Before the Thanksgiving holidays, Chapelle’s varsity swim team finished off their season at the Louisiana High School State Swim Meet in Sulphur, Louisiana. Three members of the team qualified to swim individual events at the meet. Freshman Victoria Gonzalez placed tenth in the state for the 500 yard freestyle, in addition to swimming the 100 yard backstroke. Senior Sarah Lastrapes placed ninth in the 100 yard backstroke and twelfth in the 100 yard butterfly. Freshman Rylee Schexnayder qualified for state finals in the 100 yard breastroke. The 200 yard medley relay consisting of freshmen Victoria Gonzalez and Rylee Schexnayder, sophomore Kaelynn Trejo, and senior Sarah Lastrapes placed twelfth in the state. Sophomores Demi Benitez, AC Nussbaum, and Kaelynn Trejo, and junior Hannah Dooley took thirteenth place in the 200 yard freestyle relay. Freshman Victoria Gonzalez, sophomore AC Nussbaum, junior Hannah Dooley, and senior Sarah Lastrapes finished off the meet by placing eighth in the state finals for the 400 yard freestyle relay.

This year the Water Chips, led by seniors Sarah Lastrapes (captain) and Molly O’Reagan (co-captain), as well as junior Hannah Dooley (co-captain), worked hard to improve over the course of the season. Coach Joe Fritcher coached both the Archbishop Chapelle and Archbishop Rummel swim teams at Green Acres Country Club five days a week. The swimmers practiced their flip turns and dives in addition to normal training workouts. The participation of new swimmers made it possible to have a junior varsity swim team for the eighth graders, in addition to the regular varsity team. Leading up to the state meet, Chapelle swam at meets located around the New Orleans metro area at Green Acres Country Club, Chalmette High School, and UNO Lakefront Arena.

The Water Chips pride themselves on being a family dedicated to helping each other succeed. This season saw several new team members join the Chapelle swim family and every single team member improved over the course of the season. Congratulations to the Chapelle swim team on a great season, and way to go Water Chips!

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