Charles Dahlen. Individually, Guralnick was seventh in the 100 freestyle and Arthur nabbed seventh in the 200 freestyle.

Cherokee, Sequoyah Share Third at Gobble Invite | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan [email protected]

Cherokee and Sequoyah both secured Top 3 finishes at the 2024 Gobble Invite at the Cherokee County Aquatic Center over the weekend as the swim season is now fully underway.

The Chiefs took third place on the boys’ side with 147 points, while the Warriors finished sixth with 73 points. The Warriors were the better girls’ unit with 124 points for third place, followed closely by the Chiefs and their 11 points in fourth.

Caden Alindogan and Henry Yon accounted for 25 points apiece for the third-place Sequoyah boys. Alindogan won his 100 breaststroke race, followed by a second-place swim in the 200 freestyle.

Both Alindogan and Yon were on Sequoyah’s second-place relay teams in the 200 medley and 200 freestyle, alongside Gabriel Espelid, Hunter Sample and Ryan Thomas.

Individually, Yon won his 500 freestyle and secured second place in the 100 butterfly.

Isaac Arthur paced the sixth-place Warriors with eight points, with Charles Dahlen and Jake Guralnick also pitching in. Arthur swam in three relays between the 400 freestyle, 200 freestyle and 200 medley races, taking third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

On the girls’ side, Kiersten Connell led Cherokee with 14 points and a first-place swim in the 100 backstroke. She was part of the Warriors’ second-place 200 medley relay team, along with Ximena Zapata, Saoirse Stewart and Weslynn Donahue.

Zapata was the second-highest-scoring female Warrior with 10 points. She took third in her lone individual race, the 100 freestyle, and competed in three relays.

For the Sequoyah girls, Isabel Harper (19 points) and Emily McGhehey (18 points) led the way, with Harper taking third in the 200 freestyle and fourth in the 100 butterfly. McGhehey had two fourth-place races in the 500 and 50 freestyle.

The Chiefs finished fourth in the 200 medley relay and fifth in the 200 freestyle relay with teams consisting of Harper, McGhehey, Natalie Buck and Cassedy Griffin.

Team Scores

Boys

Alpharetta — 246

Forsyth Central — 149

Sequoyah — 147

McIntosh — 110

Mt. Pisgah — 84

Cherokee — 73

Girls

Alpharetta — 200

Northgate — 152

Cherokee — 124

Sequoyah — 111

McIntosh — 100.5

Forsyth Central — 94

River Ridge Wins Cherokee County Tri-Meet | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan [email protected]

River Ridge’s swim team picked up its second overall win of the young 2024-25 season last Thursday at the Cherokee Aquatic Center.

The Knights claimed the victory with 282.5 points, beating out second-place Sequoyah (259.5 points) and third-place Etowah (250). River Ridge topped the girls’ scoreboard with 182.5 points, while the Chiefs led the boys’ category with 152 points.

For the first-place River Ridge girls, Jersey Saylor, Ava Hoynowski and Maja Brooker all accounted for a team-best 14 points.

Saylor won her 100 freestyle race and finished second in the 200 IM. She led first and second-place relay teams in the 400 and 200 freestyle relays, respectively. Her relay teammates included Hoynowski, Brooker, Macie Portis, Addison Hodgins and Sofia Valenzuela.

Hoynowski swam in two first-place relays between the 400 freestyle and 200 medley while taking first in the 100 backstroke and second in the lengthy 500 freestyle. Brooker’s first-place event was the 100 butterfly.

The Etowah girls finished second, led by Luiza Carvalho, Kate Dallas, Kiera Martin and Emma Reed with eight points each. Carvalho and Reed combined with Blaire Sherrer and Olivia Dwyer to take second place in the 400 freestyle relay.

Lainey Blase and Olivia Parks headlined the third-place Sequoyah with 16 points. They notched two individual wins each, with Blase winning the 500 and 50 freestyle events and Parks topping the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke charts.

Gracelee Lowry added 10.5 points for the Chiefs.

On the boys’ side, Sequoyah earned the crown behind 16-point days from Mason Thomas, Grant Harrison and Caden Alindogan. All three swimmers won every event they competed in, including the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays alongside teammate Henry Yon.

Mason Reed and Jacob Howell were the high-point scorers from Etowah with 14 and 13, respectively. Reed finished first in the 200 IM and second in the 100 backstroke. Howell won his 50 freestyle race and took third in the 100 backstroke.

River Ridge’s Skyler Cook and Logan Dunn were its leaders, with Dunn taking second in the 200 IM and Cook securing third in the 200 and 100 freestyle races.

Tri-Meet Scoreboard

Combined

River Ridge - 282.5

Sequoyah - 259.5

Etowah - 250

Girls

River Ridge - 182.5

Etowah - 109

Sequoyah 107.5

Boys

Sequoyah - 152

Etowah - 141

River Ridge - 100

Etowah, Sequoyah Earn Top-Three Finishes at Eagle Invite | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

• By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan @cherokeetribune.com

Etowah and Sequoyah have started the high school swimming season with a pair of top-three finishes following their respective showings at Saturday’s Eagle Invite.

