Grayson Campbell Earns National Diver of the Year Honors

Congratulations to Grayson Campbell on being named National Diving Champion by the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA). This is the second national championship for Grayson in the past three years. You can watch a video of his award-winning performance at this year's state meet by clicking here.

This award is the culmination of a stellar career at Madison that included two national championships, three state titles, and All-Met player-of-the-year honors. Congratulations on an amazing high school career and best of luck at Texas next season!

Congratulations on a successful season

Congratulations to both the men's and women's teams on completing a successful season tonight at States. The men's team finished 15th and the women were 13th. There were several impressive performances throughout the meet that are worth noting.

• Madeline LaPorte took 5th in both the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Her time in the 200 freestyle broke her own school record.
• Rachael Holp finished 7th in the 200 IM and the 100 backstroke. 
• Abraham Zimmerman was in the top 16 for both the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. His time in the 100 freestyle was a personal best.
• The girl's 200 freestyle relay, consisting of Genevieve Gemond, Sidney Miralao, Kenzie Hines, and Mallory Dyson finished 8th.

One of the most promising characteristics of this season is the important roles played by underclassmen on the team. We have a number of talented freshmen and sophomores who will serve as the foundation of our team for the next several years. Our future is extraordinarily bright and the next couple of seasons should be very exciting for both teams!

Remember that next season starts tomorrow. So keep up the good work and best of luck to everyone who will be competing in the upcoming USS championship season!

Congratulations to Grayson Campbell on his state championship!

Congratulations to Grayson Campbell on his state championship in diving yesterday morning. Grayson set the state record for points with 607.60 points while winning his third state title in four years. Greg Duncan finished second, giving Madison a sweep of the top spots in diving. Both Grayson and Greg cemented themselves as the best diving duo in the area and sure All-Americans. The Washington Post published a nice article about their success that's definitely worth a read.Well done to both young men!

Plans for States

States will be this Saturday at GMU-Fairfax with preliminaries in the morning and finals at night. The entrance fee is $10 and seating is limited. So if you want to come and watch then be sure to come early! Doors will open at 8:00 am for prelims and 5:00 pm for finals.

The psych sheet is now available so you can see where we fall in the preliminary seedings.

For those that are competing on Saturday here is the timeline...

• 6:30 am - Doors open for competitors for prelims
• 7:00 - 8:45 am - Warm-ups
• 9:00 am - 12:00 pm - Preliminaries
• 3:30 pm - Doors open for competitors for finals
• 4:00 - 5:45 pm - Warm-ups
• 6:00 - 9:00 pm - Finals

Swimmers should enter through the swim entrance on the side of the building. There are supposed to be credentials for us, but there are still no clear instructions on where those will be or how we are supposed to get them. Coach Foos will be at the pool between 6:30 and 6:45 so please arrive by then. We will want to get there early in order to find a good spot for our team to settle down. Please be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks to stay energized during the morning. 

You should park in Lot C but if it is full then Lot A is OK, too. 

Regionals Wrapup

Congratulations to everyone that competed during Regions this week. Both the men's and women's teams had tremendous meets and represented everyone very well. We had 6 new records set, including three All-American consideration performances. The men finished in 11th place while the ladies were 9th.

There were several season and personal bests throughout the meet. Our success bodes well for next season when we will be even more competitive. Here are just some the highlights from this week's competition:

• Grayson Campbell and Greg Duncan both had great meets during diving on Wednesday night. Both men finished with All-American consideration performances. Grayson won the event with a region record score of 577.50, while Greg finished fourth.
• Madeline LaPorte broke the 200 freestyle record and her own 100 backstroke record. Her performance in the 200 eclipsed the old mark, which was set in 2002. She finished 8th in the 200 and 4th in the backstroke.
• Rachael Holp broke the school record in the 200 IM with a time of 2:05.54. She finished 2nd in the event as well as 5th in the backstroke. Rachael showed great strength and speed in all of her events as she had her best meet as a Warhawk.
• All six of our relays earned a spot at States in two weeks, with the men's 200 freestyle relay earning the state cut in finals. The women's 400 freestyle relay not only made the state cut, but earned an All-American consideration time of 3:31.55 at finals on Saturday. Their relay 5th at finals and will continue to be dangerous at states.
• Patrick Kuhlkin, Kyle Wu and Ian Cobb each earned a spot at states in the 100 breaststroke during prelims on Friday night. They came back and improved their times at finals as well. All three are part of a bright future for Madison swim and dive.

