Former Granger swimmer cleans up at state

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, July 29, 2015

By Kevin Eckleberry

keckleberry@civitasmedia.com

Paschal

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/07/web1_7-29-paschal.jpgPaschal

LAGRANGE – Maddie Paschal, a LaGrange High graduate who earlier this year wrapped up her second season on the Georgia Tech swim team, looked right at home in the pool of the rival Georgia Bulldogs.

Paschal competed in the Georgia Senior Long Course State Championship last weekend in Athens, and she swam away with a pair of state-championship medals, and she finished sixth in another event.

Paschal won the 50-meter backstroke state championship for the second straight year, and she also won the state title in the 100-yard backstroke.

Paschal added a sixth-place finish in the 200-yard backstroke, and she was 26th in the 50-meter freestyle.

Paschal is coming off an exceptional sophomore season, and she was named Georgia Tech’s most-improved swimmer when the season was done.

Paschal, who had career-best times in her four primary events, put herself in the Georgia Tech record books.

Paschal established times among the 10 best in the history of the program in two individual events, as well as two relay events.

Her time of 55.25 seconds in the 100 backstroke was the fourth-best in program history.

Paschal had a time of 2:01.89 in the 200 backstroke, which was the ninth best time ever posted by a Georgia Tech female swimmer.

Paschal was part of a 200 medley relay team that posted a time of 1:41.88, which was the second-best time in program history.

In the 400 medley relay, Paschal and her teammates had a time of 3:46.41, and that was the seventh-best time in school history.

In both relay events, Paschal set the tone by swimming the opening leg.

Paschal also excelled in the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle during the 2014-2015 season.

Paschal came to Georgia Tech after a stellar career at LaGrange High, and she was the team’s MVP for four straight years.

Reach Kevin Eckleberry at (706) 884-7311 or on Twitter @lagrangesports