Alpharetta (569.5 points) was first, followed by Etowah (346) and Sequoyah (309.5) as the top three teams remained unchanged throughout all three categories (combined, boys, girls).

Cherokee (120) was fifth, while Woodstock (119) rounded out the Cherokee County participants.

Emma Reed and Luiza Carvalho were Etowah’s leading scorers on the girls side with 23 and 21 points, respectively. Reed won the 100-yard backstroke at 1 minute, 6.38 seconds and finished second in the 400 relay alongside teammates Carvalho, Blaire Sherrer and Olivia Dwyer.

Carvalho was second in the 100 breaststroke and third in the 200 freestyle. She was also part of the Eagles’ third-place 200 medley relay team with Reed, Sherrer and Kate Dallas.

Mason Reed was Etowah’s overall top point-scorer with 25. He won his 200 freestyle race (1:48.21) and took second in the 100 freestyle (50.48). He swam in two relays for the Eagles — the 200 medley and 400 freestyle.

For third-place Sequoyah, Lainey Blase, Olivia Parks and Mason Thomas were all tied for the team lead with 28 points. All three swimmers competed in two relays and two individual events, with them securing first in each of their individual races.

Blase, with three total first-place events, won the 200 IM (2:14.83) and 50 freestyle (25.51). Grouped with Parks, Gracelee Lowry and Isabel Harper, her 200 medley relay team also earned the top placement.

Parks’ victories came in the 500 freestyle (5:19.32) and 100 breaststroke (1:10.28), while Thomas notched wins in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke. Thomas’ 400 freestyle relay team of himself, Caden Alindogan, Ryan Thomas and Grant Harrison finished second.

Kiersten Connell led Cherokee’s swimmers with 20 points, with Ximena Zapata second. For Woodstock, Leia Lankford had a 22-point meet with second-place swims in the 200 and 500 freestyles.

Eagle Invite Scoreboard

Combined

Alpharetta — 569.5

Etowah — 346

Sequoyah — 309.5

Hebron Christian — 166.5

Cherokee — 120

Woodstock — 119

Boys

Alpharetta — 230.5

Etowah — 156

Sequoyah — 155.5

Hebron Christian — 133.5

Darlington — 83

North Springs — 44

Girls

Alpharetta — 339

Etowah — 190

Sequoyah — 154

Woodstock — 107

Cherokee — 84

Hebron Christian — 33

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/river-rid...

• By Griffin Callaghan [email protected]

Picking up right where it left off last season, River Ridge won the Cherokee County Kickoff swim meet.

The Knights finished first in last season’s county meet and went on to finish 11th in the Class AAAAAA state championships. Even without last year’s County Swimmer of the Year, Addison Hodgins, River Ridge held a comfortable first-place advantage.

With 788 points overall, the Knights topped the score chart, followed by Etowah (720) and Sequoyah (669).

Etowah won the boys standings with 414 points, ahead of Sequoyah (374), Cherokee (294) and River Ridge (294), while the Knights secured the girls victory with 494 points, beating out Woodstock (406) and Etowah (306).

Despite coming in third overall, Sequoyah had the top three point-scorers from the county’s kickoff meet. Caden Alindogan, Lainey Blase and Olivia Parks each scored a meet-best 40 points, with Etowah’s Mason Reed equaling their total.

Blase won both the 50- and 500-yard freestyle, and she was part of two second-place relay teams alongside Parks, Isabel Harper and Gracelee Lowry. Parks finished first in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke.

On the boys side, Alindogan won both his races, the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.

Reed led Etowah’s boys with four first-place swims, including individual wins in the 100 butterfly and 500 freestyle. He also won two relays with teammates Jacob Howell, Dane Ferrero, Jarrod Dobson and Anthony Berwald.

With 37 points apiece, Cherokee’s Hudson Evans, Woodstock’s Shannon Lambert, River Ridge’s Ava Hoynowski, Woodstock’s Emmy Mims and Sequoyah’s Mason Thomas had the second-highest point totals. River Ridge’s Jersey Saylor notched 35 and Creekview’s Myles Merges added 34.

Hoynowski accounted for three wins for the first-place Knights. She won the 100 backstroke and took second in the 200 IM, while securing first in the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays alongside Saylor, Macie Portis, Laura Butler, Maja Brooker and Sofia Valenzuela.

Saylor won her 100 freestyle race and took fourth in the 100 breaststroke. Portis and Valenzuela were River Ridge’s next-highest girls scorers with 33 points each.

