On February 12, members of the Davie Swim Team traveled to the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary, NC, to compete at States. The meet marked several firsts for the War Eagles, including many athletes’ debut appearances at state competition and multiple record-breaking swims. It was a standout showing for the athletes despite a number of unforeseen complications and last-minute changes.
When North Carolina was hit by unprecedented winter weather, it was unclear whether even Regionals would take place, let alone States. As the snow continued to fall, regional championships were canceled, though this change opened greater opportunities. If the meets had gone as planned, the regional team would’ve competed to earn a spot on the state team. Instead, any athlete who managed a regional qualifying time would now advance to the state competition.
While this change allowed for many more athletes to compete, the long stretch between meets was difficult for both athletes and coaches. To keep spirits high and the momentum going during the snow break, the swim team did everything they could to avoid a long period without training. Swimmers braved the ice and journeyed to the Mocksville YMCA to try to keep in shape. The frustration of the moving goal post—that is, the state meet—even led the team to have an impromptu snow swim relay to keep their starts sharp.
The results of their hard work were evident once the state competition finally arrived. The 400 freestyle relay team of Zach Hirata, Xaiden Groff, Josh McBride, and George Crowley swam in the last event of the day, finishing with a personal best of 3:22.21 and breaking the high school record from the 2015 team. Head Coach Tak Hirata pinpointed George Crowley’s performance in particular as a highlight.
“I was proud of George Crowley, who came just for that relay, knowing that he had to produce his personal best time for the record to happen, and did exactly that after sitting for 6 hours cheering the team on,” Tak Hirata said.
Throughout the meet, Davie’s swimmers set a number of personal and school records. In this area, junior Zach Hirata’s performance was particularly notable. Not only did he place 6th in both the 100 backstroke and butterfly, but he also broke school records in each event, his own for the backstroke and Earnhardt Harris’s for the fly. Before Harris, the record had been held for 30 years—since 1993—by Brian Tribble.
Despite his success, Hirata said his path to states was not without challenges. On the morning of the state competition, Hirata pulled his shoulder and briefly considered not competing. Fortunately for Hirata, everything worked out.
“Stuff like that happens,” he said. “And sometimes you just gotta roll with it.”
Hirata also qualified for states last year, along with sophomore Skylar Zuleger. Hirata highlights Zuleger as the teammate who has most contributed to his success by holding him accountable and pushing him to be his best.
“Sky is a phenomenal swimmer,” Hirata said. “I can’t say that I would work as hard as I do if she didn’t get on me when I don’t.”
For her part, Zuleger said her coaches have inspired her to constantly go above and beyond in swimming. She said her ambition has driven her to become the best swimmer she can be.
“Throughout my life, I have always wanted to reach the highest level in swimming, so constantly working and hoping for something bigger helps me to keep pushing and training hard.”
Zuleger has a multitude of swimming events coming up through USA Swimming. Next month, Zuleger will compete in the TYR Pro Series in Chicago, which brings in swimmers from all over the world.
While Zuleger looks toward the nationals stage, other members of the team are reflecting on the journeys that brought them to this point. For several of the swimmers, including senior Luke Wollner, this meet marked the end of their swimming careers.
“You know, I was happy to be there and excited for the opportunity, but I was a little disappointed that it was my last time getting to swim in high school,” Wollner said. “I joined the team my freshman year—I saw a very welcoming environment. I wanted a sport that I could find like family in, and it’s been a great experience.”
Lila Moore, Grace Carroll, and Hayden Smith contributed to this article.
