Women Three-peat at States; Men Finish Third

Congratulations to both the men's and women's teams on their successes at the state meet this past weekend. The women won their third-straight VA Class 6 State title with a four-point victory over First Colonial. The men finished third just three points behind second-place W.T. Woodson.

The women's team enjoyed a number of top-8 finishers who helped lead the team to victory:

• Anna Keating won the 100 breaststroke for the second year in a row, setting a state record in the process 
• Maddy Grosz finished 2nd in dive
• Elizabeth Kuhlkin was 7th in the 100 free and 8th in the 50 free
• Alexandra Dicks was 4th in the 50 free
• Darby Galbraith was 7th in the backstroke
• Anna Sullivan placed 6th in the 500 free
• All three relays also finished in the top 5
• The 200 medley relay was 3rd (Darby Galbraith, Anna Keating, Maggie Shi and Morgan Howat)
• The 200 freestyle relay was 2nd (Alexandra Dicks, Morgan Howat, Anna Keating and Elizabeth Kuhlkin)
• The 400 freestyle relay was 5th (Alexandra Dicks, Anna Sullivan, Darby Galbraith and Elizabeth Kuhlkin)

The men also had a fantastic meet that featured a number of top-8 finishes, including:

• Kyle Wu who finished 2nd in both the 50 free and 100 breast 
• Cole Dyson who was 6th in both the 200 free and 500 free
• Michael Hynes who earned a 6th place finish in the 100 backstroke
• Sam Duncan who finished second in diving
• All three relays also finished in the top 8
• The 200 medley relay was 4th (Michael Hynes, Kyle Wu, Louis Tucker, Ben Shroeder)
• The 200 freestyle relay was 7th (Ben Shroeder, Owen Dyson, Cole Dyson and Patrick Kuhlkin)
• The 400 freestyle was 3rd (Cole Dyson, Michael Hynes, Patrick Kuhlkin and Kyle Wu)

Congratulations to everyone who competed at states and to both teams for a tremendously successful season!

Athletes of the Meet - Northern Region Championships

Championship season is all about the team. No school can be successful unless there are a number of athletes working together to make things happen. While many schools have individual stars, schools that want to win championships have teams. Madison has a very strong team. And it was the full team that helped lead to the women's victory and the men's near-upset of Oakton.

While the team is important to our overall success, it is made up of individuals who performed at a very high level tonight. There were several performances that deserve special recognition:

1. Cole Dyson - Cole had a very strong meet overall. His time in the 200 freestyle was more than a second faster than last week, which helped him move up 2 spots from his seed. In a three-point meet, moving up to 2 spots is a major help to the team's success.
2. Kyle Wu -- Kyle continued to lead his team both on-deck and in the pool. His 100 breaststroke was a magical swim, setting a new school and region record. He turned around a few minutes later and posted one of the fastest 100 freestyle splits in school history. While the 400 freestyle relay fell short it wouldn't have been as close without Kyle's anchor leg!
3. Patrick Kuhlkin -- Patrick had an absolutely amazing 100 butterfly tonight, setting a personal record by 1.5 seconds! Patrick was originally seeded 10th, but with his time tonight he finished 2nd. Again, in a razor-thin meet those extra points were a huge help to his team.
4. Jacob Roth - Jacob had strong swims in both the 100 butterfly and backstrokes. Jacob earned his first-ever state cut in the 100 fly while just missing out in the 100 backstroke. Jacob was another athlete who helped the team make it's move, jumping 6 spots in the fly and 3 spots in the back.
5. Brayden Philpott -- Brayden followed-up his personal-best performance in the 500 freestyle last week with the exact same time tonight. He is clearly establishing a new, faster normal for himself. More importantly, though, Brayden also made his first-ever state cut by dropping 2 seconds from last week's 100 breaststroke time. Brayden was seeded 15th in the breast but finished 8th!
6. Joey Eisen -- Joey also had a tremendous meet tonight, giving his all for the team. Joey's 200 IM was nearly 2 full seconds faster than last week. He also gave a gutsy performance in the 100 breaststroke, finishing just off his time from last week.
7. Anna Keating -- Anna once again dominated the 100 breaststroke. She broke the one-minute barrier for the second week while shattering her own Northern Region record. Anna's 200 IM was also very strong as she finished second in the event.
8. Darby Galbraith -- Darby posted a personal-best time in the 100 butterfly while finishing 5th in the event. She also posted an extraordinary split in the 400 freestyle relay, which helped the team jump from the 8th seed to 3rd place in the event.
9. Morgan Howatt -- Morgan was absolutely invaluable to the team tonight. She provided the flexibility we needed to restructure the relays and ensure a razor-thin victory over Yorktown. Her time in the 200 freestyle relay was easily the fast she's ever swum in the event. And it cements her status as one of the greatest success stories of the season.
10. Michael Hynes -- Michael had yet another strong and steady meet this week. His 100 freestyle was not among the top-16 seeds. But after posting a personal-best time Michael finished a strong 5th place in the event. He followed that swim up with a personal best in the 100 back.
11. Alexandra Dicks -- Alexandra continued her break-out season with yet another All-American consideration time in the 50 freestyle. Her split in the 400 freestyle relay was also a personal best.

