CARY -- Carrboro's boys' swimming and diving team captured its third straight state championship and Raleigh Charter won its second consecutive girls' state title in decisive fashion at the NCHSAA 1A/2A Swimming and Diving state championships.
But the story at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary may have been about hundredths. As in the hundredths of a second Raleigh Charter’s Joe Bunk fell short in breaking two individual state records.
Bonk broke a personal best in the 50-yard Freestyle with a time of 20.46 seconds, falling just short of the North Carolina state high school record of 20.44 that has been around since 1990.
Then a couple events later Bonk again broke a personal record in the 100-yard Freestyle with a time of 45.12 seconds. Again, just hundredths short of the state record of 45.09.
“It’s just a day in the life of a sprinter. You’ve got to get use to that stuff,” Bonk said of just falling short of two state records.
Bonk admitted he wasn’t sure in the water if he would break the record, but added, “when I hit that flip turn [on the 50-yard freestyle] I felt like I had a chance.”
Bonk said, however, it was the team relays he was looking forward to.
“I like how it’s all about the team, and the team camaraderie,” Bonk said. Bonk helped anchor the 200 and 400 Freestyle relays to second and third place finishes respectively.
But it was the Raleigh Charter girls team that had no trouble earning medals.
“We have a broad spectrum of skills. Lots of podium finishes,” said head coach Matt Mosher.
The Phoenix did have lots of podium finishes. They placed in every single women’s event in which they competed. The women won six events in all to amass 378 points, well ahead of second-place Lake Norman Charter School's 238. The Carrboro women finished third with 208.5 points.
Raleigh Charter's women were paced by freshman Olivia Ontjes, and sophomores Rachel Hatt and Margaret Ireland.
Ontjes won the 100 Freestyle and helped finish first in the 200 Medley Relay and 400 Freestyle relay. Hatt won the 50 Freestyle and helped in the 200 Freestyle Relay and 400 Freestyle Relay. Ireland won the 100 Backstroke and supported in the 200 Medley Relay.
Carrboro’s Katie Furey helped the Catamounts to a third place finish overall and won the 200 Freestyle and placed second in the 100 Freestyle.
The boys' team continued its reign in the pool with a 291.5 win over Lake Norman’s 267.5.
Carrboro was led by Sam Strosnider and Chris Godenk. Strosnider finished with four gold medals in the 200 Individual Medley, 500 freestyle, and the 200 and 400 Freestyle Relays along with Godenk. Godenk also finished second in both the 200 Freestyle and the 100 Freestyle behind Bonk.
“We knew the men’s competition would be close,” head coach Britton Banning-Arndt said. Carrboro has a good balance of seniors and underclassmen.
“Plus combination of kids that train with clubs and kids that train with us,” Banning-Arndt said that helps provide balance.
