Rodgers, Noland Aid West Arundel Swim Team

In a few weeks, Billy Rodgers will head south to start his freshman year at Salisbury University, where he plans to play men's lacrosse.

Around the same time, J.T. Noland may head west to join the football program and begin his freshman year at West Virginia Wesleyan.

But for now, in the first few days of summer, the 2011 graduates of St. Vincent Pallotti High are enjoying one last season as teammates with West Arundel in the Prince-Mont Swim League, a local circuit with weekly meets with events for ages U-8 up through 15-18.

Noland and Rodgers both had strong meets for West Arundel (1-1) on Saturday in a 315.5-253.5 win over Cheverly in a Division C event. "This year the older kids have improved a lot. We have a strong older group," Rodgers told Patch on Sunday.

Rodgers, in his last summer in the league, was first in the back in 29.97, second in the fly in 26.59 and second in the IM in 1:04.86. He was also the anchor on the 9-18 boys freestyle relay team that took first in 1:57.22.

Noland was second in the free in 59.53, third in the back in 38.48 and 10th in the fly in 38.70.

So is summer swimming much more relaxed than high school sports?

"It is really competitive. But it is not like high school swimming; there is not as many difficult events," said Noland, who can also swim for West Arundel next summer. "We have a really good team. We want to win. We won the title a few years ago and want to win it again."

Noland said Sunday he is "re-thinking" an earlier plan to play football at West Virginia Wesleyan, mainly due to the time commitment. He said practice begins Aug. 10 for football while the first day of school is Aug. 22.

Rodgers, 18, has been swimming for West Arundel since he was 4. "I have been around this pool my whole life," he said. "I just want to go out and do it right the last year."

"It is still competitive as high school," Rodgers said of the summer league. "But as far as practice it is much more relaxed. If you don't come to practice for high school you basically get kicked off the team."

He noted that in the summer, many high school swimmers have to work and cannot make practice all of the time.

Another Pallotti swimmer with West Arundel is Hunter Tessier, a rising senior who has competed in soccer, lacrosse and swimming for the Panthers.

The top 15-18 swimmer for the West Arundel girls is Kellianne Venit, a rising sophomore at Archbishop Spalding in Severn, Anne Arundel County. "She is an awesome swimmer. She swims year-round. That is why she is so good," Noland said.

Venit, on Saturday, was first in the fly (30.22), breast (35.35) and back (32.69) and was part of the winning 200 medley relay team.

Other triple winners for West Arundel were Jay Venit, Colette Pierce and Ryan Webb. Double winners for West Arundel were Jason Schneck, Andrea Sturgis and Andria Moyer. Jay Venit is the brother of Kellianne, who set a team record in the backstroke.

In other meets involving Laurel-area teams Saturday, Russett improved to 2-0 with a 332-240 win over Pointer Ridge in Division D; Silver Spring Swim Team (0-2), based at Patuxent Greens in Laurel, lost to Maximum Velocity, 350-201, in Division A; Montpelier (0-2) of Laurel lost to Northridge, 291-277, Division C; West Laurel lost to Westlake, 295-280, in Division B and Laurel City (Division F team) beat Parks and Recreation, 266-252.