Lexington County was well represented as the first championships of the fall sports season came to a close. 

Swimmers from all over South Carolina traveled to Columbia for the SCHSL state title meets. Lexington County had athletes from multiple schools participating in all eight championship meets. 

River Bluff shined at the 5A Division I girls meet. Gray Collegiate finished near the top in both 4A meets, and American Leadership placed top 20 in both 3A meets, despite being a 2A school in other sports. 

In total, 21 local athletes earned a spot on the podium after placing top three in their events. Gray’s girls led the way with seven different swimmers medaling. 

Gray’s boys had five different athletes medal. River Bluff’s girls had four, and Chapin’s girls had four medalists. 

Ten swimmers earned a gold medal. Most came from relay events, but River Bluff’s Anna Ray, Chapin’s Jackie Bonavilla and two swimmers from Gray won individual gold medals. 

Ray came home with a pair of first-place medals after winning the 5A Division I girls 100-yard backstroke and contributing to River Bluff’s 200-yard medley relay win. 

Bonavilla won the girls 200-yard individual medley in 5A Division II and finished second in the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard freestyle relay. 

Gray’s Aaron Willis was the only local athlete to win two individual gold medals. He won the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard backstroke at the 4A boys meet.

Madison Mitton won the 4A girls 100-yard breaststroke for Gray Collegiate. 

Here’s a look at all the local athletes who made the podium and where their teams finished:

Lexington County swimmers on the podium 

5A Division I girls

Anna Ray - River Bluff - (1st) 100-yard backstroke, (1st) 200-yard medley relay

Caroline Wells - River Bluff - (1st) 200-yard medley relay

Ellie Wells - River Bluff - (1st) 200-yard medley relay

Davis Keelyn - River Bluff - (1st) 200-yard medley relay

5A Division II girls

Jackie Bonavilla - Chapin - (1st) 200-yard individual medley, (2nd) 100-yard butterfly, (2nd) 200-yard freestyle relay

Ella O’Shaughnessey - Chapin - (2nd) 200-yard freestyle relay, (3rd) 200-yard freestyle, (3rd) 500-yard freestyle

Ashlyn Newman - Chapin - (2nd) 200-yard freestyle relay

Sydney Barkevich - Chapin - (2nd) 200-yard freestyle relay

4A boys

Aaron Willis - Gray Collegiate - (1st) 200-yard individual medley, (1st) 100-yard backstroke, (2nd) 200-yard medley relay, (2nd) 200-yard freestyle relay

Hosea Howard - Gray Collegiate - (2nd) 100-yard breaststroke, (2nd) 200-yard medley relay, (2nd) 200-yard freestyle relay

Jance Campbell - Gray Collegiate - (2nd) 200-yard medley relay, (2nd) 200-yard freestyle relay

Will Fernett - Gray Collegiate - (2nd) 200-yard medley relay

Marcus Dudley - Gray Collegiate - (2nd) 200-yard freestyle relay

4A girls

Whitney Moody - Gray Collegiate - (1st) 200-yard medley relay, (2nd) 200-yard freestyle relay, (2nd) 50-yard freestyle, (2nd) 100-yard backstroke

Madison Mitton - Gray Collegiate - (1st) 100-yard breaststroke, (1st) 200-yard medley relay, (2nd) 200-yard freestyle relay

Sabey Coker - Gray Collegiate - (1st) 200-yard medley relay, (2nd) 100-yard butterfly, (2nd) 100-yard breaststroke, (3rd) 400-yard freestyle relay

Peighton Johnson - Gray Collegiate - (1st) 200-yard medley relay, (2nd) 200-yard freestyle relay, (3rd) 200-yard freestyle, (3rd) 100-yard freestyle

Leighton Maxfield - Gray Collegiate - (2nd) 200-yard freestyle relay, (3rd) 400-yard freestyle relay

Nina Chernev - Gray Collegiate - (3rd) 400-yard freestyle relay

Jennifer Coker  - Gray Collegiate - (3rd) 400-yard freestyle relay

3A boys

Sawyer Edwards - American Leadership - (2nd) 100-yard backstroke, (3rd) 100-yard butterfly 

Lexington County teams’ placement 

5A Division I boys

Lexington - (11th) 123 points

River Bluff - (12th) 118 points

Dutch Fork - (13th) 110 points

5A Division I girls

River Bluff - (5th) 232 points

Lexington - (15th) 116 points

Dutch Fork - (23rd) 7 points

5A Division II boys

Chapin - (15th) 80 points

Irmo - (22nd) 5 points

5A Division II girls

Chapin - (7th) 227 points

4A boys

Gray Collegiate - (3rd) 312 points

Airport - (16th) 64 points

Gilbert - (22nd) 30 points 

4A girls

Gray Collegiate - (2nd) 469 points

Gilbert - (16th) 44 points

Airport - (24th) 12 points

3A boys

American Leadership (12th) 83.5 points

3A girls

American Leadership (17th) 33 points