Athletes of Meet - Conferences

Congratulations to Kyle Wu and Madeline LaPorte for being named athletes of the meet for conferences this weekend.

Kyle earned this honor not only for his performance tonight but his continued success and hard work throughout the season. Kyle finished 3rd in the 200 IM and 2nd in the 500 (though he touched first). Kyle continues to enjoy one of the most successful freshman seasons in quite some time at Madison.

Madeline is athlete of the meet because of her extraordinary performance tonight in all of her events. She broke the school record in the 200 IM with a time of 2:07.19 and the school record in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.71. The previous 200 IM record was set in 1995 while Madeline's time in the 100 back is not only a team record but a conference record as well. Madeline also posted her fastest split ever in the 400 freestyle relay.

There were a number of other athletes who had very successful performances at conferences this year, including:

1. Calle Biles -- Calle had another successful conference meet. She dropped three seconds in the 200 freestyle and two seconds in the 100 butterfly tonight. Calle seems to always have her best swims at conferences. Her consistency will definitely be missed next season when she graduates.
2. Abraham Zimmerman -- Abraham continued his strong season with season-best times in the 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle. His split in the 400 freestyle relay helped ensure that he had his teammates easily earned a state cut in the event.
3. Jackson Ayers -- Jackson earned his first-ever trip to regions this weekend by finishing sixth in the 50 freestyle. His time of 22.90 is the first of what will (hopefully) be many sub-23 sims in the event.
4. Mallory Dyson -- Mallory set a personal best in the 100 freestyle with a time of 54.79, which was nearly a full second faster than her previous best. She followed that time up with another 54 as the lead-off leg in the 400 freestyle relay.
5. Patrick Kuhlkin -- Patrick had season-best times in the both the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. He dropped a second in both events. He earned a spot at regions in the breaststroke as well.
6. Anna Miller -- Anna also had personal-best times in both of her individual events. She dropped 1.5 seconds in the fly while shedding nearly a full second in the breaststroke.
7. Sidney Miralao -- Sidney had a season-best swim in the 100 butterfly, dropping more than 1.5 seconds in the process. Her 50 freestyle time was also a season-best time. Tonight was easily the best meet she has ever had as a Warhawk.
8. Greta Westfall -- Greta is another swimmer who posted season-best times in both of her events. In the 100 freestyle she broke the one-minute mark for the first time with a time of 59.39. Her time in the 100 backstroke was 3 seconds faster than her previous season-best time. Because of her time drop in the back she managed to move up 4 spots from her seed and earn points for the team.
9. Jean-Claude Guill -- Jean-Claude closed out his career at Madison with two season-best times in the 100 fly and 100 backstroke. Jean-Claude's leadership and hard work were examples all season of what it takes to be successful. And tonight his times showed what swimmers can expect when they challenge themselves on a daily basis.
10. Karyss Gordon -- Karyss had a successful meet tonight as well. She dropped time in both the 100 fly and 100 backstroke tonight, posting her best times as a Warhawk.
11. Greg Duncan -- Greg finished second in the diving competition, his first as a Warhawk. 

Conferences Wrap-Up

The men's and women's teams completed their Liberty Conference schedule this weekend by participating in the conference finals. The meet was a timed finals format due to the snow this past week. The men finished in 4th place while the women finished in 6th place. Despite the disappointing places there were several extraordinary swims.

Special congratulations go out to Madeline LaPorte who set two new school records in the 200 IM and the 100 backstroke. The 200 IM record was the oldest remaining record, dating back 21 years ago to 1995. Her 100 backstroke also represents a new conference record. Kyle Wu touched first in the 500 freestyle, but was officially second due to a timing error. The team also earned a number of new state and region cuts during the meet.

