Click here for full Virginia A/AA State Championship meet results
The Brentsville boys won their second straight state championship Saturday.
One year after capturing a razor-thin five-point victory to claim the Virginia A-AA state championship, Brentsville’s talented core of seniors capped their high school careers with another title – this time with a little less late drama.
Led by another stellar performance from senior Ryan Dunne, three strong relays and 12 overall top-10 finishes, the Tigers compiled 236 points to get past Hidden Valley (217) and Jefferson Forest (216) and capture their second straight championship Saturday at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center.
Seniors Chuckie Zumbaugh and Tim Rackowski and juniors Justin Doyle and Ben Cumberland placed third in the 200 medley relay (1:38.82) to set the tone for a meet marked by close finishes.
Dunne – who finished second in the 50 free last year – won the event in a time of 21.36, edging out Marion senior Brandon Kegley. Then in the 100 free, Dunne pulled out another win over Kegley (46.94), posting a time of 46.65.
“Ryan is a great swimmer and he does not like to lose,” Brentsville coach Ashleigh Krzywicki said. “He had a great meet and was a big part of the win.”
But Dunne wasn’t done yet. Along with Cumberland, Doyle and senior Nathan Brown, he helped the Tigers run away with a state record 200 free relay time of 1:27.43. Brentsville blew past the field, beating second-place Lafayette by more than three seconds.
Doyle notched a pair of sixth-place finishes in the 200 IM (1:59.46) and 100 back (54.36) with personal best times in both events – including a five-second drop in the medley and a new school record in the back with his preliminary time (53.99). Zumbaugh placed fifth in the 100 breast with his personal best time (1:00.22) and took eighth in the 100 free and Rackowski notched personal bests in the 100 fly and 100 back.
Broad Run senior Mark Sarman won the 100 fly and took second in the 200 IM (Photo by Shelley Larrabee).
Broad Run senior Mark Sarman won the 100 fly (50.20) and took second in the 200 IM (1:52.61) to help the Spartans to a ninth-place finish overall. The Spartans’ chances to improve upon last year’s fifth-place finish were hurt when their 200 free relay team was disqualified for an early take-off. Junior Jacob Leidy finished fifth in the 100 fly and seventh in the 100 back and teamed with Jack Morrisroe, Alan Horback and Sarman to take sixth in the 400 free.
Freedom‘s boys too eighth place overall with strong showings in a pair of relays. In the 200 medley, Nicholas Campbell, Andrew Smith, Christopher Crampton and Michael Harman took fifth in the 200 medley relay and the same foursome took fourth in the 200 free relay. Briar Woods junior finished fourth in the 500 free (4:41.51) and fourth in the 100 breast (1:00.22).
On the girls’ side, Briar Woods took a step up from its fourth-place finish last year, claiming third place with 173 points to finish behind Hidden Valley (211) and state champions Western Albemarle (217).
Junior Alli Haufler finished second in the 100 fly (56.63) and third in the 200 free (1:54.92) and sophomore Kristin Haufler placed sixth in the 100 free and tied teammate Caleigh Hensley for the seventh in the 50 free. Hensley, the Haufler sisters and Caitlyn Brown took second in the 400 free relay (3:37.28) and Hensley, the Haufler sisters and Erica Comm placed third in the 200 medley relay (1:51.14).
Senior Nicole Haynes grabbed a pair of second-place finishes in the 100 free (53.53) and 100 back (58.20) to help the Brentsville girls to a best-ever ninth-place finish.
With Brentsville’s win all but assured four of the Tigers’ key seniors – Brown, Zumbaugh, Rackowski and Dunne – took third in the 400 free relay to cap their high school careers with a championship.
“Last year was very close, but this year’s win was better” Krzywicki said. “We knew going into the 400 that all they had to do was not DQ and the title was ours. It was a feeling I will never forget.”
Click here for full Virginia A/AA State Championship meet results
Ryan Dunne delivered the goods and made a strong case for swimmer of the year!
You’re absolutely correct, who could possibly pick Jack Conger over Ryan Dunne?
i wouldnt pick jack conger over chuck katis……
ryan dunne has no chance at getting swimmer of the year. he didn’t even get any automatic all american times. Chuck Katis, Mark Sarman, Kurtis Ratcliff, Spencer Sterling, Jack Conger, Jonathan Ekstrom, Garrett Powell, and a few others did… Ryan’s chances are very slim. The battle for swimmer of the year is between Chuck Katis and Jack Conger.
No battle in my opinion. They’re both stellar swimmers, who have a bright future. But the kid’s nickname is Jack “King” Conger. You just can’t compete with that.
FYI – SCY Season is just peaking – let’s not decide yet!
aybaybay, youre a jerk.
Were there any problems with the one-cap rule at the AA meet?
nah we were told that they were enforcing the rule, nobody got dq’d
conger won’t get it just because he’s a sophomore: he still has time. he could’ve easily won it last year but the post wouldn’t do that
Aybaybay was not being a jerk. He/she is correct. Ryan Dunne’s winning time in the 50 free would have only earned him 5th place at the AAA Northern Region meet, and he would have been 3rd in 100 free. There were a ton of very talented swimmers who had great seasons this year, but Conger and Katis have to stand out above the rest.
Ryan Dunne performed well enough to win. He would have elevated his game to score and win AAA, if needed. Remember he did not taper nor shave for the meet. Check out his performance at NCSA’s. The talent was better and also his times with a 45.81 50 free and 1.39.97 200 free. The thing about Ryan is that when its on the line, he wins.
Congratulations to Jack Conger, ALL MET SWIMMER OF THE YEAR!
and also to Sarah HAESE, ALL MET SWIMMER OF THE YEAR!