photo by: John McCabe

John Marshall High School senior Wyatt Jefferson competes in the breaststroke leg during the 200 medley relay during Saturday’s MoHawk Invitational at Peak Health Aquatic Center in Morgantown.

MORGANTOWN — For anyone that thought last year’s state swimming championship run for the John Marshall High School girls was just a one-time thing, think again.

This year’s Lady Monarchs are for real.

Propelled by strong performances from Zoe Zervos, Adah Aubrey, Avery Etzel, Ella Finley, Savannah Potts and Riley Polsinelli, John Marshall’s girls topped a very competitive field Saturday at the MoHawk Invitational at Peak Aquatic Health Center at Mylan Park. Morgantown High School finished second while Wheeling Park’s girls finished sixth.

On the boys side, the Patriots finished third behind Bridgeport High School and Morgantown, while the John Marshall boys finished fourth.

GIRLS

There’s something brewing in the pool in Marshall County for coaches Timmi Snyder and Anthony Evick. The girls team is solid from top to bottom, with many of the swimmers posting exceptional times Saturday.

Zervos, a junior, led the way with a second-place finish in the 100 freestyle (58.13) and a third-place finish in the 50 freestyle (26.18). Aubrey finished second in the 100 backstroke (1:05.84) and fourth in the 200 Individual Medley (2:34.2). Etzel was fourth in the 500 yard freestyle and fourth in the 200 freestyle, while Finley was fourth in the 100 freestyle and fifth in the 100 breaststroke.

Potts had a pair of fifth-place finishes in the 100 freestyle and the 200 freestyle, while Polsinelli finished sixth in the 50 freestyle.

The Lady Monarchs also won two of the three relays (200 medley and 200 freestyle) while finishing second in the 400 freestyle relay.

For Wheeling Park, senior Molly George had a pair of third-place finishes in the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke.

BOYS

John Marshall senior Wyatt Jefferson powered the pool on Saturday, earning a first-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.37) and a second in the 50 freestyle (23.01). His teammate, Dalton Brown, scored a second-place finish in the 500 freestyle (5:24.76) and a third in the 100 fly (56.62). Evan Harrison had a fourth in the 100 backstroke and a fourth in the 50 free.

For Wheeling Park, senior Brady Bowie finished fourth in the 100 butterfly and sixth in the 100 free, while Brady Biehl was fifth in the 100 breast and sixth in the 200 yard IM.