Laurel Grad Raynor Closes Last Summer Season

Caitlin Raynor, a former standout swimmer at Laurel High, looked into several colleges and considered competing at a higher level.

Some of the schools had swimming teams, but in the end Raynor picked Coastal Carolina, which does not have a Division I or club swimming program at the school.

That is why this summer is a special one for Raynor, who is competing for West Laurel in the Prince-Mont Swim League.

This is the last year she can compete in the league; the 15-18 age group is the oldest level for events.

On Saturday, Raynor was second in the backstroke in 34.72 as West Laurel barely fell to Greenbelt, 294-285, in a Division B meet.

Raynor was also fourth in the breaststroke in 41.68 and was the third leg on the medley relay team that took first in 2:20.51. Raynor was also third in the freestyle in 1:07.72.

"We lost a lot of kids but I feel like everyone is stepping up and doing a great job," says Raynor of this year's team. "The team spirit is there."

Raynor, a West Laurel resident, likes the makeup of the team. West Laurel is 2-1 in dual meets this season after posting a mark of 1-4 last year.

"It is the 9-10 and 11-12 kids that are carrying the team and doing an awesome job," said Raynor, who attended her freshman year at Coastal in Conway, SC.

West Laurel got a strong performance on Saturday from Will Hoover, a recent Laurel High grad and Raynor's former teammate with the Spartans.

Hoover was first in the breaststroke in 39.57 and fourth in the butterfly in 32.44. He was also third in the freestyle in 1:07.72.

Eric Brothman of West Laurel was first in the boys 15-18 back in 31.75, first in the IM in 107.44 and first in the butterfly in 28.21.

Lee Friedman of West Laurel was first in the boys 15-18 freestyle in 58.59 and teammate Jessica Sweitzer was first in the girls 15-18 IM in 115.69. 

In other meets involving Laurel teams, the West Arundel Ducks beat Montpelier of Laurel, 308-254, in Division C as Michael Venit, Micah Norsworthy, Colette Pierce, Andrea Sturgis and Kellianne Venit were triple winners for West Arundel.

Double winners for the Ducks were Olivia Clark and Billy Rodgers, a St. Vincent Pallotti High product. Michael Venit is the brother of Kellianne.

In other meets Saturday, Strathmore beat Silver Spring Swim Team, based in Patuxent Greens in Laurel, 305-252, in Division A; Russett of Laurel beat Smallwood Village, 299-278, in Division D; and Laurel City beat Accokeek, 273-250, in Division F.

Russett and Laurel City won for the second week in a row in the third week of meets on Saturday.

Russett is now 3-0 this season. Last year, Laurel-area teams combined for nine wins all season and so far in three weeks this year the local teams have posted eight wins in dual meets.

The Prince-Mont Swim League is made up of teams from several area counties, including Prince George's, Montgomery, Howard and Anne Arundel. Meets have events for classes U-8 up through 15-18.