Team Scores

Team Scores

River Ridge — 788

Etowah — 720

Sequoyah — 669

Creekview — 578

Woodstock — 506

Cherokee — 470

Boys

Etowah — 414

Sequoyah — 374

River Ridge — 294

Cherokee — 294

Creekview — 287

Woodstock — 100

Girls

River Ridge — 494

Woodstock — 406

Etowah — 306

Sequoyah — 295

Creekview — 291

Cherokee — 176

2023-24 All-Cherokee County Boys Swim Team | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Swimmer of the Year: Mason Thomas, Sequoyah
Coach of the Year: Cora Hodgins, Sequoyah

Boys First Team
Hudson Evans, Cherokee
Brayden Spivey, Cherokee
Dylan Dela-Vega, Cherokee
Jake Gurlanick, Cherokee
Ty Galloway, Creekview
Myles Merges, Creekview
Mason Reed, Etowah
Ry Ellingson, Etowah
Liam Dunn, River Ridge
Cole Womack, River Ridge
Diego Ladera, River Ridge
Mason Thomas, Sequoyah
Emir Yadegary, Woodstock

Boys Second Team
Brayden Huguenard, Creekview
Marcus Kjaerulff, Creekview
Julian Brooker, River Ridge
Douglas Ellerman, River Ridge
Grant Harrison, Sequoyah
Chase Tieman, Woodstock
Kyree Kirkland, Woodstock

Boys Honorable Mention
Connor Williams, Cherokee
Nick Whyte, Cherokee
Renzo Zapata, Cherokee
Caleb Miller, Creekview
Christian Woodham, Creekview
JJ Brigman, Etowah
Adam Berwald, Etowah
Jacob Howell, Etowah
Jarrod Dobson, Etowah
Parker Giles, River Ridge
Skyler Cook, River Ridge
Caden Alindogan, Sequoyah
Noah Kunik, Sequoyah
Henry Yon, Sequoyah
Luke Trumble, Woodstock
Gabriel Toothman, Woodstock

Hard work pays off well for Sequoyah's Thomas | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Sequoyah’s Mason Thomas challenged himself heading into the season.

After breaking two team records last season, Thomas wanted more. He rewrote those same records again and led the Chiefs with 34 points at the Class AAAAAA state championships and 32 points at the county invitational.

Thomas trained for 20 hours a week between Sequoyah and his Chattahoochee Gold club team, and it paid off by earning the 2023-24 Cherokee County Boys Swimmer of the Year award.

“Along with my coaches, I’m always challenging myself to cut my times and push harder,” Thomas said. “I think those things, and my love for the sport, are the key factors in my success this season.”

Thomas picked up two individual wins at the county meet in the 100-yard backstroke (51.95 seconds) and 200 individual medley (2:01.56). He also finished fourth overall at the state meet in the 100 backstroke (51.74).

“We knew Mason was going to perform well this year, and it was so much fun watching his hard work this season,” Sequoyah coach Cora Hodgins said. “He broke two school records last season and then broke his own records this season. He has the best attitude, and I look forward to watching him grow even more over the next two years.”

Thomas competed in seven events between preliminary races and finals during his 34-point performance at the state meet. He placed in the top 15 in all but one, and his best finish came in the 100 backstroke prelims, where he took third with a time of 51.55.

Thomas led his 200 medley relay team to a 14th-place finish at state. The group consisted of Thomas, Caden Alindogan, Grant Harrison and Noah Kunik.

“The state meet was an opportunity for our fastest team members to race,” Thomas said. “Like all meets, there’s an adrenaline rush as I race and cheer on my team. I love the experience of it. I was fortunate to be a part of the relay teams and compete individually, giving me more opportunity to earn team points.”

Sequoyah, riding Thomas’ big performance, finished 19th overall at the state meet with 48 points. The Chiefs finished second at the county meet with 137 points, behind Creekview (170) and ahead of River Ridge (133).

Thomas said the competition in Cherokee County pushed him to reach this level.

“This was a fun season for me. I get to swim with close friends, my twin brother and twin cousins,” Thomas said. “We are not only family but teammates. That’s an awesome experience. Breaking my own school record in the 100 back is my favorite memorable moment.”

Hodgins helms Sequoyah's rise back to hierarchy | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Sequoyah boys swimming coach Cora Hodgins had the Chiefs back in the thick of competition in 2023-24.

With 137 points, Sequoyah finished second at the county invitational, behind only Creekview (170). The Chiefs were also 19th at the Class AAAAAA state championships.

“I think we had a great group of boys this season,” said Hodgins, the Cherokee County Boys Swimming Coach of the Year. “It’s always helpful to have a tight-knit team that encourages one another on a regular basis.”

The coach of the year award is the third straight for Hodgins.

Hodgins coached Swimmer of the Year Mason Thomas to another record-breaking season in which he scored 34 points at state and 32 at county.

Three other Sequoyah swimmers scored at least 20 points during the county meet -- Grant Harrison (23), Caden Alindogan (22) and Henry Yon (21).

The Chiefs’ success in 2023-24 was a healthy mix between younger and older contributors.

“I had a lot of returning swimmers, but we lost a significant amount of fast seniors last year,” Hodgins said. “It was great to see how the upperclassmen embraced the new freshmen this year.”

Thomas set two records and picked up two individual wins at the county meet in the 100-yard backstroke (51.95 seconds) and 200 individual medley (2:01.56). Harrison was second in the 100 backstroke (59.66) and fifth in the 100 butterfly (1:02.04).

The 200 medley relay team of Alindogan, Thomas, Yon and Noah Kunick finished second (1:46.68), while Alindogan was third in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.6) and fifth in the 100 freestyle (54.03).

With Thomas’ records and personal bests throughout the Sequoyah lineup, Hodgins felt fulfilled.

“My favorite moments are always when I see swimmers make a personal-best time,” Hodgins said.

