Freshman Conze Breaks 500 Free State Record at Maryland 4A/3A Championships

2020 MARYLAND 4A/3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 22, 2020
• Eppley Recreation Center
• Meet Info
• Results

FINAL TOP 5 TEAMS – GIRLS

1. Bethesda-Chevy Chase 314.5
2. Walter Johnson 284.5
3. Winston Chirchill 213.5
4. Walt Whitman 187.5
5. Montgomery Blair 156

FINAL TOP 5 TEAMS – BOYS

1. Walt Whitman 338
2. Winston Churchill 275
3. Richard Montgomery 239
4. Walter Johnson 211
5. Montgomery Blair 207

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase girls made history at the 2020 Maryland 4A/3A State Championships, winning their first ever team title. It was also a historic result on the boys’s side, as Walt Whitman won the program’s first state title. Several State Records went down throughout the meet.

Walter Johnson freshman Maren Conze swept her individual events. She took the 200 free in 1:49.97 and the 500 free in 4:52.25. Her time in the 500 free set a new State Record. It clipped the former mark set by Madison Waechter in 2017 by 4 tenths. Conze was also a member of the 200 free relay and 400 free relay that set State Records.

Walter Johnson took down their own record in the 200 free relay with a 1:35.95. Molly Benson led them off in 23.79, followed by Lianna Rosman (24.56), Jane Umhofer (23.99), and Conze (23.61) came together to win the race. They took down the 400 free relay record in 3:29.19 with Benson (52.37 leadoff), Sienna Karp (52.61), Umhofer (52.97), and Conze (51.24).

The Walt Whitman boys swept the freestyle relays in record time as they won their team title. Alec Cooper led off in 21.07, followed by Michael Paulos (21.02), Kris Lawson (20.76), and Lucca Scott (20.54) to set the 200 free relay in 1:23.39. In the 400 free relay, their squad set the record in 3:06.15 with Scott (46.68 leadoff), Jason Bretz (47.43), Lawson (46.30), and Cooper (45.74).

Cooper, a junior, also swept the individual boys’ sprints. He put up a 21.12 in the 50 free and a 46.35 in the 100 free. His 21.02 leadoff on the 200 free relay was a lifetime best and is just 4 hundredths shy of the State Record set by Steven Mendley in 2019.

Churchill also took down a relay State Record as they won the boys’ 200 medley relay in 1:33.51. Ziad Bandik put up a 23.93 back split to get them started. Alvin Kimwon (26.46 breast), Ben Long Zuo (22.90 fly), and Noah Rutberg (20.22) sealed the victory.

Follwing that win, Rutberg went on to sweep his individual races. He won the 200 IM shortly after the relay, posting a 1:50.90. Rutberg then broke his own State Record in the 100 back by over half a second in 49.36. Relay teammates Zuo (100 breast- 57.07) and Bandak (500 free- 4:34.34) also won individual titles.

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase girls won 4 events as they took the state title. They narrowly missed the State Record in the 200 medley relay, winning the race in 1:46.25. That missed the mark by 4 tenths. Samantha Smith led off with a 26.69 back split. Jazz Barry clocked a 29.53 breast leg, and Jill Berger put up a 25.59 on the fly. Ailey Gold then anchored them to victory in 24.44.

Smith went on to win the 100 back individually, clocking in at 56.30. In the 100 fly, Berger out-touched Smith, 55.76 to 55.93, for the title. Freshman Nina Allen also earned a title, winning the 50 free in 23.70.

Additional Event Winners

• Boys’ 200 Free: Everett Oehler, Richard Montgomery, 1:41.51
• Girls 200 IM: Katherine Blake, Richard Montgomery, 2:04.58
• Boys 100 fly: Chris Ma, Richard Montgomery, 49.56
• Girls 100 free: Lauren West, Einstein, 51.48
• Girls 100 breast: Catherine Belyakov, Quince Orchard, 1:02.10