PWSL Week 4: Seals Hold Off Sea Devils
By Contributor Jim Riley
The Southbridge Seals improved to 2-2 after a hard-fought 2487 to 2345 win over the Virginia Oaks Sea Devils in the Seals’ home opener of the season. The meet was close throughout and each swimmer contributed to the Seal’s narrow 142-point victory. The relays proved to be the difference in the meet with the Seals winning 14 out of the 19 relay events.
Southbridge is now tied for first-place in the Prince William Swim League’s Green Division with the Westridge Waves.
The 24 PWSL teams set 30 new team records during week 4 of the summer season, ten of which were by the Seals — four individual and six relay. Peyton Linton broke the previous record for the Girls 8 & Under 25M Free that had stood since 2014. Also setting records were Owen Howery in the Boys 13-14 50M Free, Hunter Howery in the Boys 15-18 50M Back, and Ainsley Juhlin in the Girls 15-18 50M Breast.
The new relay records set by the Seals were in the Boys 13-14 Free and Medley (William Murphy, Ryan Parkzes, Aaron Hall, and Owen Howery); Girls 13-14 Free (Caila Sullivan, Lindsay Juhlin, Stella Nolan, and Kayley Benway); Boys 11-12 Free (Zach Alachnowicz, Parker Juhlin, Justin Shahateet, and Jacob Lattanzi); Girls 15-18 Medley (Caila Sullivan, Ainsley Juhlin, Jordan Mumford, and Stella Nolan); Girls 15-18 Free (Ainsley Juhlin, Alyssa Giovinazzo, Jordan Mumford, and Sam Kayne).
Twenty-four Seals swimmers landed 59 Top 25 times in the county for the week — 27 of which were Top 10 — including Lindsay Juhlin who had the top time for the Girls 13-14 50M Fly. Relay teams recorded 14 Top 15 times led by the Boys 11-12 Free team of Zach Alachnowicz, Parker Juhlin, Justin Shahateet, and Jacob Lattanzi that was the second fastest in the league for the week.
Seals Head Coach Greg Giovinazzo stated, “As we move past the half-way point of the season we have a lot of swimmers trying new events for the first time. We had six swimmers record a legal time for the first time in various events. Congratulations on conquering these new events and recording a valid time.”
The Seals are the official swim team of Southbridge on the Potomac located in Southbridge, Va., and includes swimmers from the Southbridge, Potomac Shores, and other surrounding communities in southeastern Prince William County. This year, the Seals have moved up into the PWSL’s Green Division after winning the Black Division championship in 2018. They will face off against Brookside and Westridge for the division championship July 27 at Westridge. Founded in 2009, they have won division championships in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018.