Northern Region Results

Congratulations to the men's team for finishing a very strong 3rd place in tonight's Northern Region championship. There were a number of great performances this weekend that helped us achieve such a great result. Congratulations to Grayson Campbell for winning the dive competition on Tuesday. And congratulations to Grayson Smith for winning the 100 breaststroke and earning All-American honors. The 200 medley relay's All-American consideration time and the 400 freestyle relay's second place finish were only some of the great results from this weekend. We are looking very strong for states in two weeks so keep it up!

Congratulations also go out to the women's team for a great meet as well. While we did not score many points as a team there were many very strong and gutsy swims. Congratulations to Laura Sullivan for personal bests in the 200 free and 100 back. And a big thank you to Sidney Owens for giving it a go despite swimming in significant pain. Her dedication to her team and desire to complete are a great example to the rest of our team.

Knock, knock ... Who's there? All American. All American, who?

Grayson Smith ... that's who!

Congratulations to Grayson Smith for his record-setting, All-American qualifying swim in tonight's Northern Region preliminaries. Grayson's 100 breaststroke time of 56.50 broke Evan Owens's previous record by more than 1 second.

Congratulations also go out to the men's 200 medley relay of Connor Simon, Grayson Smith, Ian Russiello and Alex Ruleman for their All-American consideration time of 1:36.16 in preliminaries tonight. They are only one-half second off of the school record.

Good luck to the men and women tomorrow during finals. Both teams had amazing preliminaries and are poised to make some real noise tomorrow night!

Districts coverage

Reach For The Wall had a nice article about the men's victory last weekend in the Liberty Conference 6 Championship. The Sun Gazette also covered our victory. Hopefully we get even more coverage from our successes this week at Regions!

Athletes of the Meet -- Conferences

There we so many strong and notable swims this week that the coaching staff has decided to name the entire team as athletes of the week. Every race seemed to highlight another swimmer who stepped up to the challenge and improved their times. Diving was equally as strong from top to bottom. Having said that, special recognition does go out to the following athletes:

1. Grayson Smith -- Won both the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke events. Grayson was also an important member of both the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.
2. Ian Russiello -- Won both the 200 IM and 500 freestyle events and was a member of both the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.
3. Grayson Campbell -- Won the men's diving competition while breaking his own team record. His performance will put him into consideration for All-American status when the season is completed.
4. Sidney Owens -- Earned state cuts in both the 200 IM and 100 freestyle events. Sidney was also joined by Mallory Dyson, Kenzie Hines and Laura Sullivan in earning a state cut in the 400 freestyle relay.

Memories from this week's conference meet

You can catch a short video with highlights from this weekend on YouTube. Thanks to Tony Capra for shooting and sharing this video.

Madison Wins Liberty Conference 6 Championship ... AGAIN X5!!

Congratulations to the men's swim and dive team for winning their fifth-consecutive Liberty Conference Championship last night at Yorktown Aquatic Center. The Warhawks were led by wins in the 200 medley relay, 200 IM, 100 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 200 freestyle relay, 100 backstroke, and diving. No other team could match the depth, talent and intensity that we brought to the meet this week. Your hard work and preparation all season certainly paid off!

Congratulations also to the ladies for several strong swims this weekend. Most swimmers improved on their times from this season. The ladies did earn a state cut in the 400 freestyle relay as well as the 100 IM and 100 freestyle events. The future definitely looks bright with so many young women taking leading roles on the team.

Next opponent: The Northern Region championship meet runs throughout the week beginning with men's diving on Wednesday night at Oak Marr (diving starts at 5:30). Women's prelims are on Thursday with the men swimming on Friday night (both nights starting at 5:30). The Region finals will occur on Saturday night. Come out and support your teammates as they compete against some of the best swimmers and divers in the state.

Psych Sheet for Conferences Now Available

The psych sheet for this weekend's Liberty Conference Championships is now available. Take a look and get to know your competition. Your goals this week should include dropping time and moving up the rankings. That means that Friday night is extraordinarily important to our overall success. With locked heats you should strive as much as possible to get in the top 8 by swimming your best times Friday night. That way, on Saturday, the worse you can place is 8th regardless of how well you swim.

Two more days of good preparation to go until prelims. Continue to take care of yourselves, stay healthy, stay hydrated, get good rest, and then go out and take this Conference!!

Athletes of the Week -- Marshall

Congratulations to Grayson Campbell, Tierney Campbell, and Sidney Owens for being recognized as athletes of the week for our meet against Marshall.

Grayson earned recognition for his performance in the dive competition. Not only did Grayson have his strongest meet of the year, he defeated a very strong competitor from Marshall and set a new team record at the same time. Grayson's score of 325.45 was more than 12 points greater than the record he set last year. Grayson is still getting back to form from an early-season injury so the sky's the limit as he moves toward Conferences, Regions and States.

Tierney was also recognized for her performance in the dive competition tonight. Tierney's return from illness and injury was very successful as she earned third place with her best score of the season. She hit nearly all of her dives and showed no rust as she returned to the pool. Tierney provides the ladies' team with a steady, strong performer in the dive event and will continue to do so for years to come.