Madison Women Three-peat; Men Finish Second in Northern Region

Congratulations to the men's and women's teams on a thrilling meet tonight at the Northern Region Championships. The women won their third-consecutive title edging out Yorktown by a score of 298 - 294.5. The men made a strong charge that fell just short, losing to Oakton by a score of 302.5 - 300. Both teams move on to States in two weeks where they will face strong in the battle for state championships.

There were a number of notable new school records, region records and All-American performances this weekend that deserve recognition:

1. The men's 200 medley relay (Michael Hynes, Kyle Wu, Louis Tucker, and Ben Shroeder) set a school record and earned All-American consideration status, finishing 3rd in the event.
2. The women's 200 medley relay (Darby Galbraith, Anna Keating, Maggie Shi, and Anna Sullivan) also earned All-American consideration status while finishing 3rd.
3. Anna Keating had two automatic All-American times again this week, both in the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke. Her time in the breaststroke broke her own school and Northern Region records by more than a second!
4. Alexandra Dicks posted another All-American consideration time in the 50 freestyle. 
5. Sam Duncan won the Northern Region title in the dive competition in convincing fashion, while also posting another All-American consideration score.
6. Maddy Grosz finished second in the dive competition and once again earned All-American consideration.
7. The women's 200 freestyle relay (Alexandra Dicks, Morgan Howat, Anna Keating, and Elizabeth Kuhlkin) posted another automatic All-American time in setting a new Northern Region record (shared with Oakton).
8. Kyle Wu set a new school and Northern Region record in the 100 breaststroke. His time qualifies him for All-American consideration and was only 0.03 seconds off of an automatic cut.
9. The men's 400 freestyle relay (Cole Dyson, Michael Hynes, Patrick Kuhlkin, and Kyle Wu dropped 2.5 seconds to post an All-American consideration time. Their time was less than 1 second slower than the current school record, which was set by 3 All-Americans back in 2009!
10. The women's 400 freestyle relay (Alexandra Dicks, Darby Galbraith, Anna Sullivan, and Elizabeth Kuhlkin) dropped nearly 7 seconds from their time last week on their way to finishing 3rd. Their time earned All-American consideration and helped ensure the team's victory.

Athletes of the Meet - Concorde District Championship

This week's Concorde District Meet was a tremendous event for both the men's and women's teams. There we so many personal best times throughout the weekend that it became nearly impossible to keep track. Everyone came ready to compete and race, and their preparation showed.

At the risk of leaving out someone who had a noteworthy weekend of success, here are several athletes who deserve special recognition for their achievements in the water and on the boards:

