by Bill Turner
Stonegate Swim Club took advantage of the numbers to win its first Roanoke Valley Aquatic Association championship in 40 years Saturday afternoon in the weekend season-ending meet at the Salem YMCA.
With over 90 percent of its roster participating, Stonegate rolled to the Division-1 title over Roanoke Country Club and eight-time defending champion Hunting Hills. Read Mountain finshed fourth.
In Division-2, Elks Club edged out Forest Hills and Our Lady of Nazareth, with Hidden Valley claiming fourth.
Division-3 went to Spring Run in a close battle over second-place Olympic Park and third-place Castle Rock.
Ashley Plantation narrowly defeated Vinton Swim Teams in Division-4, with Limestone Park coming in third.
The two-day event culminated the RVAA season that included 6 weeks of regular season meets that rotate among the Roanoke Valley clubs. In addition to the team titles, seven swimmers impressively captured the maximum number of events, including Micah Lowe (Hunting Hills); Miranda Kirtley (Stonegate); Emma Muzzy (Forest Hills); Dan Summerlin (RCC); Keith Myburgh (Spring Run); Shannon Summerlin (RCC); Joel Giraudeau (Vinton Swim Teams).
