Top 10 High School Times: Freestyle
By Reach for the Wall staff.
Editor’s Note: Several Montgomery County observers note that the lists below reflect the results of important high school championship meets in the Virginia High School League (VHSL) and the Washington Metropolitan Prep School Swimming & Diving League (WMPSSDL) but not Metros (which is an important championship meet for the Montgomery County Public Schools that runs February 8-11). RFTW will update all of these Top 10 lists next week after Metros to show what impact, if any, Metros has on them.
As with the Relays, we searched our results to come up with the best high school times in the area for the Freestyle events. You may notice that some of these time don’t match the entry times for the Metros meet. The qualifying period for Metros includes last year’s championship, whereas we are tracking times swum from 11/2016 through 2/4/2017.
In seven of the eight events, a swimmer from VHSL leads the pack. Tommy Hallock (Oakton High School) has posted top times in the 50 & 100 free and is in reach of VHSL meet records, while Sinead Eksteen (McLean High School) has done the same in the 200 & 500 free. Also at the top of the charts is Lane Stone (West Springfield High School), with exceptional performances in the 200 & 500 Free. Phoebe Bacon (Stone Ridge School) swam the fastest in the 50 free, but will not have a chance to better her time (unless she leads off the 200 free relay) as she has opted to swim the 100 back and 100 fly at Metro’s (more on those events in tomorrow’s post).
Jump to the videos captured by SwimSwam to see some of the top performances at last week’s 6A North Region meet.
Boys 50 Free
Metro Record: 19.85 Jack Conger, Good Counsel
VHSL Meet Record: 20.19, James Jones, James Robinson
| Rank | Time | Name | School | Date | Meet |
| 1 | 20.52 | Thomas Hallock | OAKT | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 2 | 20.53 | Ryan Windus | GONZ | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 3 | 20.79 | Sterling Smith | DEM | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 4 | 20.96 | Tom McGovern | GC | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 5 | 21.11 | Kevin Adams-Mardi | WPOT | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 5 | 21.11 | James Hayburn | SMHS | 1/21/2017 | National Catholic H.S. |
| 7 | 21.19 | Corey Shepard | OSPK | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 8 | 21.21 | Peter Makin | FAIR | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 9 | 21.23 | Andrew Omenitsch | PREP | 1/21/2017 | National Catholic H.S. |
| 10 | 21.45 | Kenny Afolabi-Brown | RMT | 2/4/2017 | Divisionals 2017 |
Girls 50 Free
Metro Record: 22.69, Caroline McTaggart, Holton-Arms
VHSL Meet Record: 22.29, Janet Hu, Oakton
| Rank | Time | Name | School | Date | Meet |
| 1 | 23.25 | Phoebe Bacon | SR | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 2 | 23.41 | Whittney Hamilton | PHRO | 2/3/2017 | 2017 VHSL 5A North Region |
| 3 | 23.50 | Emily Meilus | HERN | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 4 | 23.52 | Jasmine Hellmer | FHS | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 5 | 23.56 | Sydney Mathis | HA | 1/26/2017 | 2017 ISL Swimming & Diving |
| 6 | 23.61 | Alexa Cuomo | CNTV | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 7 | 23.72 | Jacquee Clabeaux | CHNT | 1/27/2017 | 2017 Concorde Conference |
| 8 | 23.82 | Anna Landon | FCH | 1/26/2017 | 2017 Conference 13 |
| 9 | 23.86 | Anna Ober | FAIR | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 10 | 23.89 | Caroline Wittich | WSPR | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
Boys 100 Free
Metro Record: 42.81, Jack Conger, Good Counsel
VHSL Meet Record: 44.45, James Jones, James Robinson
| Rank | Time | Name | School | Date | Meet |
| 1 | 44.58 | Thomas Hallock | OAKT | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 2 | 45.56 | Ryan Windus | GONZ | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 3 | 45.93 | Andrew Omenitsch | PREP | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 4 | 46.37 | Allen Ross | PATR | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 5 | 46.61 | Casey Storch | LHS | 1/27/2017 | 2017 Liberty Conference 6 |
| 6 | 46.63 | James Hayburn | SMHS | 1/21/2017 | National Catholic H.S. |
| 7 | 46.71 | Lane Stone | WS | 1/27/2017 | Conference 7 Championships |
| 8 | 46.73 | Corey Shepard | OSPK | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 9 | 46.96 | Jonathan Pollock | TJEFF | 1/26/2017 | 2017 Conference 13 |
| 10 | 47.11 | Peter Brukx | ROBN | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
Girls 100 Free
Metro Record: 48.75, Caroline McTaggart, Holton-Arms
VHSL Meet Record: 49.15, Rebecca Jones, First Colonial
| Rank | Time | Name | School | Date | Meet |
| 1 | 50.75 | Alexa Cuomo | CNTV | 1/27/2017 | 2017 Concorde Conference |
| 2 | 51.08 | Camryn Barry | BWHS | 2/3/2017 | 2017 VHSL 5A North Region |
| 3 | 51.69 | Anna Ober | FAIR | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 4 | 51.87 | Elizabeth Kuhlkin | JMHS | 1/27/2017 | 2017 Liberty Conference 6 |
| 5 | 51.93 | Emily Meilus | HERN | 1/27/2017 | 2017 Concorde Conference |
