High School State Championships: Virginia AAA

FAIRFAX, Virginia, February 20. ELEVEN state records–six girls and five boys–were lowered during the Virginia AAA State High School Swimming and Diving Championships Feb. 15-16 at the George Mason Aquatic Center in Fairfax.

Girls
Oakton High School dominated the girls competition, scoring 275 points for the win. Junior Janet Hu set state marks in both the 100 yard fly (52.84) and 100 back (53.27), and freshman Megan Byrnes posted a 4:49.75 in the 500 free for a state standard in her first year of high school competition. Laura Branton, a sophomore, contributed an event title with a close 50.79-50.82 victory over Langley senior Abi Speers. Speers went on to set a state mark of 23.18 in the 50 free.

The Lady Cougars also swept the relays, setting state records in the 200 medley (1:45.11) and 400 free (3:28.44). Hu led off the 200 medley relay with seniors Melissa Shebat and Gillian Crews plus sophomore Julia Capobianco swimming third. Sophomore Laura Branton and junior Kendall Lawhorn joined Byrnes and Hu on the 400 free relay. Elise Bourdelais, a freshman, teamed up with Crews, Byrnes and Branton to capture the 200 free relay in 1:36.81.

In a tight battle for second through fifth, Yorktown emerged as the runner-up with 128 points, followed by McLean (118), West Springfield (113) and Woodson, who edged out Frank W. Cox for fifth (111.5-108).

In the 200 IM, seniors Laura Schwartz (Falls Church) and Katie Munch (Robinson) dueled to a 2:04.21-2:04.43 finish. Colonial Heights sophomore Abigail Richey won the 200 free with her 1:50.07. Amy Tansill, a junior at Osbourn Park, was tops in the 100 breast (1:02.69). The diving event went to McLean sophomore Caroline McCleary (393.65 points).

Boys
Robinson claimed the boys team title with 218.5 points. James Madison finished a half-point ahead of Oakton for second (192.5-192). Thomas Jefferson edged out Princess Anne for fourth by a single point, 180-179.

Thomas Jefferson sophomore Andrew Seliskar lowered the state record in the 200 IM to 1:46.09, and collected a second victory in the 100 fly (47.92). Seliskar also swam on Thomas Jefferson's wining 200 medley relay that missed a state standard by just 2-hundredths (1:33.80) with sophomore Luke Thorsell, senior Reese Frerichs and junior Miles Oakley.

At their final state championship, seniors Brandon Fiala from Westfield (50 free, 20.78), Christopher Grimett-Norris of Chantilly (200 free, 1:39.16) and Oakton's Philip Hu (100 back, 49.44) set state standards, as did Austin Temple, a junior at Frank W. Cox (100 breast, 55.78).

The freestyle relay wins went to Princess Anne High School. Freshman Daniel Arris led off juniors Matthew Roche, Mark Wilson and Harrison Pierce, missing a state record by 12-hundredths with their 1:24.97. Sophomore Jordan Bovee replaced Arris on the 400 free relay which posted a 3:08.16 victory.

Robinson freshman James Murphy swam the 100 free in a winning 45.70. Grayson Campbell, a freshman at James Madison, was the diving champ with his 497.30 points. South County senior Evin Rudi turned in a 4:33.49 to capture the 500 free.

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