2023-24 All-Cherokee County Girls Swim Team | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Swimmer of the Year: Addison Hodgins, River Ridge
Coach of the Year: Tracye Bulger, River Ridge

First Team
Victoria Kjaerulff, Creekview
Emma Reed, Etowah
Luiza Carvalho, Etowah
Kate Dallas, Etowah
Macie Portis, River Ridge
Ava Hoynowski, River Ridge
Addison Hodgins, River Ridge
Maja Brooker, River Ridge
Jersey Saylor, River Ridge
Olivia Parks, Sequoyah
Lainey Blase, Sequoyah
Emmy Mims, Woodstock
Caroline Cannon, Woodstock
Shannyn Lambert, Woodstock
Leia Lankford, Woodstock
Kahleia May, Woodstock

Second Team
Ximena Zapata, Cherokee
Kiersten Connell, Cherokee
Ashley Kay, Cherokee
Karlyn Jones, Cherokee
Payton Reyes, Creekview
Courtney Cumberbatch, Creekview
Kiera Martin, Etowah
Bella Postell, Etowah
Savannah Ross, River Ridge
Sofia Valenzuela, River Ridge
Laura Butler, River Ridge
Isabel Harper, Sequoyah

Honorable Mention
Lilly Graves, Cherokee
Sabrina Moran, Creekview
Hannah Petzinger, Creekview
Jordan Gomez, Etowah
Blaire Sherrer, Etowah
Emma Ray, River Ridge
Maggie Ku, River Ridge
Amelia Buynoski, Sequoyah
Cassedy Griffin, Sequoyah
Kaylee Folk, Woodstock
Lana Anderson, Woodstock
Evie Neal, Woodstock

Girls Swimmer of the Year: Addison Hodgins, River Ridge
Girls Swimmer of the Year: Addison Hodgins, River Ridge | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Four Cherokee Girls Teams in Top 15 at State | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

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Olivia Parks and Lainey Blase tallied 34 and 33 points, respectively, for the 14th-place Sequoyah. Parks finished fifth in the 100-yard breaststroke prelims and sixth in the finals, with another sixth-place mark in the 200-yard IM finals.

Blase took second in both the 200-yard IM and 500-yard freestyle prelims, with seventh and sixth-place times in the finals.

The Chiefs also got a high-scoring performance from Mason Thomas, who swam a fourth-place time in the 100-yard backstroke at 51.74 seconds. He was the county’s top boys scorer in Class AAAAAA.

“I am really proud of my state team,” Sequoyah coach Cora Hodgins said. “We lost a lot of seniors last year and have a young team this season. We had three swimmers that placed top 10 in their individual events and three relays that made it to finals and scored points for our team.”

River Ridge, Creekview Earn Top Spots at County Championship | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

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Olivia Parks (32 points), Mason Thomas (32 points) and Lainey Blase (29 points) were the leaders for Sequoyah. Thomas and Parks each won two individual events, while Blase took the victory in the 50-yard freestyle.

Knights Win County Kickoff Meet | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

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Galloway scored 28 points, which counted as the boys’ meet-high, tied with Sequoyah’s Mason Thomas, who won the 200 IM (2:03.07) and 100-yard backstroke (55.32).

Lainey Blase, for the Chiefs, was the girls’ leading scorer, also with 28 points. She earned victories in the 100-yard fly (1:02.02) and 200 IM (2:15.04). She helped Sequoyah to second place in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays alongside Olivia Parks, Amelia Buynoski and Isabel Harper.

USA Swimming Announces 2022-23 Scholastic All-America Team (swimswam.com)

Scholastic All-America (usaswimming.org)

2023-saa-team-for-website.pdf (usaswimming.org)

GRADE & GPA REQUIREMENTS
Applicant must have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade.   
 
MINIMUM GPA
Application must maintain minimum 3.5 GPA for the current academic year.

POOL REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must have swum an individual pool time equal to or faster than the 2022 Winter Junior National qualifying time in any individual event during the SAA qualifying period (Sep 1, 2022-Aug 31, 2023, dates inclusive) with the qualifying times in SWIMS.

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Get to know Sequoyah graduate and swimmer Laurel Blase - BVM Sports

CANTON, Ga. — Laurel Blase is a 2023 graduate of Sequoyah High School and just last month embarked on her college career at the University of Alabama. She leaves an impressive legacy at her alma mater, including obtaining the most state titles of any athlete at Sequoyah High School – an amazing 5 times GHSA (Georgia High School Association) State Champion.

Also in these magazines in September 2023:
Bradshaw Lake Living
Hickory Flat Neighbors
BridgeMill Neighbors

Sequoyah alum Blase makes Olympic trial time | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Recent Sequoyah graduate Laurel Blase qualified for the U.S. Olympic trials following her performance at USA Swimming’s futures meet recently in Ocala, Florida.

Blase, who is preparing for her freshman season at Alabama, qualified by hitting a time of 2 minutes, 13.25 seconds in the 200-meter backstroke.