| 6 | 51.94 | Olivia French | GC | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 7 | 51.96 | Savannah Nash | BTFL | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 8 | 52.01 | Anna Shumate | IRETN | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 9 | 52.04 | Jasmine Hellmer | FHS | 1/26/2017 | 2017 ISL Swimming & Diving |
| 10 | 52.06 | Grace Cutrell | HERN | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
Boys 200 Free
Metro Record: 1:37.13 Matthew Hirschberger, Georgetown Prep
VHSL Meet Record: 1:35.76 Andrew Seliskar, Thomas Jefferson S&T
| Rank | Time | Name | School | Date | Meet |
| 1 | 1:37.81 | Lane Stone | WSPR | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 2 | 1:38.46 | Samuel Pomajevich | SJMN | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 3 | 1:39.59 | Samuel Tarter | PREP | 1/21/2017 | National Catholic H.S. |
| 4 | 1:39.79 | Jonathan Pollock | TJEFF | 2/3/2017 | 2017 VHSL 5A North Region |
| 5 | 1:40.11 | Daniel Gyenis | OAKT | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 6 | 1:40.67 | Philip Manoff | BTFL | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 7 | 1:40.84 | Casey Storch | LHS | 1/27/2017 | 2017 Liberty Conference 6 |
| 8 | 1:41.45 | Matthew Popovich | DHS | 1/27/2017 | 2017 Conference 21 |
| 9 | 1:41.97 | Dylan Eichberg | STAF | 2/3/2017 | 2017 VHSL 5A North Region |
| 10 | 1:42.48 | John Moore | BWHS | 2/3/2017 | 2017 VHSL 5A North Region |
Girls 200 Free
Metro Record: 1:41.55, Kathleen Ledecky, Stone Ridge
VHSL Meet Record: 1:46.32, Rebecca Jones, First Colonial
| Rank | Time | Name | School | Date | Meet |
| 1 | 1:46.91 | Sinead Eksteen | MCLN | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 2 | 1:48.62 | Lea Gwennap | CHNT | 1/27/2017 | 2017 Concorde Conference |
| 3 | 1:49.38 | Madeline LaPorte | JMAD | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 4 | 1:49.97 | Madelyn Donohoe | DJO | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 5 | 1:50.34 | Abigail Harter | BWHS | 2/3/2017 | 2017 VHSL 5A North Region |
| 6 | 1:50.41 | Isabella Rongione | LHS | 1/27/2017 | 2017 Liberty Conference 6 |
| 7 | 1:50.42 | Emily Hetzer | BTFL | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 8 | 1:50.75 | Michelle Owens | LANG | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 9 | 1:51.56 | Maddie Heilbrun | MAD | 1/26/2017 | 2017 ISL Swimming & Diving |
| 10 | 1:52.15 | Erika Chen | SR | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
Boys 500 Free
Metro Record: 4:13.87, Jack Conger, Good Counsel
VHSL Meet Record: 4:25.72, Matt Benecki, Chantilly
| Rank | Time | Name | School | Date | Meet |
| 1 | 4:24.31 | Lane Stone | WSPR | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 2 | 4:29.08 | Samuel Tarter | PREP | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 3 | 4:29.95 | Matthew Hirschberger | PREP | 1/21/2017 | National Catholic H.S. |
| 4 | 4:31.14 | Daniel Gyenis | OAKT | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 5 | 4:31.22 | Dylan Cudahy | HERN | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 6 | 4:34.51 | Jonathan Pollock | TJEFF | 2/3/2017 | 2017 VHSL 5A North Region |
| 7 | 4:35.37 | Jacob Rosner | BEARS | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 8 | 4:36.66 | Matthew Braviak | GONZ | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 9 | 4:37.67 | Victor Pliuskaitis | BWHS | 2/3/2017 | 2017 VHSL 5A North Region |
| 10 | 4:39.20 | Jack Edgemond | SL | 1/27/2017 | 2017 Liberty Conference 6 |
Girls 500 Free
Metro Record: 4:26.58, Kathleen Ledecky, Stone Ridge
VHSL Meet Record: 4:43.43, Megan Byrnes, Oakton
| Rank | Time | Name | School | Date | Meet |
| 1 | 4:44.89 | Sinead Eksteen | MHS | 1/27/2017 | 2017 Liberty Conference 6 |
| 2 | 4:47.96 | Madelyn Donohoe | DJO | 2/2/2017 | 2017 WMPSSDL Swim & Dive Champ |
| 3 | 4:48.03 | Isabella Rongione | LANG | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 4 | 4:48.59 | Lea Gwennap | CHNT | 1/27/2017 | 2017 Concorde Conference |
| 5 | 4:52.79 | Emily Hetzer | BTFL | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 6 | 4:55.38 | Michelle Owens | LANG | 1/31/2017 | 2017 Northern Region |
| 7 | 4:57.36 | Sydney Harrington | TJEFF | 2/3/2017 | 2017 VHSL 5A North Region |
| 8 | 4:57.87 | Brooke Knisely | PHRO | 2/3/2017 | 2017 VHSL 5A North Region |
| 9 | 5:00 | Madison Waechter | MTB | 2/4/2017 | Division 2 Championships |
| 10 | 5:02.50 | Grace Giddings | SHE | 2/4/2017 | Division 2 Championships |
Videos:
Here’s some footage from last week’s VHSL 6A North meet, where Tommy Hallock, Sinead Eksteen and Lane Stone set their standards:
Tommy Hallock 100 Free:
Sinead Ecksteen 200 Free:
Lane Stone 200 Free:
Good job, RFTW. I would like to see a pre-meet analysis of the potential top 5 teams.
We did a preseason poll for the boys and girls team top 5:
http://reachforthewall.com/2016/11/25/pre-season-poll-mens-metro-championship/
http://reachforthewall.com/2016/11/23/pre-season-poll-womens-metro-championship/
Based on the psych sheet, there shouldn’t be too much movement in the top 5 on the boys side with the exception of one team not previously mentioned… The girls title race is a tossup. There are 3 teams that could make enough waves to win it all…we’re excited to see them race!