Swimming kicks off season: men’s

Men’s swimming beats Centre 157-91

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Brennan Haley, ‘17, won the 100-yard backstroke in 55.60. Photo courtesy of W&L Sports Information.

W&L Sports Information

The Washington and Lee men’s swimming team opened up the 2015-16 season with a 157-91 win over Centre on Saturday at Cy Twombly Pool.

Sophomore Tommy Thetford (Birmingham, Ala. / The Altamont) and junior Brennan Haley (Westfield, N.J. / Westfield) led the Generals, each winning one individual event and participating on two winning relays. Thetford won the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 20.95, while Haley claimed the 100-yard backstroke in 55.60.

Thetford and Haley were a part of the 200-yard medley relay, along with sophomore Noah Schammel (Greenville, S.C. / St. Joseph’s Catholic School) and junior Trenten Babcock (Belmont, Mich. / Rockford), which touched the wall in 1:38.88. Thetford and Haley were also members of the 200-yard free relay squad that finished in 1:28.52. The duo was joined by juniors John Womack (Glendale, Ariz. / Glendale Preparatory Academy) and Jake Burns (Greensboro, N.C. / Greensboro Day).

Schammel took first in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 53.91 and Babcock had a first-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley. He touched the wall in 2:06.57. Womack earned first place in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 48.24, while Burns claimed the 200-yard freestyle in 1:51.52.

First-years Bancks Holmes (Raleigh, N.C. / Needham B. Broughton) and Sam Childress (Springfield, Ill. / Glenwood) secured two event wins for W&L. Holmes touched the wall in 10:27.28 to claim the top spot in the 1000-yard freestyle and Childress took first in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:58.68.

Sophomore William McMurtry (Park Hills, Ky. / Covington Catholic) also had a first-place showing in the 200-yard backstroke. He finished the event in 2:07.19.

The Generals return to the pool on Friday, when they travel to Mary Washington for a 5:00 p.m. meet.