Tipton, Brackens Named Swimmers of the Meet at Tennessee State High School Championship

By Brian Savard

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, March 17. A.J. Tipton of Bearden High School and Lindsey Brackens of Briarcrest Christian School turned in the most outstanding performances of the Tennessee High School State Championships as they both won the swimmer of the meet honors for their respective genders.

Harpeth Hall cruised to a record-tying seventh consecutive state title in the women's competition at the Tennessee State Championships. Harpeth Hall finished well ahead of the rest of the field with 309 points. Girls Preparatory School won the battle for second place with 207 points while the Webb School of Knoxville settled for third with 204 points.

Harpeth Hall's 200 and 400 freestyle relays won and picked up All-American automatic qualifying times in the process. The quartet of Kellyn Angell, Samantha Williams, Grace Anne Sanderson and Anna Rose Heyman finished a few body lengths ahead of the second-place finisher in the 200 freestyle relay with a 1:36.87 time.

Anchor Maddie Garrett held off Girl Preparatory School's Lindsey Martin in the 400 freestyle relay as the foursome of Angell, Sanderson, Annie Killian and Garrett took the race in a 3:30.46 time.

Oakland High School's Caroline Reeves set the only state record of the women's meet. Reeves, who accounted for all 20 of Oakland's points, recorded a 1:02.43 time in the 100 breaststroke. Sarah McCall of Bearden High School set the former mark in 2005 with a time of 1:02.56.

Brackens placed first in both her individual events. Brackens edged the field in the 200 freestyle with a final time of 1:50.11, and she won by a more sizable margin in the 500 freestyle with a 4:50.88 time.

Girls Preparatory School's Juliann Wilson placed first in the diving competition with a 437.05 score. Ainsley Pierce of South Doyle High School came in second with 425.10 points while Bearden High School's Tori Lamp placed third (410.65).

Baylor School lit up the competition on the men's side and recorded a record 19th state championship. Baylor's 265 points topped the field. Bearden High School and Brentwood High School shared second-place honors with 201 points apiece.

Brad Hamilton of Baylor picked up two individual event wins as well as two All-American automatic standards. Hamilton won the 50 freestyle in a blazing 20.70 and out-swam the field in the 100 freestyle, clocking 45.15.

Tipton earned his swimmer of the meet status through a versatile combination of the 100 butterfly and the 500 freestyle. Tipton flirted with Tennessee swimming legend Gil Stovall's 100 butterfly record but fell just short, winning in an impressive 48.07 time. His second victory came in the 500. He set the tempo in the race early with a 1:45.80 200 split and finished the race strong with a 4:27.22 time.

Baylor overcame a disqualification in the 200 medley relay and won the other two relays left. Baylor's 200 freestyle relay stayed in front of the final heat throughout each leg of the race, and they easily took first with a 1:26.91 time.

The Baylor 400 freestyle relay team of Josh Sosna, Nathan Vredeveld, Greg Roop and Brad Hamilton entered their names into the record book with a first-place and state record setting performance. Baylor's 3:08.30 time erased the former standard set in 1993 by Baylor (3:08.68).

Knoxville Catholic High School senior Sean Letsinger captured the diving title with 502.30 points. Baylor's Jordan Mauney (472.00) finished second and Knoxville Central High School's Brent Sterling placed third with 453.55 points.

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