By Jeremy Moorhouse
The Mount Airy News
jmoorhouse@mtairynews.com

PILOT MOUNTAIN - Morgan Robertson could not be caught at the Mountain Valley 2A Conference swimming championships on Friday night. Neither could a very fast Surry Central team.

In a dominating performance, the Lady Eagles captured their third straight conference crown at Armfield Civic & Recreation Center in Pilot Mountain.

Robertson, a senior speedster set to swim at NC State University, led the way with impressive swims in the 50-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke, winning both.

The Eagles finished with 191 points, using its depth to sail past Forbush (82) and Starmount (77). The Rams had two double-winners, Julianna Prim (the girls meet's MVP) and Kim Benton, but not enough scoring overall to challenge for the league title.

In the boys meet, Forbush turned down a challenge from Surry Central, winning the championship with 121.5 points to 82.5 for the Eagles. Starmount was fourth with 20 points.

"Three years in a row. You can't beat that. We have a strong team all the way across," Surry Central coach Amber Flippin said. "They work really hard and they are up to the challenge every year. They are self-motivated and they motivate each other to win."

After the meet, the team forced Flippin to take a dip -- pushing the Central coach into the pool.

One by one, the players took the plunge as well.

It was the last conference meet for Robertson, who qualified for the state swim meet Feb. 2. She said her final high school meet was bittersweet.

"I'm sad that I'm leaving, but not too sad," Robertson said. "It was exciting for me. We did really well tonight."

Robertson had a time of 25.35 in the 50 freestyle, the only girls swimmer to break 30 seconds in the two-lap sprint. She clocked a time of 1:01.08 in the 100 backstroke, winning that event by more than 30 seconds.

Prim also posted impressive victories. Her gold medal time in the 100 freestyle, 52.62, was just 0.21 seconds away from All-America consideration. Prim, a junior, won the 200 freestyle in 1:53.46, again just missing out on an All-America consideration time (1:53.15).

"She had a great meet," said Starmount coach Oz Prim, Julianna's father. "She was close to All-America."

Benton won the 200 individual medley in 2:32.26. She rallied in the last lap and a half to win the 100 butterfly in 1:07.72.

Surry Central's girls also got wins from Kirstin Gardner (500 freestyle, 5:58.64) and Allee Taylor (100 breaststroke, 1:18.76). Gardner was second in the 200 free, while Taylor finished second in the 200 IM. Whitney Hackworth placed second in the 50 free and 100 breaststroke. Lyncee Kowalcik earned second place in the 100 butterfly, with Paige Martin taking second in the 100 free.

The top two finishers in each event picked up all-conference recognition.

The Eagles won three relays in the girls meet. The 200 medley relay team of Robertson, Taylor, Kowalcik and Gardner touched in 2:03.10. Hackworth, Haley Comer, Megan Stanley and Taylor aced the 200 freestyle relay in 2:01.10. The 400 freestyle relay team of Kowalcik, Gardner, Martin and Robertson won in 3:56.22.

On the boys side, Central's Brian Norman won the 100 butterfly in 1:05.61 and placed second in the 100 breaststroke. Cody Faw touched first in the 100 freestyle in 1:00.84 as well as finished second in the 50 free. Daniel Bukin, Levi Schmidt, Norman and Faw led the Eagles' 200 medley relay team to gold in 2:08.57.

Robertson, Kowalcik, Gardner, Taylor and Martin all had automatic qualifying times going into state.

"I'm really proud of my girls," Flippin said. "Several all-conference finishes and several state times."

Robertson has high expectations going into the state meet, held at Willis Casey Natatorium at N.C. State University.

She won a state title in the 100 breaststroke and was runner-up in the 100 Butterfly to Starmount's Prim last year.

"Hopefully I can get another state title," Robertson said. "It would be amazing. All of my new (NC State) teammates are going to be there."

Her coach is just as confident in the 2007 state champion, just the second Eagle to swim at the collegiate level.

"We are looking for a state championship again for her," Flippin said. " I'm proud of what she's accomplished. We'll miss her."

Cory Campbell scored a pair of second-place finishes for the Starmount boys, taking silver in the 500 free and 200 free. Starmount's 200 girls freestyle relay team of Prim, Benton, Angela Reavis and Rachel Dobson placed second.

