Sports
Lane Wins Big, Helps Vikings to Top 10
Senior swimmer Jack Lane set another state record in the 100-yard butterfly.
's renowned swimming program forged a new chapter in excellence at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, which hosted the recent state championship. Led by a record-setting Jack Lane, the Vikings finished a respectable sixth overall on the back of several individual performances.
Senior Lane, who has signed with Stanford University, achieved the best time in state history for the 100-yard butterfly, 48.72, and also won the won the 200 freestyle event 1:38.75).
Other notable Vikings included Hayes Burdette-Sapp, Cesar Acosta and Jason Arne, who teamed with Lane to post a second-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay (3:11.91).
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The boys team, which earlier in the season won an eighth-straight county championship, had been hoping for a higher finish in the overall standings but coach Tricia Newmyer was pleased overall with the tournament.
"They didn't [finish as high] but individual performances and times were good," she said. "Every dynasty has a fall, but the guys never finished lower than seventh [in any events]."
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In girls events, diver Rebecca Boyer's 391.20 score in the one meter dive earned a seventh-placed personal finish that, in turn, propelled the Lady Vikings to achieve 14th place overall.
However, all focus was on Lane, who broke the original record he set for the butterfly in 2009. Last year, illness prevented him from competing in the state tournament but he returned this season and broke seven of eight Lakeside swimming records.
"Staying healthy was a big part of it [Lane's recent performance]," said Newmyer, who paid tribute to her team's captain. "He's left really high standards, not just in setting records but in his teamwork and humility."
Despite losing one of the most prolific swimmers in school history and seeing the girls not retain the county title for the first time in 14 years, the coach believes the overall program remains in good long-term shape.
"My girls didn't win county," she said. "But we've got a really strong group of juniors and freshmen who've just started."