1. Sam Duncan - Sam won the Concorde District title for the second year in a row. Along the way Sam earned a state cut and qualifying for All-American consideration. Sam also demonstrated leadership and commitment to the team by coming out to watch the swimmers after the dive contest and during finals on Saturday night. 
2. Maddy Grosz - Maddy had a strong dive meet as well. She finished third with a state cut while just missing All-American consideration by a few points. She will try again at regions where she will have an opportunity not only to reach All-American but help her team defend last year's championship.
3. Kyle Wu - Kyle is a tremendous leader who models the kind of mental and physical preparation that makes champions. He is focused and committed to excellence. And it is that commitment that paid off this weekend. Kyle set a school and district record in the 100 breaststroke. He also led the 400 freestyle relay to an electrifying win over Oakton to end the meet.
4. Anna Keating - Anna's career at Madison is marked with jaw-dropping performances ever since she burst onto the scene as a freshman. She continued her dominance this weekend with wins in both the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. While both swims earned her automatic All-American status, it was her 100 breast that was most impressive. In that race Anna broke the one-minute barrier for the first time!
5. Alexandra Dicks - Ever since states last year Alexandra has established herself as one of the top sprinters in the state. Her 50 freestyle time continues to drop each week. This week she narrowly missed automatic All-American status by 0.01 seconds! She's added the 100 backstroke to her program and is now setting team records and earning All-American consideration in that stroke as well!
6. Jackson Miller - Jackson plays an important role on our team that often gets overlooked. His ability to compete in a number of different events gives our team a level of flexibility that other teams do not have. This week Jackson was called on to compete in the 500. He met that challenge head on and dropped 13 seconds off his previous personal best!
7. Hannah Carmen - Hannah competes with the heart of a warrior. Her focus and intensity are impressive - especially for a freshman. This weekend she met nearly all of her goal times, including setting a personal best mark in both the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly. She will compete in regions next week where she will look to continue dropping time and taking names in both events. 
8. Ben Shroeder - Ben's tremendous season took another major leap forward this weekend. Ben set a personal-best time in the 50 freestyle by breaking the 0:22 barrier for the first time in his career. He followed up his 0:21.98 with an even faster time of 0:21.70 in the 200 freestyle relay. Ben also does a noteworthy job of encouraging his teammates and leading through example at practice and in warmups.
9. Louis Tucker - Louis had a break-out meet in his signature event -- the 100 butterfly. Louis dropped nearly 3 full seconds from his previous-best time. He also played an important role in leading the 200 medley relay to a strong second-place finish.
10. Morgan Howat - Morgan's breakthrough year continued this weekend as well. She dropped a full second in the 50 freestyle, just narrowly missing a region cut in the event by 0.05 seconds. She followed that success up with a 2-second drop in the 100 backstroke as well. Morgan has established herself as an important part of our success and a force to be reckoned with moving into next season!
11. Erica Rice - Erica joined the club of record-breakers by establishing new personal bests in both the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM. Her drop in the IM was the most impressive, beating her previous best by 4 seconds! Erica is a strong swimmer who competes in every race. It was particularly enjoyable watching her chase down competitors during the breaststroke leg of the 200 IM. She's continuing to improve and will make a major impression at regions and states!
12. Joey Eisen - Joey is another of our swimmers that seemingly emerged from nowhere this weekend to establish himself as a future leader for our team. Joey's 100 breaststroke was just off his previous-best time. He will have an opportunity, though, to improve on his time at regions. His 200 IM was even more impressive, as he dropped 4 seconds from his previous best time! Joey is a fierce competitor who takes full advantage of his opportunities to excel!
13. Michael Hynes - Michael Hynes continued his strong season by re-establishing himself as one of the best in the state at the 200 IM. Michael dropped 3 seconds from his season-best time, while also setting a personal-best time for the event. He also set a new standard for himself in the 100 backstroke. Michael's improvement over the season gives the men's team another weapon in their pursuit of a state championship.
14. Darby Galbraith - Darby's times in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke were right on her previous bests. More importantly, she showed tremendous strength and endurance as she chased down competitors in the final lap of both her individual races. Her split in the 200 free relay as also instrumental in helping her teammates establish a new district record in the event.
15. Collin Guo - Collin works hard every day to improve his times and technique. While he is not as seasoned as some of our older swimmers, Collin continues to gain experience and expertise each week in the 500 freestyle. That experience paid off this weekend as Collin dropped 13 seconds in his 500 freestyle to finish 11th in the event. His growth throughout the season gives our team an additional weapon next season.
16. Brayden Philpott - Brayden is another member of our team who is a true competitor. He sees a challenge and faces it head-on. That trait was certainly on display during the 500 freestyle on Saturday night. Brayden was given the opportunity to set a new personal-best in the event and he took full advantage. His time of 4:51.57 was more than 5 seconds faster than any time he'd posted in the past. And it is just off of what would be his first-ever state cut.
17. Veronika Miller - With all of the superstars on our team it is easy to overlook the contributions that athletes like Veronika make to our team. Veronika's steady work in the 200 and 500 freestyles during the year helped her team succeed in dual meets. This weekend it was her ever-improving 500 that helped us secure our second straight Concorde District title. Veronika dropped 8 seconds from her former best and helped score valuable points during finals. Every point counts in a 17-point victory and Veronika's performance added needed distance between us and Oakton!
18. Anna Sullivan - Anna is incredibly valuable for our team and this week was no different than normal. She gives our team a lot of flexibility throughout the season by excelling at the 200 and 500 freestyles as well as the 100 backstroke. This weekend she added the 50 freestyle to her repertoire. Her split as the anchor leg of the 200 medley helped power her team to victory both in the event and in the meet.
19. Aaron Diehl - Aaron's 100 backstroke improved by leaps and bounds throughout the season, and this weekend was no different. Aaron progressed from a 1:02 backstroker to start the year to a 0:57.60 this weekend. Aaron works very hard at practice and he is currently reaping the benefits. The coaching staff looks forward to seeing what another year of training will do for Aaron next season!
20. Lilly Allred - Lilly entered this weekend's meet as a wildcard. She was seeded in the dreaded 9th position with a number of talented swimmers seeded ahead of her. Lilly took on the challenge with great success, though, dropping more than 4 seconds from her season-best time to qualify 8th. Her ability to make the A final not only gave her a spot in next week's region meet but secured valuable points against Oakton.

Madison Women Claim Concorde; Men Finish 2nd

Congratulations to the women's swim and dive team on winning the Concorde District for the second straight year, and on winning their third consecutive district title overall. The women defeated a talented Oakton team by the score of 475 to 458. The men also had a very successful meet, finishing 2nd to Oakton. The men had a tremendous meet overall despite losing to the Cougars by the score of 575 to 495.

This year's district meet was one of the most successful in years. Top to bottom, nearly everyone on the team posted either a personal best or season best time. There were five new individual team records set as well as one relay record:

• Women's 200 freestyle relay (Alexandra Dicks, Darby Galbraith, Anna Keating, and Elizabeth Kuhlkin)
• Alexandra Dicks in the 50 free and 100 backstroke
• Anna Keating in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke
• Kyle Wu in the 100 breaststroke

In addition to new records we had several posted All-American performances:

• Women's 200 medley relay (Darby Galbraith, Anna Keating, Maggie Shi and Anna Sullivan) earned an All-American consideration time
• Anna Keating earned automatic All-American status in both the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke
• Alexandra Dicks earned an All-American consideration times in the 50 free and 100 backstroke
• Women's 200 freestyle relay (Alexandra Dicks, Darby Galbraith, Anna Keating, and Elizabeth Kuhlkin) earned automatic All-American status
• Kyle Wu earned an All-American consideration time in the 100 breaststroke
• Sam Duncan's performance in dive earned him All-American consideration. The final decision on All-Americans for dive will come out later in the spring.