Cherokee County High School Competitive Swimmers Shine - TowneLaker

Laurel Blase, a 2023 Sequoyah High School graduate, is not just known for her fiery red hair but also for her fiery passion for swimming. Blasé spent the last four years swimming for her high school, in addition to 13 years with Chattahoochee Gold Swim Club. As a five-time state champion, she has made school history and will be inducted into the Cherokee County Sports Hall of Fame in May 2024. She has competed in an abundance of national level meets, one of which was in California in 2022, and landed herself a high placement nearly every time. Along with Medina, Blasé won an Athlete of the Year Award for Women in Sports Day 2023. Not only is she a great athlete, but she is a great sport, which led her to become a 2023 Georgia Positive Athlete of the Year nominee. She will jump into the pool again this fall at the University of Alabama, where she will further her swimming career.

Sequoyah’s Blase a finalist for national award | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

The USA Today High School Sports Awards announced its watch list for the 2023 Girls Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Year in late April, with Sequoyah standout Laurel Blase named among the group.

Blase was voted the Cherokee County Girls Swimmer of the Year as a senior in 2023. She won state championships in the 200-yard individual medley (2 minutes, 2.43 seconds) and 500 freestyle (4:56.39).

The national award’s watch list included 50 athletes who met the criteria based on their season, state titles and any other regional or national recognition. The winner will be revealed during the third annual USA TODAY High School Sports Awards this summer.

Blase’s two state titles this year gave her five across her high school career, which Sequoyah coach Cora Hodgins said is the most state championships of any athlete in Sequoyah history. She also broke two Cherokee County records in 2023.

“This season is definitely the season I’m most proud of,” Blase said after winning the county’s Swimmer of the Year award. “I bounced back from last year after not performing as well as I had wanted to with a lot of hard work and dedication to my practice performance. I also focused a lot on out-of-practice factors, including nutrition and sleep, that really benefited me, in the long run, this season.”

Blase is committed to swim for Alabama next year alongside the Cherokee County Boys’ Swimmer of the Year, Nick Kjaerulff.

Of the 50-person list, Blase was one of just two swimmers from the state of Georgia. The other was Lassiter’s Elizabeth Tilt, who won the Cobb County Girls’ Swimmer of the Year in 2021 and 2022 and qualified for the United States Olympic Trials in 2021.

CCSD : CCSD Seniors Honored By Cherokee County Sports Hall Of Fame | Canton, GA Patch

Posted Tue, Apr 25, 2023 at 4:27 pm ET
Press release from CCSD: CCSD Seniors Honored by Cherokee County Sports Hall of Fame | Post Detail (cherokeek12.net)

Twelve Cherokee County School District Class of 2023 graduating seniors will be honored by the Cherokee County Sports Hall of Fame!

The community organization, which is a CCSD Partner, each spring recognizes the most outstanding male and female senior athletes from each of CCSD’s high schools. Honorees are nominated by high school administrators based on the outstanding athletic contributions the seniors made during their high school career. This recognition is a separate program from the Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony honoring individuals who have distinguished themselves in the field of athletics in Cherokee County.

“Congratulations to these accomplished scholar athletes on earning this special accolade,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower. “We’re proud of each of you and wish you the best as you continue your studies and athletic career. Thank you to the Cherokee County Sports Hall of Fame for honoring these students and our community’s achievements in sports.”

Congratulations to the Class of 2023 honorees:

SEQUOYAH HS
Laurel Blase: swimming
Ty Moores: baseball, football

((more))

2023 USA TODAY HSSA Girls Swimming & Diving Watch List

The USA TODAY High School Sports Awards is pleased to announce its watch list for the 2023 USA TODAY HSSA Girls Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Year!

This initial list includes 50 current student-athletes who meet the nomination criteria for this year’s national Girls Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Year Award. These athletes were either nominees in last year’s national awards show, or athletes who were seriously considered based on season-wide performance, state championships and any other state, regional and/or national recognition.

The official 2023 USA TODAY HSSA Girls Swimming & Diving Team will be announced later this spring. All 25 final team members will be honored as nominees for national Swimmer of the Year. The winner will be revealed during the third annual USA TODAY High School Sports Awards. Visit the event website for updates leading up to this summer's on-demand event.

The purpose of this watch list is to track eligible nominees for this year’s national show. Athletes could be removed from this list if they no longer play for their high school team (either by choice or injury), or if their high school no longer participates in a state-sanctioned championship tournament.

2023 USA TODAY HSSA Girls Swimming & Diving Watch List:

Laurel Blase — SR, Swimmer | Sequoyah High School | Canton, Georgia

((more))

2022-23 All-Cherokee County Swim Team | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Girls Swimmer of the Year: Laurel Blase, Sequoyah
Girls Coach of the Year: Cora Hodgins, Sequoyah

Girls First Team
Lainey Blase, Sequoyah
Laurel Blase, Sequoyah
Kelsey Jackson, Sequoyah

Girls Second Team
Cassedy Griffin, Sequoyah

Girls Honorable Mention
Amelia Buynoski, Sequoyah
Isabel Harper, Sequoyah
Victoria Rodriguez, Sequoyah
Paige Wolosiewicz, Sequoyah

Boys First Team
Spencer Espelid, Sequoyah
Logan Geoghagan, Sequoyah
Mason Thomas, Sequoyah

Boys Second Team
Brett Lowry, Sequoyah
Landon Thomas, Sequoyah
Henry Yon, Sequoyah

Boys Honorable Mention
Clint Schuler, Sequoyah

Elizabeth Tilt Leads Lassiter to Fourth 6A Title in a Row at GHSA State Championships (swimswam.com)

Sequoyah senior Laurel Blase also triumphed in multiple events as she defended her titles in the 200 free (1:48.77) and 500 free (4:58.06). It was the Alabama commit’s second consecutive win in the 200 free and third straight in the 500 free.

