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Johns Creek OKs portable lighting at Newtown Park for 1-month trial By SYDNEY DANGREMOND sydney@appenmedia.com
STEVE JOHNSON/PROVIDED
The Johns Creek High School boys swim team celebrates its state championship victory on the podium at the Georgia Tech McAuley Aquatic Center Feb. 5. Pictured are, back row, from left: Britton Spann, Carson Forkey, Aiden Browne, Daniel Bao, Kai Lee, Max Fleischer. Front row, from left: Carson Kennedy, Preston Browne, Anthony Margarite, Nate Perez, Carson Gillespie, Naveed Rezaei, coach Steve Johnson.
Gladiators win state swim title By SYDNEY DANGREMOND sydney@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — For the second year in a row and the third time in four years, the Johns Creek High School boys swim team won the Georgia High School Association state championship on Feb. 5. Competing in the 6A bracket at the Georgia Tech McAuley Aquatic Center, the team outscored Centennial High School, which took second place, by more than 100 points. “It’s a lot of fun and it’s really cool because for my seniors, this is their third ring, and they are very proud of that,” Head Coach Steve Johnson said. “We’ve
been able to have a lot of success over the past four years, it’s been a great run.” Johnson has led the team all four years, having previously served four years as the assistant coach. Now at the helm, Johnson’s assistant coach is his wife, Rhonda Johnson. “We’ve been able to share this experience together, so it’s been really special,” Steve said. A lot of the swimmers on the Johns Creek High School team, Johnson said, also compete on club teams in the area like Dynamo or Swim Atlanta, but competing for the Gladiators is different. “They don’t really get the same kind of experience they get when they swim
for their high school,” Johnson said. ‘That kind of camaraderie with their classmates and the representation of their school, that feeling like they’re trying to win for something. There’s nothing like going out trying to win for your school when you’re in high school.” After the Gladiators claimed victory, the whole team jumped into the pool to celebrate, Johnson included. The celebration will continue at the team’s banquet Feb. 24. Johnson, however, is still looking forward. “I think the kids are getting pretty used to winning now, so we got to keep it up,” Johnson said.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Newtown Park lighting proponents and Johns Creek Jr. Gladiators Lacrosse players got a temporary windfall at the Feb. 7 City Council work session. Council members approved the launch of a 30-day pilot program that will use temporary, portable lights to illuminate a lacrosse field at Newtown Park in the evenings. After the council reached a consensus, City Manager Ed Densmore said he would take over implementation. Councilwoman Stacy Skinner was behind the $2,300 proposal. The Jr. Gladiators Lacrosse team approached council members in November for help addressing limited practice time because of daylight saving time and earlier sunsets. Skinner said she met with Jr. Gladiators Lacrosse President Stephanie Matthewson and residents of the Chartwell neighborhood before coming up with a resolution everyone
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