Sidney was named athlete of the week for pulling a "Sean Fletcher" at tonight's meet. A "Sean Fletcher" is named for the Madison alum who swam the 100 fly and 100 free back-to-back at states in 2009, winning both events. Sidney faced the same challenge tonight without complaint while also winning both events. Her hard work and quiet leadership continue to earn her the respect of both coaches and teammates.

Several other swimmers had strong meets and dropped time in their various events, including Katie Rooney who dropped another 5 seconds in her 500 free while her sister Emma dropped 16 seconds!

Marshall Results

Congratulations to both the men's and women's teams for finishing up the regular season with wins against Marshall. The men won their meet by a score of 222-93 while the ladies defeated the Statesmen 189-126. It was a long night but you all did a great job of staying in the meet and supporting each other throughout. Several people continue to drop time in preparation for conferences this coming week. Keep up the good work and hopefully with a full week of practice next week we'll see even more times drop!

A special congratulations goes out to our seniors, too. Tonight was your last regular season meet and we're all glad to give you a win. Each of you has given us many years of hard work and support. We wish you all the best and hope you'll come back to see a regular season meet or two next year!

Next opponent: It's on to the Liberty Conference championship meet next week. We'll see just how much the ladies have improved over the season and whether the men can continue their hold on the conference title. It should be an exciting weekend so be ready come out and swim fast, dive well, and cheer on your teammates!

Marshall Meet Sheets

A two-hour delay means we have a meet! Preliminary meet sheets are now available here. This is our last opportunity to tune up and prepare for conferences. There are a few races that will help us determine the final make-up of our conference meet sheet so come prepared to swim fast, dive well, and take down Marshall!

Athletes of the Week -- McLean

Congratulations to Raymond Lee and Laura Sullivan for being named athletes of the week for our meet against McLean.

Laura earned her recognition for her strong performances in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Her 200 time was a personal best for the regular season. And Laura's 100 backstroke was just off of the state cut. Laura also has an incredible work ethic and attitude that is an example for those around her. She has a can-do attitude and is willing to do what it takes to help her teammates succeed.

Raymond was recognized for his breakthrough swim in the 100 breaststroke. In tonight's meet, Raymond dropped nearly 2 seconds from his personal best time. His willingness to listen to his coaches and implement their suggestions paid off tonight. It may be his first year on the team but Raymond is quickly growing into a strong competitor in the breaststroke.

Honorable mentions go out to Kaitlin Waldron, Katie Rooney, Megan Craven, and Calle Biles. Each of these young women dropped significant time from their 500 freestyle (5 seconds on average). John Sturgill swam a personal best in the 200 IM while Abraham Zimmerman did the same in the 200 freestyle. Connor Simon earned his state cut in the 100 backstroke while Jordan Myles and Oliver Alonso swam season best times in the 100 free.

McLean Results

Congratulations to both the men's and women's teams for having a strong meet this week. After our struggles last week it was great to see you all rebound with strong swims this week. The men defeated McLean by a score of 182-130 while the ladies fell to the Highlanders 192-122. The numerous personal bests and season bests indicate that you're on the right track as we head toward conferences. Be sure to keep working out and pushing yourselves. Now is the time that you need to remain committed to each other and to your training. Your hard work will pay off in the next couple of weeks!

Next opponent: Our final regular season meet of the year is next week against Marshall. The meet is at Audrey Moore so come meet the bus no later than 7:15. The season is coming to an end so let's finish off the regular season with a win!

McLean Meet Sheets

Preliminary meet sheets for our meet against McLean are now available. It's senior night so our graduating seniors received first priority for their final home meet. Please come ready to swim fast, dive well, and make this night special for our seniors!

Athletes of the Week -- Langley

Congratulations to Emma Rooney, Marcus Card and Grayson Campbell for being named athletes of the week for our meet against Langley.

Emma earned recognition for her positive attitude and willingness to step in when her teammates needed her. Not only does Emma work hard every day in practice but she was willing to step into the 500 freestyle at a moment's notice. Even though she'd never swum the race before she not faced down the challenge successfully.

Marcus also continues to display a positive attitude that is an example for everyone on the team. He works hard during every practice and responds positively to the coaching staff. Marcus is all business during meets staying focused throughout the meet. His times continue to improve as well and he is one race away from a major breakthrough in his 100 backstroke.

Grayson was honored based on his diving performance. After being injured to start the season Grayson returned against Langley and made his regions cut. Not only does Grayson continue to perform at a high level for this team but he has also stepped in as an honorary diving coach. He works hard and supports his teammates any way he can, which is the mark of a competitor and a leader.

Honorable mention also goes to Katie Rooney, Abraham Zimmerman, Grayson Smith, and Ian Russiello for continuing to drop time in their events. Katie dropped nearly 10 seconds in her 500 while Abraham dropped another second in the 200 free. Grayson and Ian both earned state cuts in the 100 free and 100 fly.