Class 6A Girls

   200-Yard Freestyle

1. Laurel Blase, Sequoyah, 1:48.77; 2. Rose Jones, Lassiter, 1:50.49; 3. Brooke Murphy, Johns Creek, 1:50.87
   
   500-Yard Freestyle
   
   1. Laurel Blase, Sequoyah, 4:58.06; 2. Rose Jones, Lassiter, 5:02.84; 3. Reese Benton, Dunwoody, 5:03.99

GHSA Swimming State Championship Results from Friday (ajc.com)

The 2023 GHSA Swimming State Championships continued tonight as Class 6A hit the lanes following the Class 7A events on Wednesday. The competition will continue tomorrow as Class A-5A will close out this year’s state championships.

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Lassiter’s Elizabeth Tilt was in excellent form, winning the 200-yard individual medley (2:01:32) and 100-yard butterfly (53.38) where she repeated as state champion. Tilt is one of the best swimmers in the state and she proved it yet again on the biggest stage. Sequoyah’s Laurel Blase was also impressive in the lanes, winning the 200-yard freestyle (1:48.77) while also repeating as champion in the 500-yard freestyle (4:58.06), beating out Lassiter’s Rose Jones (5:02.84) and Dunwoody’s Reese Benton (5:03.99).

Follow the links to see this year’s diving coverage and Class 7A results from Wednesday, or go here to see the past swimming champions. Check out tonight’s team results and full results, event-by-event, at the bottom of the page.

TEAM RESULTS

Class 6A Boys

1. Johns Creek, 368.5; 2. Marist, 342; 3. St. Pius X, 249

Class 6A Girls

1. Lassiter, 486; 2. Marist, 314; 3. Pope, 286

INDIVIDUAL GIRLS RESULTS

Class 6A Girls

200-Yard Freestyle

1. Laurel Blase, Sequoyah, 1:48.77; 2. Rose Jones, Lassiter, 1:50.49; 3. Brooke Murphy, Johns Creek, 1:50.87

500-Yard Freestyle

1. Laurel Blase, Sequoyah, 4:58.06; 2. Rose Jones, Lassiter, 5:02.84; 3. Reese Benton, Dunwoody, 5:03.99

Sequoyah girls, Creekview boys headline state swim meet | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Team scores 6A Boys 13th — Creekview HS 17th — Sequoyah HS 22nd — Woodstock HS 25th — River Ridge HS 27th — Etowah HS 6A Girls 8th — Woodstock HS 9th — Sequoyah HS 12th — Etowah HS 13th — River Ridge HS 16th — Creekview HS 7A Men 21st place — Cherokee HS

Sequoyah and Woodstock’s girls recorded a pair of top-10 finishes for Cherokee County at the Class AAAAAA championship swim meet. The Wolverines came in eighth place, with the Chiefs just one spot behind in ninth.

All five Class AAAAAA girls’ teams finished in the top 20, while Creekview (13th place) and Sequoyah (17th place) registered top 20 placements on the boys’ side. The Cherokee boys were the 21st team in the Class AAAAAAA competition.

Four county swimmers, all seniors, made it on the podium for their individual events: Nicholas Kjaerulff (Creekview), Laurel Blase (Sequoyah), Ashley Case (Woodstock) and Astrid Medina (Etowah).

Blase picked up two first-place finishes between the 200 and 500-yard freestyle events. She was also the Chiefs’ top scorer at the meet with 48 points.

“Laurel was incredible in both prelims and finals,” Sequoyah coach Cora Hodgins said. “She makes it look easy. I am so impressed with her. She now has five state championship titles! That is the most state championships in school history.”

Though no relays made the podium, the Chiefs’ three relay teams, combined with several top-10 individual finishes, contributed to the final tally.

“We have been working as a team all season to determine the best relay combinations, and that made a huge difference,” Sequoyah coach Cora Hodgins said. “Many of the state team this year are seniors and have been swimming with me for four years, and we have built a great team spirit.”

Case’s second-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle helped Woodstock edge out Sequoyah for its eighth overall standing. She led the Wolverines in scoring with 39 points, just a few points ahead of teammate Shannyn Lambert, who finished with 32.

Medina came in third for the 100-yard backstroke, providing Etowah (12th place) with some breathing room as it finished one spot above River Ridge (13th place). Her 31 points scored led the Eagles, with Luiza Menezes Carvello’s 23 points the next highest.

Ava Hoynowski accounted for 24 points to lead River Ridge’s scoring efforts. The Creekview girls, at 16th overall, were led by Victoria Kjaerulff, who scored 32 points for her team.

