John Cooper swimmer, Grace Ritch, is two-event conference champion

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Grace Ritch, a junior at The John Cooper School, is the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) Swim Champion in the 500-yard Freestyle and the 100-yard Butterfly events. Ritch’s championship time of 57.43 in the 100 Butterfly also reset a five-year-old school record and her participation in both events secured all conference honors.

“Grace has been a strong swimmer for us all year and the fact that she swam her fastest time at the end of the season speaks well to how hard she works,” said Cooper’s Interim Athletic Director Scott Holland.

The John Cooper School hosted the event at the Conroe ISD Natatorium on February 13. Ritch led the charge for the Dragon girls’ team that came in eighth place overall. The Dragon boys’ team finished a bit stronger, in fourth place.

“The last three years, the girls’ team has been very strong,” Head Coach Steve Breeding said. “We flip-flopped this year and were led by a strong boys’ team and hope to continue to strengthen all swimmers next season.”

Dragon swimmers earning All-SPC honors for their performance at the championships included senior Meredith Brus, 500-yard Freestyle, third place; senior Sydney Shannon, 100-yard Backstroke, third place. The Boys’ 200-yard Medley Relay brought All-SPC honors to junior Ignacio Ranieri, and freshmen William Staebel, Vidyal Pradeepkumar and Campbell Wolford with a third place finish. The same team brought points to the Dragons with a fourth place finish in the 400-yard Freestyle Relay.

The Girls’ 200-yard Medley Relay team of Shannon, sophomore Calista Reese, Ritch and Brus also earned points for their team with a sixth place finish. The Boys’ 200-yard Freestyle Relay team of freshman Mitchell Shannon, junior Ian Steneker, plus sophomores Sam Brus and Jackson Banks brought in points with an eighth place finish.

Individuals contributing points to the team were Shannon and Meredith Brus, who placed fourth and eighth respectively in the 200-yard Freestyle. Staebel came in fourth in both the 200-yard Freestyle and in the 100-yard Freestyle, while Ranieri placed fifth in the 50-yard Freestyle and Pradeepkumar came in sixth in the 100-yard Butterfly. In the 100-yard Backstroke, Ranieri and Wolford came in seventh and eighth, respectively.