Catching up with the ORHS swim team
Last February, after a sparkling fourth-place finish at KISL in January, the Oak Ridge High School combined men’s and women’s teams walked away with a 26th place overall team finish out of 64 teams at the TISCA State Swimming Championships at the Nashville Aquatic Complex.
Sophomore Andrew Chou set the school record in the 200 IM with a 1:54.31, bettering Brian Smith’s 1985 time of 1:55.29. Chou also broke his own school record in the 100 Back with a 52.16. The previous ORHS record holder was Scott Baranyi, who swam 53.12 in 1996.
Girls Impact Swimmers
The swimmers and their events are listed below.
Senior Ella Kendall − 100 Fly, 100 Free, 200 Free, 200 IM. Swam 200 Medley Relay, 100 Fly, 100 Free, and 400 Free Relay at State.
Junior Rosalee Wenhame − 500 Free, 100 Back, 200 IM. Swam 200IM and 100 Fly at State.
Junior Natalie Steger − 100 Fly, 100 Breast, 100 Back. Swam 200IM at State.
Junior Amelia Hodge − 100 Breast, 50 Free, 100 Free. Swam 200 Medley Relays, 100 Free, 200 IM, and 400 Free Relay at State.
Coach Hodge says all four should make state cuts in multiple events and relays and compete at a high level at KISL.
Boys Impact Swimmers
Senior Quentin Vanatta − 100 Fly, 100 Back, 100 Free.
Junior Stephen Zhukov − 500 Free, 50 Free, 100 Fly. Swam 200 Medley Relay, 200 IM, 500 Free, and 400 Free Relay at State.
Junior Dylan Hodge − 100 Fly, 100 Breast, 500 Free. Swam 100 Fly and 400 Free Relay at State.
Sophomore Andrew Chou − Best events are 200 IM, 100 Back, 50 Free. Swam 200 Medley Relay, 200 IM, 100 Back and 400 Free Relay at State.
Sophomore Colin Suddeth − 100 Breast, 200 IM, 100 Free. Swam 100 Breast and 200 Medley Relay at State.
Same as the girls, Coach Chad Hodge sees all of them making State cuts in multiple events, including relays and competing at a high level at KISL.
New Faces: Aleyna Russell, junior, best stroke is Breast. Brennan Toth, freshman, best stroke is Freestyle. Gracie Saunders, freshman, best stroke is Backstroke. Connor O’Neil, freshman, best stroke is Freestyle. Micah Brown, freshman, best stroke is Freestyle. Mason Greenhalgh, freshman, best stroke is Fly.
Season Outlook: Coach Hodge sees an opportunity to win all six regular season meets. Team goal: repeat in the top 5 at KISL and get more swimmers into the State meet and place in the scoring column in multiple events (especially relays). Look out for Maryville, Catholic, Farragut, West, and Bearden in the area.
Chou honors
Chou was recognized by USA Swimming as a Scholastic All-American following his freshman year. One of only 116 sophomores to achieve the honor following their freshman year, Chou already holds ORHS school records in the 100 Back and 200 IM events and has not lost an individual or relay event during his high school career. Chou maintained a challenging course load his freshman year while swimming 20 hours per week.