District Meet Sheets

Entries for this weekend's Concorde District meet are now available. Entries are available by event and by name. We are also allowed 1 alternate per event, so please also check the alternates list. Be sure to log-out of your FCPS Google account before accessing the files.

As a quick reminder: only athletes competing in districts or are alternates need to attend practice this week.

Next week's roster depends on how we do this weekend. The top 8 finishers in each event qualify for regions, along with anyone that makes the cut time. Keep in mind, though, that we are limited to 4 entries per event. There are a few people that will be changing events from districts to regions. So if we have 5 people qualified for a single event then the coaching staff will determine which 4 will compete in regions based on how you will all score at regions and states.

It's going to be an exciting meet so prepare yourselves mentally and physically. Remember that championships are not given but earned. The outcome of a dual meet means nothing. We all start with 0 points and move from there. So come ready to race and cheer on your teammates. Give your very best, not just for yourself but for your friends, and we will be just fine. See you at the pool!!

Athletes of the Meet - Centreville

Congratulations to Michael Hynes and Alexandra Dicks on being named athletes of the meet for our meet against Centreville.

Michael had another strong meet this week, making a region cut in the 50 freestyle and winning the 100 backstroke. He also posted a season-best split in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays. Michael continues to grow stronger as the season progresses, and is positioned to play a pivotal role in our success at districts, regions and states.

Alexandra also had a strong meet throughout, including solid splits in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle. She also made a state cut in the 100 backstroke, which is her second state cut of the season. Alexandra continues to work hard and compete in meets. She is looking to build on her strong freshman season with an even greater impact at the district, region and state levels.

There were a number of other athletes who had performances that were worthy of honorable mention, including:

1. Patrick Kuhlkin -- Patrick won his only individual event of the night, while also posting a region cut. His performance in the 100 butterfly gives him additional flexibility as we look to maximize our team score at the district, region and state levels. 
2. Ben Shroeder -- Ben continued his strong senior season with a personal best in the 50 freestyle. He also had one of his best 200 freestyle relay splits despite slipping on the start. Ben continues to improve each week due to his hard work and dedication.
3. Cole Dyson -- Cole won the 200 freestyle once again. What was more impressive, though, was his ability to lead the 200 freestyle relay to victory and then turn-around a few minutes later and narrow miss winning the very next event! 
4. Benham Cobb -- Benham may be slight in stature but is a large part of our overall success. He also represents the future of Madison swim and dive. Tonight he showed the future remains bright indeed by setting a persona best time in the 100 butterfly.
5. Jacob Roth -- Jacob was given the opportunity to compete in the 200 IM for the first time this season and he did not disappoint. His time of 2:06.61 was nearly 4 seconds faster than his previous personal best!
6. Tyler Johnson -- Tyler works hard every day at practice, working to incorporate the feedback given by the coaching staff. His hard work and attention to detail are paying off as he posted a time the was just off of his season-best.
7. Aaron Diehle -- Aaron set a personal-best a few weeks ago in the 100 backstroke, breaking the one-minute barrier each of the past three weeks. Tonight he added the 200 freestyle to his list of accomplishments. His time tonight was nearly 2 full seconds faster than he's ever done in the 200 freestyle.
8. Nick Ruszkowski -- Nick achieved a major milestone tonight by successfully completing a reverse one-and-a-half for the first time in competition. He learned the dive a couple of weeks ago and tonight, during senior night, it all came together. Nick is a tireless worker who has improved significantly in his two short years with the team. He is also an invaluable leader, respected by divers and swimmers alike.
9. Anna Keating -- Anna is such a successful athlete that it is easy to take her for granted. He consistently strong performances in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke appear almost effortless. Her success masks truly remarkable performances. And tonight was no different. Anna posted an All-American consideration time in the 100 breaststroke again tonight. For perspective, that means her time would likely fall within the 100 fastest times in that event throughout the country!
10. Anna Sullivan -- While Anna is normally a distance swimmer, she showed that she's a complete athlete by improving in the 50 freestyle. Her time tonight was nearly a full second faster than any time she's posted previously in the event. 
11. Regan Hau -- Regan continued her successful freshman season with strong races in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. She looked strong throughout both events and is on the cusp of breakout performances in both events at districts.
12. Erica Rice -- Erica had two strong races tonight that showed her competitive spirit. She had a dominant breaststroke leg in the 200 IM that brought her back into a tight race for second place. Her breaststroke was also impressive as she surged to another second-place finish.

Centreville Results

Congratulations to both the men's and women's teams on their victories tonight over Centreville. On a night that we celebrated our seniors, both teams put for their best overall performances of the season. The men beat Centreville by a score of 193-119 while the women took down the Wildcats by a score of 222-92.

