Wheeling Central’s Alex Mihalovich stands atop the podium Friday in the final day of the WVSSAC State Swimming Championships. Mihalovich claimed gold in the Division 2 500 freestyle.

MORGANTOWN — Because one state swimming championship is never enough, Alex Mihalovich decided to add a second.

The Wheeling Central Catholic High School junior, fresh off his first state swimming championship Thursday in the 200 freestyle, added a second Friday in the 500 freestyle, touching the wall at 5:06.53, nearly 17 seconds faster than his closest competitor.

Meanwhile, Wheeling Park’s Molly George ended her final high school swim meet with a bang, capturing a second-place finish in the 100 backstroke to add to her second in the 100 freestyle Thursday at the West Virginia Secondary Schools State Swimming Championship. And John Marshall senior Wyatt Jefferson added a runner-up finish in the 100 breaststroke.

Held at Peak Health Aquatic Center in Morgantown, George, a senior, finished second in the 100 backstroke at 1:03.56, just ahead of John Marshall High School sophomore Adah Aubrey (1:03.7). Fairmont Senior High School’s Claire Ciemania won the event at 56.28.

Jefferson touched the wall at 1:00.21, finishing behind St. Albans High School’s John Humphreys (58.11).

Friday’s final day of the state Swimming Championship saw a number of strong swims. At the end of the meet, in Division 1, comprised of the state’s big schools, George Washington High School captured the girls title while Parkersburg finished second and Morgantown third. John Marshall, last year’s state champion for the girls, finished seventh, Brooke, eighth, and Wheeling Park, 10th.

For the boys, George Washington also came out on top, barely edging Bridgeport High School with Morgantown third. John Marshall came in fourth while Wheeling Park’s boys finished 12th.

In Division 2, the Lady Tigers of Elkins High School defended its small-school title from 2025 with another team win, followed by Herbert Hoover. For the boys, Robert C. Byrd High School came in first with Elkins second.

In an interesting note at the meet’s end, Herbert Hoover actually was given a second chance to swim the 400 freestyle relay, alleging issues with hearing at the start. That marked the second such issue with how the meet officials handled starts — a poor reflection on the WVSSAC for how it and its officials administered the meet.

Division 1

Girls

Along with the swims by George and Aubrey in the 100 back, Brooke High’s Kiersten Harvath finished third in the 500 freestyle (5:40.37) and Park’s Luana Fernandez finished eighth.

In the 200 freestyle relay, John Marshall’s squad of Ella Finley, Seanna Leyland, Savannah Potts and Zoe Zervos finished sixth while Brooke’s Lindsey Kettler, Ivy Myers, Harvath and Faith Farrell finished seventh.

In the 400 freestyle, Brooke’s Farrell, Gwen Hill, Harvath, and Kettler finished fourth, Wheeling Park’s George, Leah Lief, Ella Landini, and Fernandez finished sixth while John Marshall’s Finley, Avery Etzel, Potts, and Aubrey finished seventh.

Boys

In the 200 freestyle relay, John Marshall’s team of Dalton Brown, Brodie Baker, Evan Harrison, and Wyatt Jefferson finished third at 1:31.98 while Wheeling’s Park squad of Connor Kiziminski, Jacob Walters, Brady Beihl, and Brady Bowie finished sixth.

In the 400 freestyle relay, John Marshall (Evan Harrison, Braxten Ullom, Hadden Garvin, and Brodie Baker) finished eighth.

Division 2

Girls

Wheeling Central Catholic High School had a strong showing over the two-day event. On Friday, starting with the 500 freestyle, Central placed junior Ellie Manning (fourth, 5:41.58) and freshman Caleigh Gamble in eighth.

In the 200 freestyle relay, Wheeling Central’s team of Sarah Manning, Gracee Humpe, Ally Jefferson and Ellie Manning finished second at 1:48.5. Humpe also finished fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:08.57) while Maddie Kirchner, a sophomore, finished fifth in the 100 breaststroke (1:21.15).

Central also finished third in the 400 freestyle relay (Sarah Manning, Humpe, Jefferson, Ellie Manning) at 4:04.69 while Weir High finished seventh.

Boys

In the 500 freestyle, Oak Glen High School’s Lyndon Graf finished eighth. Graf also teamed with Shawn Ware, Maddox McKay, and Samuel Jenkins to finish third in the 200 freestyle relay (1:41.85) while Central’s team of Dawson Huggins, Josh Perry, Jacob Perry, and Mihalovich finished fifth.

Oak Glen’s same team finished second in the 400 freestyle relay at 3:51.28 while Wheeling Central same foursome finished third (3:59.8).