Bishop England Girls Repeat, St. Joseph’s Boys Win 7th Straight SCHSL 3A Title

South Carolina High School League (SCHL) State Championships (3A)

• October 14 & 16, 2023
• Columbia, South Carolina
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results: Team and individual

The 2023 South Carolina High School League (SCHL) State Championships are in the books. The Bishop England girls defended their state title from last year, while the St. Joseph’s Catholic School boys captured their seventh consecutive championship. 

Girls’ Recap

The Bishop England girls topped the team standings for the second year in a row, scoring a total of 418 points. They won two of the three relays contested, as well as secured victories in two individual events. 

Top 5 Teams:

1. Bishop England – 418
2. Gray Collegiate Academy – 359.5
3. St. Joseph’s Catholic School – 334
4. Oceanside Collegiate Academy/D W Daniel – 262
5. –

Capturing both of Bishop England’s individual wins was sophomore Ellie Chalupsky. Chalupsky opened with a victory in the 100 fly, where she stopped the clock at 57.04 to hit a new personal best. She then won the 100 back in 58.26, improving on her 2nd place finish from last year.

Chalupsky was a key member of both of Bishop England’s winning relays. In the 200 freestyle relay, she teamed up with Mia Devito, Zoe Dewitt, and Mackenzie LeVeen to post a 1:37.84, with Chalupsky delivering a 23.48 on the anchor leg. Carley Foust swapped out with LeVeen in the 400 freestyle relay, with the team posting a winning time of 3:33.65 with Chalupsky at 51.23 as the anchor.

Also winning two events was Gray Collegiate Academy’s KP Coker. The  junior dropped nearly three seconds to win the 200 IM in 2:05.70, while in the 100 free she got her hand on the wall 1st at 52.81. 

Two of the top performances of the meet came out of a tight race in the the 100 breaststroke between Southside Christian’s Grace Hunt and Oceanside Collegiate Academy’s Nell Cagle. Cagle, an NC State commit, had the edge at the halfway point, but Hunt came back faster and touched 1st at 1:03.36, while Cagle was just behind at 1:03.54. 

Other Event winners:

• 200 medley relay: Gray Collegiate Academy – 1:49.18
• 200 free: Peighton Johnson (GCA) – 1:56.31
• 50 free: Karinne Everly (CCH) – 24.49
• 500 free: Chelsea Burkhart (WAL) – 5:10.71

Boys’ Recap

In a much closer meet, St. Joseph’s Catholic School edged out Greer Middle College by just 9.5 points. Their victory was largely fueled by depth, as they did not win any individual or relay events. 

Top 5 Teams:

1. St. Joseph’s Catholic School – 406.5
2. Greer Middle College Charter – 397
3. Bishop England – 317
4. Academic Magnet – 300
5. Christ Church Episcopal School – 270

Leading St. Joseph was sophomore Walker Simpson, who recorded runner-up finishes in the 500 free (4:45.99) and 200 IM (1:56.81). Both swims greatly improved on his performances at this meet last year, where he was 8th in the 500 (5:05.85) and 9th in the 200 IM (2:05.51). 

Greer Middle College collected the most victories of all teams with a total of two relay wins and four individual titles. Two of those titles went to Maddex Ternes, who decisively won both the 500 (4:38.23) and 200 IM (1:52.59). Ternes was the runner-up finisher in these events in 2022.

Jimmy Beeson and Dalton Davis also added wins for Greer Middle College, with Beeson taking the 100 fly (49.71) and Davis winning the 100 breast (58.18). 

Bishop England’s Owen Fritts was another double-event winner with victories in the sprint freestyle events. The junior stopped the clock at 20.93 in the 50 free, then followed that swim up with a 46.07 to take the 100.

The opening 200 medley relay was the closest among the three relays. Greer Middle College’s team of Ternes, Brady Weaver, Beeson, and Jax Ternes combined for a 1:37.27, just a tenth quicker than Academic Magnet in 2nd (1:37.36). 

Other Event Winners

• 200 free: Justin Hafner (BEN) – 1:44.05
• 200 freestyle relay: Bishop England – 1:27.95
• 100 back: Jack Troy (ACM) – 50.23
• 400 free relay: Greer Middle College – 3:10.79