The men's team won 9 out of 12 events tonight, with 7 individuals winning events, including Cole Dyson (200 freestyle), Michael Hynes (50 freestyle and 100 backstroke), Sam Duncan (diving), Patrick Kuhlkin (100 butterfly), Kyle Wu (500 freestyle), and Braydon Philpott (100 breaststroke).

The women's team had similar success, winning 9 events as well. Individual winners included Hannah Carmen (200 freestyle), Maggie Shi (200 IM), Elizabeth Kuhlkin (50 and 100 freestyle), Alexandra Dicks (100 backstroke), and Anna Keating (100 breaststroke).

Next opponent: Next weekend is the Concorde District championships. Preliminaries are Friday evening, with finals the following night. The meet should be very exciting as the men's and women's teams look to defend their titles against some of the best competition in the state. The meet will be at Cub Run, with sessions starting at 5:30 both nights.

Preliminary Meet Sheets for Centreville

Preliminary meet sheets are now available for our meet tomorrow night against Centreville. Tomorrow is Senior Night so seniors were given preference on events. The coaching staff tried to accommodate as best we could and tried to make sure to maximize opportunities for seniors to compete in their last regular-season meet.

You can find a list of entries by event by clicking here, while a list of entries by athlete name is here. Make sure that you log out of your FCPS Google Apps account prior to accessing these files.

The meet is still on, though it is certainly "weather permitting." Whether we hold the meet or not is still up in the air depending on the severity of the weather tonight and how flexible FCPS is with delays on a three-hour early release day. If school is on-time then the meet is definitely on. If school is delayed and students do not attend then the decision is less clear. I am hopeful that even if students do not attend that if teachers have to report the meet will still be on. But I do not know that for certain. As soon as we know for sure word will be sent out ASAP.

Until then, get some rest and get excited for tomorrow night! It should be fun time as we celebrate our many fantastic seniors!!

We will meet for the bus at 4:15 in the front lobby and will head to dinner at Glory Days after the meet.

Athletes of the Meet - Westfield

Congratulations to Sam Duncan, Michael Hynes and Maggie Shi on being named athletes of the week for our meet against Westfield.

Sam was chosen as athlete of the meet as much for his presence on-deck as for his performance in the water. Sam's contributions to the team are unquestioned. He consistently wins the dive competition and is establishing himself as one of the best divers in the state. But what really separates Sam from others is his ability to elevate his teammates and make them better. Tonight provided yet another example. Sam spent significant time reviewing video from the competition to help his teammates improve their dives. His willingness to put others before himself is the sign a true leader.

Michael had a very strong meet tonight. He provided a solid lead-off leg for the medley relay. Then he followed that up with a region-qualifying time in the 100 freestyle in his first entry in that event this season. During the 200 freestyle relay he literally gave all he could, posting an impressive split despite cramping up mid-way through his race. Michael has been an important part of our success over the past four years, and he continues to be so this year.

Maggie continues to have a strong freshman season, winning the 100 butterfly this evening and finishing second in the 200 IM. She works hard every week and is a solid performer in some of the most demanding events. She continues to push her teammates in practice and in meets, which only makes our team stronger. She has a positive attitude that encourages those around her. Her career at Madison looks very bright indeed and we look forward to seeing what she can accomplish this year and for years to come!

There were several other athletes who had noteworthy performances this week:

• Hannah Carmen -- Hannah had another strong meet this week. In the 200 freestyle she went out hard and stuck with two state-level swimmers for most of the race. And her anchor leg in the 400 freestyle relay helped hold off a spirited challenge by Westfield for third.
• Elsa Marsden -- Elsa had a strong meet tonight, making the region cut once again. She also works hard every week to grow her list and improve on the dives she's already mastered. She learned a new dive this week and will help provide a significant advantage for our team in dive when we enter championship season.
• Elizabeth Kuhlkin -- Elizabeth had a very successful debut tonight. After being injured to start the season Elizabeth returned to win the 100 freestyle and finished second in the 50 free. While the coaching staff appreciates all the work she did to help on-deck we are thankful to have Elizabeth back in the water! 
• Cole Dyson -- Cole made the region cut in his 500 freestyle tonight for the first time this season by essentially negative-splitting his race. He did the same thing in the 200 as well. Cole also continues to be an essential part of our success in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. The team's ability to compete at the district, region and state level is due, in part, to Cole's long-distance swimming abilities.
• Aidan McInerney -- Aidan earned recognition for his exciting finish in the 500 freestyle. It is not often that a 20-lap race ends with a close finish, but it certainly did with Aidan tonight. Despite being behind with 50 yards to go, Aidan found another gear and passed his opponent from Westfield in the final yards of the race!
• Ben Shroeder -- Ben Shroeder continued his stand-out season with strong performances in both the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Ben is a leader on the team who works hard and encourages his teammates during practices.
• Liam Ryan -- Liam's performance tonight was made all the more impressive by the fact that he successfully completed TWO new dives. Due to an oversight with his dive sheet, not only were the dives new to Liam, but he had never even attempted them until tonight! While it's not the ideal way to learn new dives, Liam handled the situation with grace and good humor.

