This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior swimmer Hala Zafar. This season, Zafar concluded a successful career at the 3A State Swimming Championships at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary. At the Big 7 Conference championships at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Hillsborough, Zafar took the silver medal in the 50 yard freestyle. She was named All-Big 7 Conference. Zafar teamed with Natalie Kunz, Margaret Payton and Wren Brand to finish 2nd in the conference in the 200 medley relay. At 2:14.16, it was the sixth-fastest time in the East Region. Zafar, Kunz, Payton and Brand went on to finish 15th at the State Championships. Zafar also qualified for regionals in the 100 freestyle. In her junior season, Zafar was a member of Cedar Ridge’s swimming team that won the Central Conference championship. Last December, Zafar teamed with Payton, Kunz and Brand to win a dual match over Seaforth, Durham School of the Arts and Northwood in Hillsborough. Also at that meet, Zafar earned an automatic spot in regionals after a fourth place finish in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:23.43. Zafar was a big factor in a successful final season for Cedar Ridge swimming coach Amanda Jones, who stepped down last month. Zafar will graduate in June.