Next opponent: Both teams will continue on to the 6A North championship meet next week at Oak Marr.

Specifics for Conferences on Saturday

We finally have some certainty regarding the Liberty Conference Championship meet. Here are some of the key items you need to know...

1. Conferences will be a one-day meet on Saturday at Washington-Lee High School.
2. Diving will begin with warm-ups at 8:00 am. The girls competition will start at 9:00 pm with boys to follow. There will be cuts after rounds 5 and 8 due to the large number of competitors.
3. Swimmers should arrive for the bus between 3:00 pm and 3:15 pm. The bus will leave at 3:30 so that we can arrive in time for warm-ups at 4:15 pm. 
4. There will be warm-up/warm-down in the diving well during the meet.
5. The swim meet will be a timed finals format. The meet is seeded based on times. The fastest 8 are in one heat, the next fastest 8 are in the next heat, and so on. Where you are seeded has no impact on how you score, though. The top 16 times, regardless of seed, will score.
6. There will be a modified dive over format during the meet. That means that each heat will remain in the water until after the next heat starts. This will help speed the meet up so please pay attention.
7. Only those athletes who are competing in the meet are allowed down on deck. There is simply not enough space for every team to bring every athlete. If you are not swimming in the meet but want to watch you are expected to pay and sit with the other spectators.

The meet is going to be very exciting. We have some of the best swimmers and divers in the country, let alone the region, competing this weekend. It will be important that everyone come prepared to do their very best. There is no tomorrow so there's no need to hold back. Places will be determined by the tenths of a second so make sure you race through your event regardless of how you're finishing in your heat. Meets have been won and lost when kids slow down and don't finish hard through the race. So come ready to rock and roll and we'll see just where we stack up!

Conference Meet Sheet

The meet sheet for this weekend's Liberty Conference Championships are now available here.

We will not have practice as long as school is cancelled, so if you have a club team and can make practice safely then please do so. Your teams will hopefully give you at least a mini-taper prior to the meet. You should be focusing on sprint sets with maximum effort and lots of rest in between. You want to start training your muscles to be fast so you don't need long, difficult sets anymore.

We will see what the weather does to school and the meet schedule as we get closer, so please stay tuned. Until then...enjoy the snow and stay safe!

"E" Award Winners - Madison v. McLean

Congratulations to Sarah Klein and John Sturgill for earning the "E" awards for this week.

Sarah earned her E primarily because of her willingness to swim when called upon to fill empty lanes due to injury. Sarah willingly entered into races she had not prepared for without question or hesitation. Her willingness to do what it takes for her team defines what it means to be a competitor. And hard work during the week at practice defines what it means to earn your "E".

John is this week's "E" award winner because of his focus and dedication every day in practice. He is constantly leading his lane and pushing himself in every set. John always makes it a point to use strong underwater kicks off of every wall in practice. And he continues to use the feedback provided by coaches to improve his stroke and drop his times. John is enjoying the best season of his career, which is due in large part to his consistent effort every day at practice.

Athletes of the Meet - Madison v. McLean

Congratulations to Ian Cobb and Sarah Klein for being named athletes of the meet for our meet against McLean.

Ian earned his recognition on the strength of his performances in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. Despite continuing to feel the effects of the illness that kept him out of last weke's meet, Ian swam two very strong races. His time in the 100 breast was his fastest ever in a high school meet. Ian continues to drop significant time from last season and is an important part of our team's success.

Sarah was named athlete of the week for her performances in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Sarah was not originally entered into either event. But after injury forced her into both races she handled herself with grace and poise. Sarah gave her very best in a difficult situation. And by doing so exemplified what it means to be a true teammate and competitor.

