Pearl River Central boys win Mississippi state swimming championship

The Pearl River Central Blue Devils had to wait for over 40 years to win their first state championship in any sport. Even though their Dance team program has been prolific by racking up 14 state titles and their Cheer squad won the Class 5A title last year, it wasn’t until 2017 when the baseball team secured the MHSAA 5A State title.

PRC also were state runner up in Girl Golf in 2021.

It wouldn’t take another four decades for the Blue Devils to lay claim to a second title for their school.

The Blue Devils head swim coach Beverly Griffing and her boys swim team went up to Tupelo recently and dominated the MHSAA Class 2 State Championship Swim Meet. This was their first state title in boys swimming.

Griffing said she was very proud of her team. “My kids have worked really hard this year.”

“We should have a great chance to do very well, next year also.” she added.

Her boys had a dominating win, by scoring 127 points, easliy outpacing second place Warren Central with 65 points. Saltillo High was a close third place with 62 points.

PRC wasn’t the only local team that participated in the meet. Picayune High scored 30 points and placed 7th with Hancock High boys scoring 8 points and finished in 12th place.

The PRC girls team finished in 6th place with 34 points. Picayune High girls finished in 8th place with 23 points and Hancock High girls scored 15 points and placed in 11th.

Below are the final results of local teams for the 2023 MHSAA State Championships Class 2:

Girls
200 Medley Relay
2nd – Pearl River Central – 2:10.00 – K. Malley, M. Harvey, L. Castedo, A. Martin
6th – Picayune High – 2:23.31 – A. Taggard, H. Hill, H. Hill, V.Vloedmen
8th – Hancock High – 2:26.62 – O. Clark, F. Neri, S. Dejong, M. Berry

200 Free
5th – Addison Taggard – Picayune – 2:27.68
50 Free
3rd – Francesca Neri – Hancock – 26.91
4th – Avery Martin – PRC – 27.03
100 Free
8th – Avery Martin – PRC – 1:03.75
200 Free Relay
5th – Picayune -2:00.05 – A. Taggard, V. Vloedmen, H. HIll, H. Hill
100 Back
2nd – Lucia Castedo – PRC – 1:10.14
4th – Addison Taggard – Picayune – 1:11.85
7th – Kaelynn Malley – PRC – 1:17.31
100 Breast
2nd – Francesca Neri – Hancock – 1:17.24
5th – Maelin Harvey – PRC – 1:23.47
400 Free Relay
5th – PRC – 4:28.76 – M. Gathier, K. Malley, L. Castedo, A. Martin

Boys
200 Medley Relay
4th – PRC – 1:58.52 – K. Adams, W. Garner, A. Molaison, A. Stuart
6th – Picayune – 2:08.03 – R. Burge, P. Helton, S. Sheasby, I. Herring
200 Free
1st – Austin Woods – PRC – 1:57.27
200 IM
3rd – Wesley Garner – PRC – 2:23.00
5th – Alex Stuart – PRC – 2:43.05
6th – Thomas Molaison – PRC – 2:44.36
50 Free
1st – Zak Kennedy – PRC – 21.41
2nd – Wyatt Waltman – PRC – 23.18
6th – Parker Helton – Picayune – 25.32
8th – Logan Sullivan – Hancock – 25.60
100 Fly
4th – Andrew Molaison – PRC – 1:03.86
8th – Steele Sheasby – Picayune – 1:14.63
100 Free
1st – Austin Woods – PRC – 51.38
2nd – Wyatt Waltman – PRC – 51.60
500 Free
6th – Kasen Adams – PRC – 6:21.54
7th – Thomas Molaison – PRC – 6:34.91
200 Free Relay
1st – PRC – 1:34.48 – A. Molaison, A. Woods, W. Waltman, Z. Kennedy
5th – Picayune – 1:47.19 – S. Sheasby, I. Herring, R. Burge, P. Helton
100 Back
2nd – Logan Sullivan – Hancock – 1:02.54
4th – Andrew Molaison – PRC – 1:08.19
7th – Ryder Burge – Picayune – 1:09.57
100 Breast
1st – Zak Kennedy – PRC – 1:01.53
6th – Wesley Garner – PRC – 1:14.42
400 Free Relay
1st – PRC – 3:34.02 – W. Garner, W. Waltman, A. Woods, Z. Kennedy
4th – Picayune – 4:06.22 – S. Sheasby, M. Craft, P. Helton, R. Burge