Westfield Results

Congratulations to both the men's and women's teams on their victories tonight against Westfield. The men won by a score of 228 to 87 while the women defeated the Bulldogs by a score of 195 to 117.

The men won 10 out of 12 events while the women took 8 events during the meet. Cole Dyson (200 and 500 freestyles), Kyle Wu (50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke) and Anna Keating (200 IM and 100 breaststroke) each won their two individual events. Madison's men's relays also swept each event, finishing first and second in each event.

Next opponent: Madison will finish its regular season against Centreville at 6:00 at Oak Marr. It is also senior week so come out and help us celebrate our seniors' accomplishments and contributions to the program.

Preliminary meet sheets for Westfield

Preliminary meet sheets are now available for our meet tomorrow night against Westfield. Please plan to meet for the bus at 4:15 in the main hallway at school. We will have dive compete first, followed by swim. So please be sure to be drinking water and eating snacks throughout the day. It's a long night so you'll need to make sure to keep your body fed! While it's a long night it's a great opportunity for the swimmers to see some of the best divers and the state, and vice versa for divers. After the meet we'll head to Glory Days for dinner.

Athletes of the Meet - W.T. Woodson

Congratulations to Erica Rice and Louis Tucker on being named the athletes of the meet for our meet against W.T. Woodson.

Erica is being recognized for her continued growth and improvement in every event she's entered in. While primarily a breaststroker for our team, she showed great skill in the 100 backstroke earlier in the year. Her 200 IM also continues to get better each week. Erica works had both at Madison and club practices, and it shows. Her commitment to her teammates is also strong. She is positioning herself for a strong championship season at the end of the month.

Louis was chosen by the captains because of both his performance in the water and on the deck. Louis continues to impress as part of the state-qualifying medley relay. He also posted a personal-best split in the 200 freestyle relay tonight. More importantly, Louis is constantly supporting his teammates on deck throughout the meet. His commitment to the team is certainly noticed and appreciated by his teammates.

There were several other people who also had strong weeks and are deserving of honorable mention:

• Maddie Grosz - Maddie continues to perform at the highest levels week in and week out. She is not only a tremendous diver, but she demonstrated a willingness to pitch in when and where she's needed. In this week's case it was serving as the lead-off leg in the 200-free relay. Maddie is willing to do what it takes to make her team successful. 
• Sam Duncan - Sam also demonstrates his superior athletic skills each week. He is dedicated to improving each week and strengthening his dive list. His commitment to excellence and willingness to put in hard work are noticed and appreciated by both his coaches and teammates.
• Hannah Carmen - Hannah had a strong meet in both the 200 and 500 freestyles. What was particularly noteworthy was her willingness to volunteer for the 500. Most athletes beg to be left out of the event. Hannah, on the other hand, saw an opportunity to be successful and stepped forward to give it a try. She continues to do whatever it takes to help her team.
• Ella Galbraith - Ella also deserves recognition for stepping into the 500 and succeeding. This week was the first time she ever competed in the event. She faced the challenge with good humor and performed well. Ella was there when her team needed her and she served them well!
• Owen Dyson - Owen had a strong meet in both the 200 and 100 freestyle events. His finest moment came at the end of the 100 free when he out-touched his nearest competitor from Woodson by 0.01 seconds! He fought through his race until the end and was rewarded with a razor-thin victory.
• Michael Hynes - Michael also pulled out a victory in an exceptionally close race. His time in the 100 backstroke was only 0.02 seconds faster than the second-place finisher from Woodson. While the margin was thin it was enough to earn first-place points. He also had a strong split in the 400 freestyle relay.
• Joey Eisen - Joey had a strong meet in both the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. His times were just off of his season bests. What is more impressive, though, is how well he competed and raced against Woodson. He appeared strong throughout his races and refused to lose when the outcome was close.
• Morgan Howat - Morgan continued her strong sophomore season with a personal-best in the 50 freestyle event. Her soft-spoken nature masks a fierce competitor who continues to improve week after week. Morgan is also a tremendous teammate who is supportive of her team.
• Alexandra Dicks - Alexandra is also having a tremendous season this year. She continued her strong year with another dominating performance in the 50 freestyle. She posted her fastest high school time of the year in the event. Then she followed it up with a gutsy 100 free where she just missed out on a first-place finish by 0.2 seconds.
• Kyle Wu - Kyle deserves recognition every week for his steady performances in every event. This week he continued his exceptional season with convincing wins in both the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. What the coaches appreciate just as much as his times is his leadership on and off the deck. Kyle is focused, driven, and a tremendous example to his teammates of what it takes to be successful.
• Maggie Shi - Maggie may only be a freshman but she is continuing to demonstrate why she is a vital part of our overall success. She competes against some of the best athletes in the state each week in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly. And yet she is right there in the mix at the end of the race. Her development and growth will be a key part to our team's success during championship season. 
• Darby Galbraith - Darby had one her best meets of the high school season this week. She went out and had strong races in each of her events. She looked strong throughout the meet. And while her times were near her season-bests, it was her drive to win close races that was most impressive to the coaching staff.