There were several other athletes who deserve honorable mention:

1. Alec Biles, Connor Smith and Tommy Miller -- These three young men volunteered to step in and dive for the team when spots opened up to due to injury. Despite having never dived in a high school meet, all three had very strong debuts on the board. Their competitive spirit gave the team a boost in an event where one was desperately needed.
2. Kyle Wu -- Kyle continues to impress week in and week out. His times in the 200 IM and 100 breast were right on his season best. His split in the 400 freestyle relay was also very strong, especially after having finished the breast only a few minutes before.
3. Abraham Zimmerman -- Abraham continues to lead the team in the water with his consistently strong performances. He continued his winning ways this week by capturing first place in the 100 freestyle.
4. Jack Galbraith -- Jack swam his fastest-ever split in the 200 medley relay to start the meet. He followed that up with strong performances in the 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke. 
5. Anna Miller -- Anna continues to improve her times each week and is moving in the right direction as we head to conferences. She consistently scores important points for the team and is becoming a very important part of the team's success.

McLean Results

Both the men and women lost hard-fought meets tonight against McLean. The men lost by a score of 145-170, while the women fell by a score of 144.5-170.5. Both meets were a little closer than the scores indicated. While McLean was able to win most events, the Warhawks consistently finished second and third throughout the meet. Despite the disappointment there were several strong performances and positive signs for conferences in a couple of weeks.

Next opponent: Both teams will look to return to their winning ways next week against Hayfield in our final duel meet of the season.

McLean Meet Sheets

Preliminary meet sheets for tomorrow's meet against McLean are now available. The line-up is a little different than in past weeks because the coaching staff wanted to make sure that each senior got to participate in an individual event. This meet should be very exciting with a close outcome. Be sure to arrive ready to race and compete against a very good team. Rest up and see you tomorrow at 4:45 for the bus!

"E" Award Winners - Yorktown

Congratulations to Jason Bookstaver and Bella Bulhoes for earning the "E" awards this week. Both Jason and Bella are fine examples of the hard work and attention to detail that the coaches encourage everyone to have.

Jason earned his "E" because of his continued hard work at practice. Not only did he come to many of the practices over break, but his quiet resolve to improves speaks volumes every day. Jason has grown significantly stronger than last year and it shows in his times. More importantly, Jason does not shy away from a challenge or hard work. This past week in practice is a good example. When the coaches asked if anyone wanted to step up and compete in a race at the end of practice, Jason stepped up to the challenge. His willingness to compete and take chances should inspire his teammates to even greater efforts of their own at practice.

Bella is the "E" award winner for this week because of her dedication at practice. Bella is always working hard and rarely takes a lap off, let alone a set. She listens to the coaches and actively attempts to incorporate the instruction she receives. Bella always has a smile on her face and is clearly putting for her very best effort every day. She may not be the fastest member of our team but there are few people who work harder to improve. She is an inspiration to everyone on the team.

Yorktown - Athletes of the Meet

Congratulations to Abraham Zimmerman and Anna Miller for being named athletes of the week for our meet against Yorktown.

Abraham was selected on the basis of his strong performances in both his individual events and relays. Abraham won both the 200 and 100 freestyle, and swam a strong anchor leg to the first-place 400-yard freestyle relay. Abraham's times were among the fastest of the season. And he continues to give every indication that he will be a force at the conference, region and state levels this season.

Anna earned recognition on the strength of both her swims as well. Anna's times in the 100 butterfly and 100 breast are right on her personal bests from last year. Despite starting the season late due to injury, Anna continues to get stronger and faster each week. She is poised to have a strong championship season and will surprise many swimmers at conferences this year.

Honorable mention goes out to a number of athletes who deserve special recognition for their efforts tonight:

• Joel Hines -- Joel was the only male diver available for this meet and he certainly came through for the team. His dives were strong all meet and he helped carry the team by earning a solid third-place finish.
• Maddie August -- Maddie had her best meet as a Warhawk tonight. She hit a number of dives throughout the night and posted one of her best-ever scores. Her hard work and dedication to the team earned valuable points that helped the team keep the meet close.
• Kyle Wu -- Kyle continued to impress with strong performances in both the 200 IM and 500 free. He was just edged out in both events but showed tremendous closing speed in both races. He is continuing to enjoy one of the finest freshman seasons in a long time.
• Jason Bookstaver -- Jason had a strong performance in his first individual event of the season. His time in the 200 freestyle was more than 12 seconds faster than last year's time. Jason continues to grow stronger and his hard work is clearly paying off for both him and the team.
• Garrett Smith -- Garrett's 100 fly was well on its way to a significant drop in time. Despite slipping on the wall in his last turn Garrett still finished with a very strong time that was close to his personal best. Garrett continues to improve and will be looking to score important points for the team at conferences.
• Mallory Dyson -- Mallory had another very strong meet. He split in the 200 medley relay was one of the fastest all year. She also battled through sore shoulders to win both the 50 free and 100 backstroke.
• Sarah Carmen -- Sarah earned a personal best time in the 100 breaststroke tonight. In a meet where many swimmers were off of their best times Sarah managed to put forth a personal best. Her positive attitude and strong work ethic continue to help her get stronger and improve her times.

Yorktown Results

Madison's swim and dive teams had mixed success tonight at our meet against Yorktown. The men's team defeated Yorktown by a score of 176-136, while the women fell to the Patriots by a score of 151-164. Both teams competed well with several close races throughout the night. The meet was very competitive and several swimmers and divers put forth some of their best performances of the year.

Next opponent: Senior night is next week so come out and support our graduating seniors as Madison takes on McLean at Spring Hill.

Yorktown Meet Sheets

The preliminary meet sheets for tomorrow night's meet against Yorktown are now available. We have already had one swimmer get sick since the sheets were first drafted so please be prepared for changes tomorrow. Remember that you must be at school ON TIME tomorrow morning. Get a good night's sleep and see you tomorrow for the bus at 4:45!

"E" Award Winners - Fairfax

Congratulations to Reece de Kramer, Gabby Rogers and Natalie Zanellato for earning their "E's" this week. All three of these athletes share similar qualities. The most important is their willingness to take instruction from coaches and implement it in their strokes. The result is improving times that make each of these athletes contributors to the team's success.

Reece continues to improve his 100 freestyle time, which coaches expect to fall more after the winter break. He is one of the first in his lane every day and is comfortable taking on challenging sets. 

Gabby's 50 freestyle is returning to form after a layoff for volleyball. She is always near the front of her lane and focuses on improving her technique. 

While this is Natalie's first year on the team she is already establishing herself as one of the most dedicated members of the team. She takes on challenging sets with a positive attitude and is constantly moving up in her lane. 

Fairfax - Athletes of the Meet

Congratulations to Mallory Dyson and John Sturgill for being named as athletes of the meet for our meet against Fairfax.

Mallory was selected on the basis of her strong swims in the 100 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay. Mallory's never-say-die attitude helped her to pull ahead at the end of a neck-and-neck race, out-touching her Fairfax rival by 0.02 seconds. She followed that performance with a blazing-fast split in the relay. Mallory continues to put forth maximum effort during practices and is an effective leader on the team.

John earned his recognition based on his performance in the 100 fly and 100 breast. He continued his strong season with personal-best swims in both of his individual events. Despite feeling under-the-weather, John continued to impress both the coaches and his teammates with his improved times. John's versatility and ability to succeed in a variety of events makes him an invaluable asset to the team.

Honorable mention goes out to Gabby Rogers for her performance in the 200 freestyle relay. Gabby's split was the fastest among the lead-off legs of the relay. She continues to improve and return to swimming form after taking time off as a member of the state-champion volleyball team.

Fairfax Results

Madison's swim and dive teams both came home with wins against Fairfax tonight. The men defeated Fairfax by a score of 209-77 while the women won by a score of 177-138.

Both teams used a mix of top-end talent and depth to win their meets. The men took four of the top-five places in 7 of 9 individual events and swept all three relays. The women won first place in more than half of all individual events as well as first place in both freestyle relays. Both teams are doing well and are positioning themselves to make a run at the conference title.

Next opponent: Madison will take on Yorktown after the holiday break.