Sequoyah’s Blase was not the only first-place swimmer over the weekend. Creekview senior Nicholas Kjaerulff won a pair of first-place medals in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke. Coincidentally, Kjaerulff matched Blase with 48 points scored, as the two are also committed to swim for Alabama next year. ((more))

Sequoyah - Team Home Sequoyah Chiefs Sports (sequoyahathletics.com)

Congratulations on two more State Championships for Laurel Blase! Today’s victories gives her 5 career State Championships which is #1 all-time at Sequoyah HS. 

County athletes recognized during National Girls and Women in Sports Day | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Each school had an athlete of the year recipient, along with an alumna and team of the year.The athletes of the year were Cherokee’s Lexi Pavese, Creekview’s Anslie Pettit, Etowah’s Astrid Medina, River Ridge’s Mataya Gayle, Sequoyah’s Laurel Blase and Woodstock’s Hannah Obenauf.

Laurel Blase post: Sequoyah, Chattahoochee Gold's Laurel Blase: Georgia Lottery Scholar Athlete – WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta (wsbtv.com)

Scholar Athlete page including Laurel Blase: Athlete of the Week – WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta (wsbtv.com)

Kudos to Cherokee County High School Individual Swim Champions | Woodstock, GA Patch

Boys 200 Yard IM
Mason Thomas Sequoyah High School 2:02.68

Girls 200 Yard IM
Laurel Blase Sequoyah High School 2:02.43*

Girls 50 Yard Freestyle
Lainey Blase Sequoyah High School 25.13

Girls 500 Yard Freestyle
Laurel Blase Sequoyah High School 4:56.39*

Girls 100 Yard Backstroke
Kelsey Jackson Sequoyah High School 59.09

Boys 400 Yard Freestyle Relay
Sequoyah High School 3:26.41
1) Thomas, Mason 2) Lowry, Brett 3) Espelid, Spencer 4) Geoghagan, Logan

*new county record

River Ridge swimming wins second straight county championship | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

"River Ridge is the back-to-back county title holder following its win at the 2023 Cherokee County Swim and Dive Championship Meet on Saturday. The Knights finished with 506.5 points, beating out Creekview (494 points) and Sequoyah (487 points) for the overall win."

"The River Ridge girls’ team finished second with 278.5 points, behind Woodstock (282.5 points), while the boys took third place with 228 points behind Creekview (298 points) and Sequoyah (263 points)."

"Kjaerulff was not the only swimmer to pick up two wins on Saturday. Sequoyah’s Laurel Blase won the 200-yard IM (2:02.43) and 500-yard freestyle (4:56.39), contributing to the Chiefs’ third-place finish overall. Both of Blase’s first-place finishes broke county records."

"Overall scores 1. River Ridge High School 506.5 2. Creekview High School 494 3. Sequoyah High School 487 4. Etowah High School 444 5. Woodstock Wolverines 421 6. Cherokee High School 245.5 Girls 1. Woodstock Wolverines 282.5 2. River Ridge High School 278.5 3. Etowah High School 240 4. Sequoyah High School 224 5. Creekview High School 196 6. Cherokee High School 79 Boys 1. Creekview High School 298 2. Sequoyah High School 263 3. River Ridge High School 228 4. Etowah High School 204 5. Cherokee High School 166.5 6. Woodstock Wolverines 138.5"

Swim/Dive Preview: Veteran swimmers leading Creekview, Sequoyah in 2022-23 | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

"Sequoyah brings another strong lineup into the 2022-23 season after placing fourth overall in the Class AAAAAA state meet. Laurel Blase returns after winning state championships in the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle races last season.

Laurel and Lainey Blase tied for a team-best 28 points in the Cherokee County Kick-Off meet, with four first-place finishes between them. Kelsey Jackson, who placed seventh in the 100-yard backstroke at state, also returns. She won the same race in this year’s season-opening meet.

Sequoyah’s boys team finished first at the Chief and Eagle Invite on Nov. 5, led by Logan Geoghagan and Mason Thomas. The Chiefs placed 20th at the Class AAAAAA state meet."

Dragons Nab Gold's Kelsey Jackson | Woodstock, GA Patch

Congratulations Logan!

2021-22 Boys Swimming and Diving All-County Team | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Athlete of the Year: Nathan Sehorn, River Ridge

Coach of the Year: Heather Morris, Creekview

First Team

Nathan Sehorn, River Ridge

Nick Kjaerulff, Creekview

Ben Johnson, River Ridge

Bridger Putzer, River Ridge

Isaac Martin, Creekview

Hudson Evans, Cherokee

Justin Bolsen, Creekview

Dylan Dela-Vega, Cherokee

Andy Vines, Cherokee

Logan Geoghagan, Sequoyah

Second Team

Mason Reed, Etowah

Ty Galloway, Etowah

Sam Hunnings, Etowah

Luiza Menezes Carvalho, Etowah

Will McLemore, Woodstock

Carson Portis, River Ridge

Liam Dunn, River Ridge

Carter Macdonald, River Ridge

Honorable Mention

Diego Ladara, River Ridge

Cole Womack, River Ridge

Maddox Walkley, River Ridge

Emir Yadegary, Woodstock

Girls Swimming Coach of the Year: Sequoyah's Cora Hodgins | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Girls Co-Swimmers of the Year: Sequoyah's Delaney Harrison, River Ridge's Ashley Fortin | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

2021-22 Girls Swimming All-County Team | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Chattahoochee Gold girls take sixth at NCSA national meet | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Delaney and Laurel were on the 800 Free Relay that broke a record for the state of Georgia!

