Wheeling Park’s Molly George competes in the 100 freestyle Thursday during the first day of the WVSSAC State Swimming Championships, held in Mylan Park.

MORGANTOWN — Call Alex Mihalovich a state champion.

The Wheeling Central Catholic High School junior held on Thursday to win the 200 freestyle during the opening day of the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission State Swimming Championships.

His 1:51.27 topped Robert C. Byrd’s Armondo Montero’s 1:51.75 in the Division 2 event for the state’s smaller schools.

Meanwhile, Wheeling Park High School senior Molly George and John Marshall High School junior Zoe Zervos highlighted a strong day in the pool Thursday for Northern Panhandle big school swimmers.

The championship is broken into two segments, with preliminary and finals of events through the 100 freestyle taking place Thursday and the final five events set for today.

John Marshall’s Zervos grabbed second in the 50 freestyle — dropping nearly a second — at 25.27. She followed that up with a solid third in the 100 freestyle at 56.60, dropping nearly one and one-half seconds during the day to finish just behind George.

Following a starter error in the opening event that saw George late on the start, she focused and had a strong swim in the 100 freestyle, finishing second after dropping nearly a second at 55.62. Bridgeport High School’s Emma Ahmed took the top spot.

This year’s event marked the first year that swimming has been broken down by division. The Division 1 swimmers represent the state’s larger schools, the Division 2 swimmers, smaller schools.

A number of the heats for the Division 2 events were unfilled, though some of the times from the Division 2 schools were the fastest of the day.

Division 1

Girls

Along with George and Zervos, John Marshall’s 200 Medley Relay team of Adah Aubrey, Sarah Hess, Seanna Leyland and Zervos finished fourth, while Park’s relay team of George, Elliana McCabe, Luana Fernandez and Lucrezia Santini finished seventh.

In the 200 freestyle, Brooke High School sophomore Lindsey Kettler finished fourth at 2:04.94; Aubrey from John Marshall finished seventh in the 200 individual medley; Brooke’s Faith Farrell was sixth in the 50 free at 26.06; Kettler was fifth in the 100 fly; and Farrell was seventh in the 100 freestyle.

Boys

John Marshall’s 200 Medley Relay team of Evan Harrison, Wyatt Jefferson, Dalton Brown and Brodie Baker finished second at 1:42.32. Wheeling Park finished sixth in the event.

In the 200 individual medley, John Marshall’s Jefferson finished sixth at 2:07.52 while Harrison finished fourth in the 50 freestyle (22.57).

JM’s Brown was fifth in the 100 butterfly while Brady Bowie from Wheeling Park was seventh.

Division 2

Girls

Wheeling Central had strong swims Thursday from Caleigh Gamble (seventh in the 200 freestyle, 2:22.03), Gracee Humpee (sixth in the 200 free, 2:14.87), Ally Jefferson (fourth in the 50 freestyle, 27.32, and eighth in the 100 freestyle), Ellie Manning, third in the 100 butterfly (1:05.57), and Sarah Manning (fifth in the 200 individual medley, 2:29.49 and fifth in the 100 freestyle (59.13)).

Boys

Oak Glen High School’s 200 medley relay team of Maddox McKay, Shawn Ware, Lyndon Graf and Samuel Jenkins finished second in the 200 medley relay (1:55.62) while Alex Palacious from Weir finished sixth in the 100 freestyle.