Porter-Gaud took home South Carolina Independent High School state titles for boys and girls in class AAA over the weekend, with the Spartanburg Day girls and Oakbrook Prep boys winning in AA-A.
AAA
Between both genders, Porter-Gaud won 12 of 22 events and broke 6 state records en route to dominating team trophies.
For the boys, Willem Goedecke and Daniel Kassiss each won 4 events and broke 3 state records. Goedecke broke the 100 fly record in 52.82, plus won the 200 free in 1:43.45. Kassis, meanwhile, broke the state 200 IM record with a 1:57.63 and also won the 100 breast in 1:01.42.
The two joined forces to break two relay records. Michael Doyle, Kassis, Goedecke and Brian Rieder went 1:43.15 to win the 200 medley, and Kassis, Alex Hannegan, Doyle and Goedecke won the 400 free relay in 3:24.17.
Also starring on the boys side was Matthew Fadel of the Ben Lippen School, who won back to back events in the middle of the meet. Fadel was 47.91 to win the 100 free, then showed his endurance and range by winning the 500 free just one event later in 4:53.03.
On the girls side, sisters Elysse and Kaila Pardus powered Porter-Gaud to the title, combining for 6 event titles and a pair of state records from older sister Elysse.
Elysse took on the tough 100 fly/500 free double and broke state marks in both. Her 55.21 took down the 100 fly record, and she returned to go 4:58.50 in a dominant 500 free showing.
Kaila, meanwhile, won the 200 IM in 2:12.57 and the 100 breast in 1:06.85, narrowly missing her own state record in the latter event.
Just like Goedecke and Kassis on the boys side, the Pardus sisters combined to win both the 200 medley and 400 free relays. Elysse, Kaila, Gelsey Jaymes and Annie Chapman went 1:52.54 to win the medley (missing the state record by two tenths) and Alexa Johnson, Kaila, Jaymes and Elysse were 3:55.76 to win the 400 free relay.
The other star for the girls was Heathwood Hall’s Savannah Hillmeyer, who almost singlehandedly put her team into second place. Hillmeyer broke two state records: a 53.47 in the 100 free and a 58.21 in the 100 back. Even more impressive: in between those two swims (and one event before the backstroke), she led the team of Lily Richter, Abby Wilson and Olivia Moran to a state title in the 200 free relay with a 1:45.08.
Also breaking a state record was Lydia Parrish of the Ben Lippen School. She went 24.65 in the 50 free.
Other event winners:
- Cardinal Newman’s Sarah Liebenow went 2:05.02 to win the 200 free.
- Cardinal Newman also won the boys 50 free, with Emmanuel Cunningham going 22.39.
- Pinewood Prep won the boys 200 free relay with the team of Ray Mennetti, Nathan Greenslit, Krish Patel and Connor Campbell going 1:34.21.
- Alex Brooks out of the Ben Lippen School won the boys 100 back in 53.95.
Top 5 Teams:
Boys:
- Porter-Gaud – 249
- Pinewood Prep – 166
- Ben Lippen School – 129
- First Baptist – 115
- Cardinal Newman – 99
Girls:
- Porter-Gaud – 217
- Heathwood Hall – 173
- Ashley Hall – 135
- Cardinal Newman – 114
- First Baptist – 92
AA-A
In a thriller on the girls side, Spartanburg Day’s show of depth outpaced Hilton Head’s 3 event titles for the team win by just a point and a half.
Spartanburg Day had three runner-up finishes, including a 200 free relay that was just three tenths out of a title. That team was made up of Susannah Lyon, Camrynn Wilson, Emily Cobourn and Sarah Griffin and went 1:51.44. Cobourn (50 free; 27.77) and Griffin (100 free; 1:00.25) would also take individual runner-up spots, and Lyon was 3rd in the 500 free.
That 200 free relay title went to Hilton Head in 1:51.13, with the team of Grace Hilton, Audrey Robinson, Sterling Burd and Ashley Weaver. Hilton also topped Griffin to win the 100 free in 59.59.
That same foursome also won the 200 medley relay in 2:06.50.
The double individual winners for the girls were Heritage Academy’s Chloe Corbitt and St. Andrews’ Grace Van Brunt. Corbitt scored all 28 of her team’s points with wins in the 200 free (1:55.87) and 100 fly (57.46). Van Brunt, meanwhile, won the 200 IM (2:12.44) and 100 back (1:00.80).
For the boys Oakbook Prep won the first and last relays, plus got a 500 free title from Will Patterson to win the team title. Patterson was 5:05.01 in that 500, with teammate and younger brother Drew Patterson second in 5:15.36.
On the medley relay, Bryce Glenn, Will Patterson, Slade Glenn and Greg Thalassenos went 1:46.11 for the win, and the Glenn and Patterson brothers took the 400 free relay in 3:32.18 to cap off the team win.
The only state record in the boys meet came from Heritage Academy’s Noah Corbitt, who won the 200 free in 1:41.65. He doubled up with a 46.70 blowout win in the 100 free. His teammate Clayton North also won twice, going 2:03.75 in the 200 IM and 56.14 in the 100 fly.
Other event winners:
- In the girls 50 free, Palmetto Christian Academy’s Lauren Pernell went 27.10 for the win.
- On the boys side, Mead Hall Episcopal got the win on a 23.53 swim from Sam Johnson.
- The girls 500 went to Braedyn Jackson of the Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach at 5:49.40.
- Spartanburg Day won the boys 200 free relay in 1:39.36 with the team of William Owens, Tommy Leonardi, Ligon Chewning and Geoffrey McVey.
- McVey went on to win the 100 breast in 1:06.08.
- In the boys 100 back, Sam Biggerstaff of Palmetto Christian won in 1:00.49, a touchout of .04 seconds over Slade Glenn.
- Mead Hall won the last two events on the girls side. First, Adelle Dennis was 1:14.96 to win the 100 breast.
- Then Dennis anchored the team of Macy Bagwell, Zoe Debordeaux and Reagan Houck to the 400 free relay title in 4:13.83.
Top 5 Teams:
Boys:
- Oakbrook Prep – 185
- Spartanburg Day – 143
- Palmetto Christian – 113
- Mead Hall Episcopal – 111
- Shannon Forest Christian – 71
Girls:
- Spartanburg Day – 143
- Hilton Head – 141.5
- St. Andrew’s – 101
- Oakbrook Prep – 100
- Mead Hall Episcopal – 99