Photo courtesy of Darby Rose Photography

Sequoyah girls earn county-best finish at state swim meet | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

Congratulations to our five SHS swimmers who made the GHSA High School State Swim & Dive finals session! Our 6A girls - Delaney, Laurel, Kelsey and Lainey - placed 4th in the state overall! Their two relays - 200 Medley and 400 Free - both placed 3rd! Delaney and Laurel are state champions in both their individual events - Delaney 50 Free and 100 Free; Laurel 200 Free and 500 Free. Lainey 5th in 500 Free. Kelsey 7th in 100 Back. Logan 8th in 500 Free! So proud of all our swimmers who went to prelims and finals!

2022 GHSA 6A-7A Finals results: dbb682df-6b35-497f-ba88-db29f488320e.pdf (ctctusercontent.com)

2022 GHSA 6A-7A Team scores: d16ebd71-f9d0-4b9d-b5d9-6f1e568e4476.pdf (ctctusercontent.com)

https://www.ajc.com/sports/high-school-sports-blog...

River Ridge achieves goal, picks up team win at county swim meet | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

200 Medley Relay --new County & SHS record! 1:49.31
Kelsey Jackson -- Back
Laurel Blase -- Breast
Delaney Harrison -- Fly
Lainey Blase -- Free

400 Free Relay -- new County record! 3:36.00
Laurel, Kelsey, Lainey, Delaney

Delaney Harrison set two individual County records in the 200 Free and the 100 Fly (also new SHS record).

Laurel Blase was County champ in the 200 IM (also new SHS record) and 500 Free. 

River Ridge swimmers striving to complete mission, win county | Sports | tribuneledgernews.com

https://swimswam.com/georgia-high-school-state-cha...

https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/alabama...

https://patch.com/georgia/woodstock/golds-laurel-b...

Delaney Harrison and Laurel Blase made the USA Swimming 2020-2021 Scholastic All-America Team. "USA Swimming announced the full list of 2020-2021 Scholastic All-America recipients. The list consisted of 1,239 athletes in 9-12th grade who maintained a minimum 3.5 grade-point average and swam a time that met the 2019 Winter Junior qualifying time between September 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021." More info and the full list here:

https://www.usaswimming.org/news/2021/09/22/usa-sw...

Congratulations to Grant Davis, Delaney Harrison and Laurel Blase for making 2020-2021 NISCA Swimming and Diving All America!

Congrats to Sequoyah swimmers Delaney Harrison, Grant Davis, Laurel Blase, MacKenzie Beaver & Kelsey Jackson all named to the 2020-2021 6A All-State Swim Team.Delaney, Grant & Laurel were named to the 1st team and MacKenzie & Kelsey were named to the 3rd team.

https://sequoyahathletics.com/2021/07/08/swimmers-...

Grant swam at the Olympic Trials Wave II in Omaha, Nebraska. At Trials he swam for a spot to go to the Olympics in Tokyo. He competed in the 800 Freestyle which aired on TV. He came in 27th out of 49 swimmers who competed (and had the initial cut/qualifying time).

Cherokee Tribune: "Positive Athlete Georgia named Sequoyah High School as the 2020-2021 Most Positive School for the northwest Atlanta region." // "Sequoyah athletes Jonah Haney (football) and Grant Davis (swimming) were both named the most positive in their respective sports for the region."

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/sequoyah-...

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/i-was-sho...

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/all-count...

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/all-count...

Photo courtesy of Darby Rose Photography

Feb 2021 - AJC: GHSA Swimming and Diving State Championship wrap-up (mentions Grant, Delaney and Laurel) GHSA Swimming and Diving State Championship updates from Friday (ajc.com)

Feb 2021 - SwimSwam: GHSA 6A Girls High School State Championship Meet wrap-up (mentions Delaney and Laurel) Sophomore Elizabeth Tilt Powers Lassiter Girls to Georgia 6A Title (swimswam.com)

Feb 2021 - Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News: Sequoyah and River Ridge claim podium spots at GHSA Championships https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/sequoyah-and-river-ridge-claim-podium-spots-at-ghsa-championships/article_24417dd4-7153-11eb-9554-57aefeebd635.html#tncms-source=login

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/five-swim...

https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/arkansa...

https://swimswam.com/arkansas-secures-first-2022-v...

Woo Pig Sooie! Gold Swimmer Bound for University of Arkansas | Woodstock, GA Patch

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/county-sw...

Grant Davis has signed his National Letter of Intent today to swim for Auburn. 

https://auburntigers.com/news/2020/11/12/swimming-...

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/boys-swim...

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/all-count...

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/all-count...

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/sequoyah-...

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/need-for-...

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/cherokee-...

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/swimming-...

https://www.tribuneledgernews.com/sports/swimming-...

https://swimswam.com/chattahoochee-golds-grant-dav...

https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/auburn-...

https://patch.com/georgia/woodstock/gold-swimmer-p...