Woodson Results

Congratulations to the men's and women's teams on their victories tonight over W.T. Woodson. The men's team won a close meet by the score of 163-152 while the women won with by a more comfortable margin of 189-125.

The men's team was led by Cole Dyson and Kyle Wu, both of whom won their two individual events. Cole took first in the 200 and 500 freestyles, while Kyle won the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. Sam Duncan also took first in the dive event.

The women demonstrated once again why they are two-time defending state champions by winning 11 out of 12 events. Darby Galbraith (100 butterfly and 100 backstroke) and Anna Keating (200 IM and 100 breaststroke) won both their events. Other event winners included Hannah Carmen (500 freestyle), Maddie Grosz (dive), Anna Sullivan (200 freestyle) and Alexandra Dicks (50 freestyle).

Next opponent: Madison will take on Westfield at Cub Run next week. The meet starts at 6:30 and will feature the dive event first, followed by the swim.

Preliminary meet sheets for Woodson

Preliminary meet sheets are now available for our meet tomorrow night against Woodson. It should be a very exciting meet, featuring some very talented swimmers and divers. We shifted some people around from their "usual" events so please check the line-up carefully. You can find a listing by event here and a listing by name here. (Remember that you will need to log-out of your FCPS Google account in order to view the files.)

We will meet in the school lobby at 7:00. Dinner at Glory Days will follow the meet as we celebrate our successes and enjoy the final days of Winter Break! See you all tomorrow night!

Athletes of the Meet - Oakton

Congratulations to Noah Zimmerman and Regan Hau for being named athletes of the week for our meet against Oakton.

Noah had a tremendous meet tonight, making him a worth recipient for this honor. His 50 freestyle split in the medley relay was a personal best by more than a half second. He followed it up with a personal best in the 400 freestyle relay, too. Noah is a strong leader who works hard for his teammates. He sets a positive example on a daily basis and is a major contributor to the overall success of the team.

Regan earned recognition this week for her performances in both the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. In the IM, Regan set a personal best by nearly a full second. And her finish in the 100 breaststroke was tremendous. She came from behind to just out-touch Oakton's swimmer to steal a second-place finish. Regan works hard at practice to perfect her strokes. She takes instruction well and implements it in her strokes. While Regan may be a freshman she is an important part of our team's success and will be for years to come!

There were several other athletes that deserved honorable mention for their efforts tonight:

1. Anna Sullivan -- Anna had a strong swim in the 500 freestyle tonight as well as in the 400 freestyle relay. Her split in the relay was the fastest of the group, leading the team to a time that was just off of a state cut.
2. Maggie Shi -- Maggie had a tremendous swim in the 100 butterfly where she was just off a state cut. She also had a strong performance in the 500 -- especially in the back half. She came back from behind to pull ahead of Oakton's swimmer with 100 left and never looked back!
3. Maddie Grosz -- Maddie had another strong week in the dive competition. She earned a region cut once again and dominated the competition. She was the only competitor to crack the 200-point barrier, with a score of 230.80.
4. Alexandra Dicks -- Alexandra gave all she had in each of her races tonight. Her 50 freestyle was particularly inspiring as she fought off a strong challenge from Oakton to take first place in the event.
5. Anna Keating -- Anna posted a state cut in her 200 IM, coming from behind after the backstroke to win by nearly three seconds. Her time in the 100 breaststroke was fast enough to earn All-American consideration.
6. Sarah Carmen -- Sarah's performance in the 100 freestyle continued her streak of sub one-minute swims in the event. Breaking the one-minute barrier is a significant accomplishment in a swimmer's career and now Sarah does it on a consistent basis!
7. John Klein -- John set a personal best in both the 50 and 100 freestyles. He continues to drop time each week and is making himself a consistent contributor to the team. 
8. Sam Duncan -- Sam dominated the dive competition again this week, earning first-place in the event. What is impressive is not that Sam is so talented but that he shares his expertise with his teammates. Sam provides helpful feedback and advice each week in practice in order to support and develop his teammates. 
9. Brayden Philpott -- Brayden had a strong performance in the 500 freestyle tonight. Despite being sick and not feeling well, he kept up with some two of the best distance swimmers in the state. He followed that up with a region cut in the 100 breaststroke, just missing out on a second-place finish by 0.16 seconds.
10. Joey Eisen -- Joey had one of the best meets of his career tonight. His time in the 200 IM was a personal best by over a full second. And his breaststroke race was also the fastest time he's ever posted in a high school meet. Joey is positioning himself to be a real threat at the district level and beyond.
11. Sam Deege -- Sam just continues to shed time at an astronomical rate each week in the 500. Last week he dropped 11 seconds. This week he dropped an additional 14 seconds! At this rate he will be just off the region cut by the end of the season. And while that might seem far-fetched, few people have dropped as much time as Sam has in so short a period of time!
12. Aaron Diehl -- Aaron not only set a personal record in the 100 backstroke, but he also broke a major milestone at the same time. Aaron's time of 58.99 was the first time he ever broke the one-minute barrier. He came out of the water excited about his time but also upset that he didn't do better. He self-diagnosed his swim and is primed to drop even more time next meet.

