Two undefeated teams walked into the Arundel Olympic Swim Center on Friday night. Both walked out still unbeaten.
Most of Severna Park’s girls team refused to believe that the county championship was in hand until the final event. But sophomore KK Sullivan knew it would happen the moment she touched the wall in the 100-yard butterfly, glanced to the scoreboard and realized she’d beaten her Broadneck opponent by 0.44 seconds.
“A lot was riding on that [race]. We were only seven points off Broadneck,” said Sullivan, who later finished second in the 100 backstroke.
She decided to swim high school this winter, inspired by her club teammate, Amber Gong. The two played instrumental roles in propelling the Falcons girls to their first county title since 2014 and fifth overall. They tag-teamed for silver in the 200 medley relay behind the Bruins, but rallied. Sullivan and Gong anchored the winning 200 free and 400 free relays, respectively.
Severna Park needed those individual points as well as a tight triumph in the 200 free relay and 400 free relay to score 286 points, edging out last year’s champion Broadneck by 60.
The Falcons swimmers screamed the moment they received the championship plaque.
“I thought it was about time,” said Gong, who also took the 100 breaststroke and snapped a 16-year old program record in the 200 individual medley. “It means everything. We have such a special group of girls that we had to do something special this year.”
They were not the only 12-0 team to celebrate. The Broadneck boys are a little more familiar with it.
Bruins waggled four fingers even before their name was called. A whopping 287 points awarded Broadneck the county title for the fourth-straight year. Seniors like Owen Mahoney and Marcus Cembrano, who claimed individual and relay wins, have won every regular season and county meet since first donning their maroon caps as freshmen. It’s the program’s seventh overall title.
“We really wanted to come in and show what we could really do; that we’re still running swimming,” said Mahoney, who also earned gold in the 100 fly.
The Bruins swept all three relays, further jetting them to a healthy lead over the competition throughout the night.
“It was the greatest feeling,” Cembrano said. “Knowing we were on track to a four-peat by the second relay, I just thought ‘My 100 breast is gonna be so fun now. There’s no pressure. Let me just swim my heart out.’”
But such a dominant win was not assured.
Illness rattled the Bruins’ plans Friday, forcing a change to the boys 100 fly and two relays, including the 200 free relay.
The Bruins boys chased the county record in that particular race. Though junior Kohl Hanes had just exhausted himself to swim a winning 500 free a half hour earlier, he filled in and blazed past Severna Park’s anchor to do it – snapping the old 1:29.28 mark with a 1:28.19 finish.
“I was ready,” said Hanes, who also claimed the 200 free individually and anchored the 400 free relay. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”
A recent win over Crofton in the regular season gave them the confidence they needed. The Cardinals shared the boys title last season due to a late disqualification on Broadneck’s part. The Bruins hadn’t forgotten that. This, they said, was their revenge game.
Taking down rival Broadneck last week had a similar effect on the Severna Park girls. It was the final proof they needed to know they could truly hit this milestone on Friday.
“It really inspired and motivated us,” Gong said.
Crofton’s Grant Murphy stood out in his final high school appearance. The Virginia-bound senior snapped both of his own county records in the 200 IM and 100 back, one by about three seconds and the other by one. In the back, Murphy remained underwater longer than his opponents, propelling himself further.
“It’s my style,” he said.
Two other Cardinals were double champions: Mabel Zegowitz (50 and 100 free) and Regan Carpenter (500 free and 100 back).
Madelyn Canaday also made history on Friday, securing Severn Run’s first county title, winning the girls 200 free.
Broadneck made sure to mark this night with more than medals. The program took it upon themselves to designate the county championship as a mental health night. They made a banner and bracelets. Bruins strolled around the decks, speaking with younger swimmers.
“It was about really encouraging them to work through tough times and really speak up if they need it,” Bruins senior Ben Cukor said. “Know that we’re one team, a community, and we’re here to build you up both in the pool and out.”