Langley Results

Congratulations to the men on their victory over Langley on Friday. The ladies fought hard but came up short against a very strong Saxon squad. This meet was a challenge for many swimmers given the long break, a short practice week, and conditions at the pool. Despite the handicaps we did see a few strong performances. We'll hit the pool hard again on Monday and continue to build toward conferences and regions.

Next opponent: We'll be competing against McLean next week. It's SENIOR NIGHT so get ready to honor our seniors with a spirited effort. It's the seniors' last home meet of their high school careers so let's send them off as winners!

Langley Meet Sheets

Preliminary meet sheets are now available here for our meet tomorrow night against Langley. Hopefully there will not be any further changes but if so then we'll you know as soon as possible. Be ready to meet the bus at 5:00 PM tomorrow afternoon. See you then!

Athletes of the Week -- TJ

This week continued our habit of improving times in large chunks. There were so many swimmers and divers who improved on their previous performances. While our continued success is great for the future it does present a dilemma for the captains and coaching staff. How can you select one athlete of the week when so many people are deserving of the award?!? Having said that, the captains and coaches would like to congratulate Helen Hoyt, Eric Cann, and Abraham Zimmerman for their performances this week.

Helen earned the honor this week for her continued growth as a swimmer. She swam a personal best in the 100 fly as well as in her freestyle split 200 freestyle relay. Helen continues to work hard every week and her times show it. She definitely represents a bright future for Madison's ladies' team.

Eric was chosen as athlete of the week because of his personal best time in the 100 fly. He also had two blazing splits in both the 200 medley and 200 free relays. His times in both relays were among the fastest posted by Madison swimmers this season. Eric's continued improvement and development as a swimmer bode well as conferences draw near.

Abraham dropped significant time tonight in his 500 freestyle. He was able to block out the distractions that come with competing against a national age-group record holder to drop his 500 time by several seconds. His mental and physical toughness helped him post a personal best time and gave his teammates needed points.

There were several other swimmers who were deserving of honorable mention. Each dropped time or put forth the kind of effort worthy of recognition. The list of honorable mentions includes: Phillip Sullivan (500 free and 100 breast times), Katie Rooney (100 breast), Mary Beth Klein (100 breast), Alex Ruleman (400 freestyle relay split), Grayson Smith (400 freestyle relay split), Ian Russiello (400 freestyle relay split), Peter Kinton (200 free and 400 freestyle relay split), Bella Maggio (400 freestyle relay split), Hannah Katinas (400 freestyle relay split).

TJ Results

Congratulations to you all on a really fantastic meet tonight against TJ. The women won a very closely-contested meet by a score of 161-154. While the men lost the meet by a score of 145-170 the positives certainly outweighed the negatives. This team learned that you need to take the things you want in life and not just wait for it to be handed to you. You learned how to set goals and work as a team to try and achieve them. And you learned to be mentally strong in the face of challenge and adversity. You are all growing into men and women of real stature and the coaching staff is incredibly proud of you.

Next opponent: Our next meet will be Friday, January 10 against Langley at Spring Hill. This meet will serve as both our alumni reunion and the second-annual faculty and staff splash contest. Be sure to invite your friends and family to this meet. It will be a lot of fun!

Athletes of the Week -- Stonebridge

Congratulations to Megan Craven and Connor Simon for being named athletes of the week for our meet against Stonebridge. There were several other very strong performances tonight but Megan's and Connor's really stood out.

Megan earned the award based on her performance in the 200 and 500 freestyle events. Having not swum the 200 and 500 in years the coaching staff didn't know what we were going to get. When she was done swimming Megan showed that she has a lot to offer in both events. Her hard work and positive attitude at practice and among her teammates is clearly making a difference.

Connor put together a very strong meet as well tonight. He made the region cut in the 200 IM and just missed the cut in the 500 freestyle. His split in the 4X100 freestyle relay is also the fastest among our men's team so far this season. Connor's accomplishments are even more impressive when you take into account the fact that he was feeling under the weather during the entire meet. Connor's leadership and support of his teammates is just as important as what he does in the water and serves as a model for what Madison swimming and diving is all about.

There were several other swimmers who deserve recognition for strong swims tonight as well. Hannah Katinas, Sarah Klein, Emma Rooney, Bella Maggio, and Calle Chute all dropped at least two seconds off of previous personal best times. Eric Cann also put forth a strong meet -- especially in the 100 fly where he continues to drop time. Congratulations to you all!

Stonebridge Results

Congratulations to both the men's and women's teams for their convincing victories over Stonebridge tonight at Oak Marr. The women defeated Stonebridge by a score of 186-123 while the men routed the Bulldogs 227-78. Both teams saw strong swims up and down the lineup. The men managed to sweep the top finishes in six events, and had four of the top five finishes in 10 out of 12 events. The women took four of the top five finishes in four events. Great job to you all!

Next opponent: Next week is TJ week. Both their men's and women's teams will present real challenges for us. If last year's meet is an indication it will be a night to remember as two of the area's top teams take each other on. We will need a focused week of practice and continually improving times to be competitive.