Virginia High School State Championships

By David Rieder

VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia, February 28. THE Virginia High School State Championships were held in two locations in the past two weeks. The A/AA Championships, swum in short course yards were held at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center, February 24-26. The AAA Championships, held in an unorthodox short course meters format, took place at the Princess Anne Aquatic Center in Virginia Beach, February 18-19.

A/AA Girls Results
Three swimmers earned two individual wins, two of them setting state records. Patrick Henry's Morgan Johnson posted a 1:51.44 in the 200 free, clipping the record of 1:51.51 that Sasha Malania set back in 2003. She also won the 100 free (52.19). Jefferson Forrest's Susanna White won the 50 free in 23.14, obliterating Hannah Davis' 2007 State record of 23.91. She later took the 100 breast in 1:02.83. Finally, Cave Springs' Ali Horn took both the 200 IM (2:03.44) and 100 fly (55.44).

Hidden Valley's Lauren Gray won the 500 free in 5:01.87, while William Byrd's Kacy Edsall finished first in the 100 back (57.37). Edsall joined teammates Kali Edsall, Annie Lane, and Courtney Heck to win the 200 medley relay (1:49.44). Cave Springs' Amory Mayo, Hailey Bivens, Lauren Cowher, and Horn grabbed the 200 free relay win in 1:38.95, while Western Albemarle's Elsa Strickland, Emma McKinley, Seana Acker, and Natalie Cronk paced the field in the 400 free relay in 3:35.37. Charlottesville's Leah Piemonte won one meter diving with 460.00 points.

Western Albemarle edged Hidden Valley for the team title, 217 points to 211. Brian Woods scored 173 points for third.

A/AA Boys Results
Hidden Valley's Alex Vance and Brentsville's Ryan Dunne each won two events. Vance set a State record of 56.60 to win the 100 breast, and he added a win in the 200 IM (1:51.56). Dunne, meanwhile took both the 50 (21.36) and 100 free (46.65), becoming the only double winner of the meet. Dunne joined teammates Ben Cumberland, Justin Doyle, and Nathan Brown to win the 200 free relay in 1:27.43, setting the state record. Rams' Ben Colley set another State record, clocking 50.07 in the 100 back.

Jefferson Forrest's Caleb Williams earned first in the 200 free in 1:42.56, while Broad Run's Mark Sarman won the 100 fly in 50.12. Bees' Kemp Pettyjohn took the win in the 500 free (4:35.14), and Jamestown's Ryan Antal scored 426.20 points for the win in one meter diving. Jefferson Forrest's team of Caleb Williams, Chad Nowakowski, Alex Soderman, and Carter Watson finished first in the 400 free relay in 3:10.75. Hidden Valley won the 200 medley relay, but full results were not available at press time.

Brentsville won the meet with 236 points, while Hidden Valley edged Jefferson Forrest for second, 217 to 216.

AAA Girls Results
Two Oakton swimmers doubled, Kailin Pawlowicz and Janet Hu, each setting at least one start record. Pawlowicz set records in both the 200 IM (2:16.06) and 400 free (4:14.26), while Hu set a record in the 100 fly (1:01.05) and also won the 50 free (26.08). Hu, Melissa Shebat, Pawlowicz, and Stephanie Hallock took the win in the 200 medley relay in 2:00.24, breaking the National record for short course meters high school races. Maury's Madison Hahn also set an individual state record with her 1:01.82 win in the 100 back.

Osbourn Park's Audrey Kula won the 200 free (2:03.16), while West Branch's Julianne Phillips won the 100 free (57.18). Riverbend's Kayla Brumbaum finished first in the 100 breast (1:10.91), and Madison's Kelly Corish scored 428.25 points to win the one meter diving event. Langley swept the free relays; Meghan Overend, Jayme Katis, Megan Howard, and Abi Speers won the 200 relay in a state record of 1:47.86, while Allie Zeidan, Katis, Speers, and Overend posted a 3:56.87 to win the 400 free relay.

AAA Boys Results
Langley's Chuck Katis starred with wins in the 200 IM (2:02.83) and 100 breast (1:02.85), setting a state record in the former race. GC Marshall's Cyrus Hashemi won the 200 free (1:52.36), and Osbourn Park's Gregory Stoffa beat the field in the 400 free (3:57.84). McLean's Charlie Putnam (56.74), while Wash Lee's Carl Buergler scored 510.55 points to win one meter diving (510.55).

Cox's Wesley Francis stormed to a win in the 50 free in 23.71, and he anchored his team to the victory in the 200 free relay. Teammates Reid Morin, Ben Hansen, and Dalton Malaby joined Francis on that team. Westfield's CJ Fiala finished first in the 100 free (51.74), and teammate Kurtis Ratcliff won the 100 fly (56.20). Richard Xue and Brandon Fiala joined the duo for the win in the 200 medley relay (1:47.13), while Charlie Keith, Brandon Fiala, Ratcliff, and CJ Fiala won the 400 free relay (3:32.56).

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