CARY — For the first time in 16 years, Mount Airy has a State Champion swimmer.
Mount Airy junior Matheson Williams captured the 100-yard backstroke title at Saturday’s N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A/2A State Championship Swim Meet.
“I’m blessed to be able to have the opportunity to be successful thanks to my friends, coaches and family,” Matheson said. “It’s great to see the hard work that we as a team have put in come to fruition. I can’t wait to keep working and comeback even faster next year.”
Matheson’s journey to a state title didn’t happen overnight. His dad, Jay – who doubles as the Granite Bears’ swim coach – said this state championship is something Matheson has worked tirelessly in pursuit of for years.
“As a parent and coach, I am incredibly proud of the accomplishment,” Jay said. “Matheson sets his schedule, which includes 8-9 in-water practices each week in Greensboro and Mount Airy as well as two lifting sessions each with week with Casey Vedder, who has been wonderful as a mentor for Matheson. He gets up as early as 3:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to make those Greensboro practices, never complains and loves the challenge that they present.
“He has been very fortunate to have a great group of coaches and teammates working to help him develop, and we look forward to seeing him accomplish even more in the future.”
Matheson came into this year’s State Meet with championship experience. As a sophomore, he qualified for the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle during a year in which the NCHSAA only allowed half the normal amount of competitors. He finished No. 11 in the 200 IM and No. 12 in the 500 free.
Matheson never finished lower than first in a 100 backstroke race this season. After the first few meets, he was consistently finishing in less than a minute. This led to him winning the 100 backstroke title at the Northwest 1A Conference Championship, where he also won the 500 freestyle, before going on to win the backstroke championship at the 1A/2A Central Regional Championship.
Coming into the state championship, Williams was seeded No. 2 in the backstroke with a time of 55.38 seconds. He continued his undefeated stretch by winning the preliminary race with a time of 55.25; this was just .05 seconds faster than the second-place finisher, Bishop McGuinness’ Tim Gaylord.
The duo finished first and second again in the finals, and both improved their times. Matheson touched the wall at 54.80, and Gaylord 55.04.
Matheson is the fifth swimmer from Mount Airy to win an individual state championship. The most recent Granite Bear to do so was Trevor Metscher, who took gold in the 100 breaststroke in 2006. Matheson joins the exclusive club of Metscher (2006), Jill Refvum (2005), Megan Priddy (2004) and Jarret Martin (1995, 1996, 1997).
“Hopefully this win and the team’s performance will inspire a few of our local swimmers to push their own limits and discover that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to do,” Jay said.
Matheson also competed in the 200 individual medley and two relay races at the state championship. He took eighth in the 200 IM, and was part of the relay team with Peter Cooke, Martin Cooke and Noah Moore that finished eighth in the 400 freestyle relay and 11th in the 200 freestyle relay.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
Be First to Comment