Yorktown swimmer Katy Hinkle and her teammates could only watch as the final relay went on without them at last year’s Group AAA state meet.
With only nine swimmers available and each having used her two allotted race entries the Patriots couldn’t enter a team in the 400-yard free relay. Most top teams had double that number of swimmers competing.
But when both Fairfax and Robinson failed to win the 400 free relay the championship trophy was headed home to Arlington with the Patriots for the first time.
“I refused to believe it until they actually announced it over the speakers,” said Hinkle, part of state-title winning relay teams in the 200-yard freestyle and 200 medley. “It said so much about our team to win it all with fewer kids to race than the bigger schools. It was very gratifying.”
Hinkle and her Yorktown teammates will take to the road to defend their championship. The Virginia High School League confirmed last week the state meet has been moved from Manassas to Virginia Beach. Normally, leaving home would be a disadvantage. But the Patriots are actually excited to take their show on the road.
“It’s just something none of us have ever done before because the state meet is always [in Northern Virginia],” said Hinkle. “But none of us really know what to expect, either. There are so many good teams out there this year.”
The Northern Region is crawling with state championship contenders, led by No. 3 Robinson, which handed the Patriots their lone loss of the season on Dec. 13. Yorktown was missing several key performers, including Hinkle, who was at a championship club meet.
But the Patriots also must hold off Langley, Lake Braddock and Fairfax, which tied Robinson for second at the state meet last year with 180 points — just five behind Yorktown (185).
Yorktown is again unlikely to match the bodies its rivals will bring to the state meet. But Hinkle and senior teammates Kristen Wolla and Thea Kromer return from those two state championship relay teams. And while the fourth member, Katie Radloff (Washington-Lee), graduated, there are several talented freshmen that provide depth — something sorely lacking in 2006.
Freshmen Abby Ortmayer, Kaitlin Wolla, Shelby Tarkenton and younger sister Carly Hinkle should all contribute. And the Patriots can count on sophomore diver Maren Taylor, the defending region champion who missed states last year with a dislocated elbow.
Record-breaker
» Yorktown senior Katy Hinkle has her name all over the program record books, including in the 50 free (23.71) and the 100 free (51.43).
» Hinkle will swim in college at Harvard. The Crimson has won two straight Ivy League dual meet titles.
» The Group AAA state meet isnow scheduled for Feb. 9-10 at Bayside Recreation Center in Virginia Beach. The original site at Freedom Aquatic Center in Manassas fell through when no host school from Northern Virginia could be found.