Oakton Results

Both the men's and women's teams put forth strong efforts tonight and did themselves proud with their effort. Unfortunately, that was not enough to carry the Warhawks to victory over Oakton. The men's team lost by a score of 172-143, while the women's team fell 161-154.

There were a number of notable performances tonight. Two swims were worth of All-American consideration: the women's 200 medley relay and Anna Keating in the 100 breaststroke. There were also a number of state cuts that were earned, including:

• Men's 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays
• Patrick Kuhlkin in the 200 IM
• Anna Keating in the 200 IM
• Kyle Wu in the 50 free and 100 breaststroke
• Alexandra Dicks in the 50 free

Next opponent: Madison's next meet will be against Woodson on January 4 at 8:30 at Oak Marr.

Preliminary meet sheets for Oakton

Preliminary meet sheets for tomorrow's meet against Oakton are now available. You will find a listing by event here and a listing by name here. (Remember that you will need to log-out of your FCPS Google account in order to view the files.) Please keep in mind that we are in the teeth of cold and flu season so things can change rapidly depending on how everyone is feeling tomorrow night. So please be ready for last-minute changes. Hopefully you all get a good night's sleep and feel ready to go tomorrow night!

We will meet for the bus in the main lobby at school at 7:00. Dinner at Glory Days afterward to mark a successful meet and the beginning of winter break!

Athletes of the Meet - Mt. Vernon & Edison

Congratulations to Ryan Breedlove and Hannah Carmen for being named as athletes of the meet for our tri-meet against Mt. Vernon and Edison.

Ryan was named athlete of the meet because of his strong performances in the 100 freestyle, and 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays. Ryan set a personal best in the 100 freestyle and followed it up with fast splits in each of his relays. More importantly, Ryan demonstrated great leadership throughout the meet. His intensity and desire to compete inspired his teammates and makes Ryan and important part of our overall success.

Hannah earned distinction on the strength of her swims in the 200 and 100 freestyle events. Hannah's times were just off her personal bests in both events. Just as importantly, she is focused on continuing to grow and improve her times in each event. She won the first two events of her career and helped both her relays to finish in second place. Hannah continues to work hard at practice every week and has a great attitude. She is definitely a welcomed addition to our team!

Honorable mention goes out to the following athletes for their performances during this week's meet:

1. Rachel Schluetter - Rachel had a great swim in the 200 freestyle event posting a time that was just off of her personal best. She followed that swim up with a personal best 100 freestyle time. She's returning from an early-season injury and is providing greater depth for our team
2. Regan Hau - Regan had strong performances in both the 200 IM and 100 backstroke tonight. Both swims looked strong and exhibited impressive fundamentals. Regan has a great attitude and is constantly looking for feedback that will make her even better.
3. Alexandra Dicks - Alexandra continued her strong season with a state-qualifying time in the 50 freestyle. Her 100 backstroke time was just off of the state cut as well. And her split in the 200 medley relay helped her team to earn a state cut in the event. She continues to grow and improve each week.
4. Sam Duncan - Sam combined superior dive skill with a sprinkling of swimming prowess tonight. Not only did Sam win the dive competition he put in a solid performance swimming the breaststroke leg of the 200 medley relay. While Sam showed promise swimming he'll continue to focus his attention to chasing a state championship in diving!
5. Ben Shroeder - Ben's impressive senior season continued this week with a personal-best 50 freestyle time. He followed that time up with an equally fast lead-off leg in the 200 freestyle relay. His time in the 100 butterfly was just off of his personal best as well. Ben's hard work and commitment to excellence continue to drive his success this season.
6. Benham Cobb - Benham is quietly having one of the best freshman seasons on the team. Benham's quiet demeanor belies the fierce competitor he is. His time in the 200 IM was only 0.5 seconds off his personal best. And his split in the 400 freestyle relay would have established a new standard for himself in the 100 freestyle.
7. Sam Deege - Sam continues to grow and improve in the 500 freestyle. His time is now nearly 30 seconds faster today than it was one year ago. In the past two weeks he's dropped 15 seconds in one meet and 11 in the next. His positive attitude and work ethic are exceptional and make him a great teammate.
8. Aidan McInerney - Aidan stepped up tonight and offered to swim the 500 freestyle. While many of his teammates dread the idea of swimming the event, Aidan volunteered to take it on. Having never competed in the event before, he had no idea what to expect. After tonight Aidan may be able to expect more opportunities to grow and develop in the future!

Edison and Mt. Vernon Results

Congratulations to both the men's and women's teams on their wins tonight against Edison and Mt. Vernon. The Warhawks dominated both meets on their way to victory. Madison 23 out of 24 events, including sweeps in all three relays.

A number of relays and individuals earned state cuts tonight, including:

1. Women's 200 medley relay
2. Men's 200 freestyle relay
3. Kyle Wu - 200 individual medley
4. Alexandra Dicks - 50 freestyle
5. Anna Keating - 100 breaststroke

Next opponent: Madison faces off with conference rival Oakton next Friday at 8:30 at Oak Marr.