Team Scores
Boys: 1. Broadneck 287, 2. Severna Park 211, 3. Crofton 198, 4. Annapolis 118, 5. South River 100, 6. Arundel 92, 7. North County 88, 8. Old Mill 73, 9. Chesapeake 40, 10. Severn Run 39, 11. Meade 28, 12. Southern 16, 13. Northeast 6; Girls: 1. Severna Park 286, 2. Broadneck 226, 3. Crofton 220, 4. Annapolis 120, 5. South River 98, 6. Severn Run 94, 7. Chesapeake 83, 8. Arundel 63, 9. Northeast 38, 10. Old Mill 24, 11. Meade 22, 12. North County 12, 13. Glen Burnie 10, 14. Southern 6
Individual Results
Boys 200 medley relay: 1. Broadneck (1:39.36), 2. Crofton (1:40.51), 3. Annapolis (1:46.14); Girls 200 medley relay: 1. Broadneck (1:52.89), 2. Severna Park (1:54.26), 3. Crofton (1:55.31); Boys 200 free: 1. Kohl Hanes, Broadneck (1:43.55), 2. Tripp Kennedy, South River (1:45.55), 3. Kaden Kinsey, Meade (1:50.05); Girls 200 free: 1. Madelyn Canaday, Severn Run (2:00.10). 2. Cedar Gallaudet, Broadneck (2:01.95), 3. Maggie Goodman, Severna Park (2:05.46); Boys 200 IM: 1. Grant Murphy, Crofton (1:51.05#), 2. Colton Sears, North County (1:59.01); 3. Nolan Rider, Broadneck (2:00.71); Girls 200 IM: 1. Amberlynn Gong, Severna Park (2:08.72); 2. Aubrey Whalen, Broadneck (2:17.81), 3. Madelyn Corey, Severna Park (2:18.66); Boys 50 free: 1. Owen Mahoney, Broadneck (22.07), 2. Nik Glee, Broadneck (22.24), 3. Robert Haufe, Jr., Severna Park (22.81); Girls 50 free: 1. Mabel Zegowitz, Crofton (24.00); 2. Lena Rausch, Severna Park (25.96), 3. Autumn Sundberg, Annapolis (26.32); Boys 100 fly: 1. Owen Mahoney, Broadneck (53.77), 2. Riordan Kelley, Severna Park (53.82), 3. Julian Hernandez, Annapolis (55.82); Girls 100 fly: 1. KK Sullivan, Severna Park (58.28), 2. Aubrey Whalen, Broadneck (58.72), 3. Chloe Patel, Broadneck (1:04.89); Boys 100 free: 1. Nathan Colin, Arundel (47.99), 2. Tripp Kennedy, South River (48.52), 3. Braiden Severin, Crofton (49.42); Girls 100 free: 1. Mabel Zegowitz, Crofton (52.60), Madelyn Canaday, Severn (56.02), 3. Maggie Goodman, Severna Park (56.51); Boys 500 free: 1. Kohl Hanes, Broadneck (4:51.18), 2. Colton Sears, North County (4:53.14), 3. Nathaniel Kelley, Severna Park (4:57.48); Girls 500 free: 1. Regan Carpenter, Crofton (5:23.44), 2. Madelyn Corey, Severna Park (5:28.04), Sammy Weimer, Severn Run (5:49.46); Boys 200 free relay: Broadneck 1. (1:28.19#), 2. Severna Park (1:30.90), 3. Arundel (1:36.38); Girls 200 free relay: 1. Severna Park (1:43.84), 2. Broadneck (1:45.02), 3. Crofton (1:52.91); Boys 100 back: 1. Grant Murphy, Crofton (49.59#), 2. Braiden Severin, Crofton (54.11), 3. Kaden Kinsey, Meade (55.75); Girls 100 back: 1. Regan Carpenter, Crofton (1:00.17), 2. KK Sullivan (1:01.26), 3. Elizabeth Stevens, Broadneck (1:02.51); Boys 100 breast: 1. Marcus Cembrano, Broadneck (1:01.00), 2. Shep Kegley, Severna Park (1:02.21), 3. Adam Mason, Chesapeake (1:03.85); Girls 100 breast: Amberlynn Gong, Severna Park (1:07.31), 2. Ellie Moran, Broadneck (1:09.62), 3. Elizabeth Mules, Severna Park (1:15.26); Boys 400 free relay: 1. Broadneck (3:16.60), 2. Crofton (3:19.87), 3. Severna Park (3:21.91); Girls 400 free relay: 1. Severna Park (3:46.92), 2. Crofton (3:51.33), 3. Broadneck (4:06.18)
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