Torri Huske Reflects on National Record-Setting, State-Title Winning High School Finale

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Photo Courtesy: Connor Trimble

Torri Huske was just happy to have one last season with her teammates.

With COVID-19 still wreaking havoc on sports, it was an opportunity she and her Yorktown High School teammates couldn’t count on.

But once they got to the meet, they could count on each other.

Huske set two national high school records and nearly claimed a third, leading Yorktown to the Virginia state title as a team, something that had narrowly eluded them for the past few years.

“It means a lot. Our team won state and we have been trying to win for the past three years. That has been the goal. We have come really close to winning each year. This year, everyone went in with the mentality that we were going to win this,” Torri Huske told Swimming World. “I definitely enjoyed it. It is always more fun when you are with a team. It makes a pretty big difference. That is what made the difference. It was really special to be able to share that with my teammates.”

That team feeling sparked some stellar swims from Huske, who became the first high school female to break the 50-second barrier in the 100-yard butterfly.

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Torri Huske. Photo Courtesy: Connor Trimble

“I am happy with it. It is a good indicator for the future. I have been chasing after a 49 for so long in the 100 fly. I feel like I was more relieved than excited,” she said. “I remember last year at state I was hoping I could go a 49, so I have been chasing that for more than a year.”

Huske broke the national standard in the 200 individual medley, winning in 1:53.73. That swim by Huske, who committed to Stanford, broke the 2009 record of Dagny Knutson, whose former standard stood at 1:53.82. Not long after, Huske was on the blocks for her best event, the 100 butterfly, and scortched a time of 49.95. That swim not only broke Huske’s own public-school record of 50.67, it broke the overall record of 50.35, set twice by Claire Curzan.

Huske was also sensational in relay action, as she led off Yorktown’s winning 200 freestyle relay in 21.65, which was just .01 off the public-school record of 21.64, held by Abbey Weitzeil.

“The IM felt good. I was hoping to go about what I went. It was exciting. My breaststroke needs more work in the future, but I feel like I hit the splits I needed to,” Torri Huske said. “I was just trying to be really aggressive because we really wanted to win the relay. I felt like I had to get a lead for my teammates.

“It was similar to my other races. I still have things to improve upon. Nothing was different except my excitement going into the meet.”

That excitement for having big meets is a huge factor in pools across the country.

“I feel like it was a really big deal to have the meet. It got pushed back twice,” Torri Huske said. “I didn’t think they would cancel it but the fact it got pushed back and all of the uncertainty made this more special. We didn’t even thing we would have a season.”

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