Coach Prim praised Reavis, Hannah Cox, Campbell and Lance Morrison for great swims at Friday's meet. "Cory got two second places. Lance was a real surprise. He improved so much. Angela and Hannah had great meets.

"Our kids did real well. Most of them dropped time. I'm just proud of the way our team supports each other."

The men's conference championship MVP was Dane Ricketts of Wilkes Central. Top two finishers in each event on Friday earned all-conference honors.

Due to the threat of snow this weekend, the Northwest 1A Conference swim championships, originally slated for Saturday afternoon, were rescheduled to today at 1:15 p.m. at the Armfield Civic & Recreation Center.

-- Eric Lusk contributed to this story

Mountain Valley 2A Conference Swimming Championships Friday * at Pilot Mountain

Girls team scores: Surry Central 191, Forbush 82, Starmount 77, North Surry 20, North Wilkes 11.

Boys team scores: Forbush 121.5, Surry Central 82.5, Wilkes Central 66, Starmount 20, North Surry 17, North Wilkes 1

All-conference performers (top two finishers):

* Girls 200 Medley Relay: 1. Surry Central (2:03.10), 2. Forbush (2:33.63)

* Boys 200 Medley Relay: 1. Surry Central (2:08.57), 2. Forbush (2:18.92)

* Girls 200 Freestyle: 1. Julianna Prim (Starmount) 1:53.46, 2. Kirstin Gardner (Surry Central) 2:11.91

* Boys 200 Freestyle - KC Winters (Forbush) 2:38.93, 2. Cory Campbell (Starmount) 2:40.27

* Girls 200 IM: 1. Kim Benton (Starmount) 2:32.26, 2. Allee Taylor (Surry Central) 2:38.98

* Boys 200 IM: 1. Taylor Waddell (Forbush) 2:36.15

* Girls 50 Freestyle: 1. Morgan Robertson (Surry Central) 25.35, 2. Whitney Hackworth (Surry Central) 30.08

* Boys 50 Freestyle: 1. Dane Ricketts (Wilkes Central) 24.89, 2. Cody Faw (Surry Central) 26.51

* Girls 100 Butterfly: 1. Kim Benton (Starmount) 1:07.72, 2. Lyncee Kowalcik (Surry Central) 1:11.72

* Boys 100 Butterfly: 1. Brian Norman (Surry Central) 1:05.61, 2. Micah West (Forbush) 1:16.15

* Girls 100 Freestyle: 1. Julianna Prim (Starmount) 52.62, 2. Paige Martin (Surry Central) 1:00.43

* Boys 100 Freestyle - 1. Cody Faw (Surry Central) 1:00.84, 2. Taylor Waddell (Forbush) 1:00.91

* Girls 500 Freestyle: 1. Kirstin Gardner (Surry Central) 5:58.64, 2. Linda Hurley (Forbush) 7:41.20

* Boys 500 Freestyle: 1. KC Winters (Forbush) 7:24.10, 2. Cory Campbell (Starmount) 8:19.89

* Girls 200 Freestyle Relay: 1. Surry Central (2:01.10), 2. Starmount (2:07.60)

* Boys 200 Freestyle Relay: 1. Forbush (1:52.62), 2. Surry Central (1:54.12)

* Girls 100 Backstroke: 1. Morgan Robertson (Surry Central) 1:01.80, 2. Jenna Enfield (North Surry) 1:32.50

* Boys 100 Backstroke: 1. Gunnar Hunsberger (Wilkes Central) 1:22.32, 2. Micah West (Forbush) 1:23.40

* Girls 100 Breaststroke: 1. Allee Taylor (Surry Central) 1:18.76, 2. Whitney Hackworth (Surry Central) 1:22.79

* Boys 100 Breaststroke: 1. Dane Ricketts (Wilkes Central) 1:13.06, 2. Brian Norman (Surry Central) 1:14.29

* Girls 400 Freestyle Relay: 1. Surry Central (3:56.22), 2. Forbush (5:44.42)

* Boys 400 Freestyle Relay: 1. Forbush (5:14.79).