The Vicksburg Swim Association prepared for its summer season with a strong showing at its home meet.

The VSA hosted the annual Stamm Family Invitational at City Pool May 17-19 and both the boys and girls teams finished second in the standings.

The VSA had 11 first-place finishes in the short-course meet, with 20 of its 23 swimmers placing in the top three in at least one event. Short course events have laps of 25 yards.

VSA swimmers Addison Billings, Chloe Barnard, Zachary Klein, Luke Larson, Ella Opperman, Kara Rowe, Jack Stanley and Titus Williams all were in the top three in every event they swam.

Opperman (13) led the team with 73 points. She won the girls’ 13-14-year-olds 50-yard backstroke and 25-yard breaststroke.

In the boys’ 9-10-year-olds division, Williams won the 25-yard breastroke, Klein the 25-yard backstroke and Strickland Stanton the 25-yard freestyle.

Brady Jones won the boys’ 11-12-year-olds 50-yard breaststroke.

In the long course meet, Rowe won the high points award in the 15-and-over girls division. She finished in the top three in all eight of her events and racked up 142 points. Long course events have 50-yard laps.

Rowe won the 200 yard individual medley, 200 backstroke and 1,500 freestyle, as well as the girls open 400 freestyle relay.

Noah Jones also won the high points award, in the 15-and-over boys age group, by totaling 141 points.
Jones won the boys’ 15-16-year-olds 200 yard breaststroke, the 400 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and 1,500 freestyle.

James McKenna was right behind Jones, with seven top-five finishes and 125 points. He won the 15-16-year-olds 200 yard butterfly and was second in the 100 butterfly.

Addison Billings led the 12-and-under swimmers with 129 points. She brought home a victory in the girls’ 12-and-under 1,500 yard freestyle and the open 400 freestyle relay, and finished second in the 11-12-year-olds’ 100 backstroke. Billings finished in the top five in all nine of her events.

The VSA, a competitive youth club team for swimmers ages 6-18, will begin its full summer season on June 4. Workouts are at 7 a.m. at City Pool. For more information or to join the team, email coach Alex Billings at vsacoachalex@gmail.com.