Tanya Chilton | The News
Greyhound Cody Key loves football and swimming and loves to score points for the team, he said.
Tanya Chilton | The News
North Surry’s Taylor Hill competes for her personal best Monday against the Wildcats.
Tanya Chilton | The News
The boys 200 yard freestyle relay starts out fierce between the Hounds and the Wildcats, and the Cats pull out the win.
The North Surry swim team hosted the West Stokes Wildcats Monday night at the Reeves Community Center, and though the Greyhounds lost, North Surry Head Coach Ashley Taylor said she was pleased overall with Hounds’ personal best efforts.
Taylor said the majority of the team swam a personal best on at least one event and that is doing good.
The meet was packed with spectators and parents. There was encouragement and shouts coming from both Hounds and Wildcats teammates. Oftentimes, the applause was deafening.
“The Greyhound team has personality,” said Taylor, and though it is several on the team’s first year as swimmers, they are competitive, encourage one another and put on a show, Taylor said.
“Courtney Wiles cut nine seconds off her time in the 200 freestyle,” said Taylor.
“She is full of surprises for me and once she gets on a roll, she gets into it and keeps going,” Taylor said.
Taylor said she enjoys the experience of watching Wiles’ face light up.
“To watch swimmers on the team cut off that kind of time, like Wiles did tonight, makes me feel good as a coach,” said Taylor.
“I know that she is listening and will show that much dedication and passion to keep going.”
West Stokes boys won Monday with a score of 104 and North Surry scored 54. North Surry’s Payden Simmons did the 50 freestyle and got a regional automatic time in the 100 breast stoke. He got a 1:15.26 surpassing the regional time required of 1:16.99, said Taylor.
Taylor said, “Last year I worked with him (Simmons), and at the last meet he cut an immense amount of time to make the regionals.
“He is a hard worker,” the coach said.
Cody Key placed second in the 100 yard freestyle and got a personal best as well.
Taylor said Key shows “extreme dedication to make his goals.”
Key spoke about his growing love of swimming since starting it this year and talked about the importance of competing against himself. However, Key said when he is competing individually he knows that he is making points for the team. “I love to compete and make points for the team.”
Key is also a football player and a former wrestler. He said he chose swimming this year because of a shoulder injury that he suffered during wrestling. Instead of not doing any sport, Key said he wanted to choose something in which he could make points for the team and he did that last night and wants to keep getting better.
West Stokes girls scored 112 points over North’s 44. Taylor said she is still watching the team to get a picture of different swimmers because many are new to swimming, she said.
North Surry’s Taylor Hill cut off about three seconds on 50 freestyle, said Taylor.
“Swimming is more of a personal sport, I always try to encourage them to beat themselves and if they cut time on at least one event that is a good night. The majority tonight cut time on at least on one event,” said Taylor.
West Stokes’ Sam Elter won the boys backstroke event for West Stokes.
Taylor said, “Their relays were very good.”
Wildcats’ Emma Shelton took first place in the girls 50 free, said Taylor.
The next North Surry swim meet is against East Surry and will be at the Armfield Civic Center on Dec. 11.
Reach Tanya Chilton at tchilton@heartlandpublications.com or at 719-1921.
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