Back2Back Times Two: Swimming Season Recap
The Golden Era Continues for TFS Swimming
The old adage 'it's not how you start, it's how you finish' is only partially true. For Tallulah Falls, the swim teams literally opened and closed the GIAA State Championship meet with 1st-place finishes in relay races. That was the case for both the Lady Indians and Indians, who each stapled down back-to-back team state titles.
With a total of four relay golds and a pair of individual top finishes as well, the swim teams asserted their dominance once again as the best in Georgia when putting on quite the show at Georgia Tech in February.
Great teams coming off titles can be subject to a letdown due to several factors - roster churn, a 'bullseye on the back', complacency, or coaching changes. Despite TFS dealing with all of these minus the complacency, new coach Chris Kafsky led the team back to the top of the podium.
Throughout the season, Tallulah Falls excelled in each meet, posting PRs and school records along the way. Young swimmers progressed, and veteran leaders made sure there was no drop-off.
Once in the pool at Georgia Tech, the scene was new and yet felt the same as it did 12 months prior. The tone was set with the girls and boys both claiming the 200 Medley Relay events. It ended the same when both won the 200 Free Relays.
In between, the meet was marked with exceptional performances by many individuals. Even without one of the top swimmers in Caden Polley who came down with the flu prior to the event, the Indians rallied around Waldon McIntosh and Alex Delgado among others.
McIntosh was the GIAA High Point Winner for the boys, as he won a title in the 100 Fly (with a school record time). He was third in the 200 IM and led off the 200 Medley Relay while anchoring the 200 Free. In the latter event, he brought back TFS from a large gap in the last swim, earning gold with a jaw-dropping swim.
Delgado claimed gold in the 100 Breast, while Selah Wiltshire had a masterful performance of her own. She swam to a runner-up swim in the 50 Free, and was third in the 100 Breast and 100 Free. Lucia Roser de Hoyos, Valentina Arias Camargo, and Mattie Patterson each had a top-3 finish in at least one event.
Camargo, Carsyn Griffis, Patterson, Molly Rickman, Roser de Hoyos, and Wiltshire led the Lady Indians as the veteran seniors, while Charlie Harris, Polley, and Martin Raybon were the boys senior leaders.