The Madison Warhawks and McLean Highlanders on the girls side and the Oakton Cougars on the boys each had strong finishes at the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 state swimming and diving championships.
Madison, which won four straight state titles from 2017 to 2020 and was third last winter, finished fourth this season, McLean was fifth and Oakton eighth at the meet held Feb. 18 in Stafford.
The Madison girls were led by third places in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke by Charlotte Dixon, a fourth in the back from Emma Wainwright, a third in the 100 breaststroke and a 16th in the 100 butterfly by Regan Hau, a seventh by Anabel Huffstuler in the 500 free, an eighth by Hannah Carmen in the individual medley and an 11th in the breast, and an eighth from Sophia Brown in the 200 free and a 13th in the fly.
In relays, the Madison girls were sixth in the 400 free, seventh in the 200 medley and an 11th in the 200 free.
Leading McLean was double winner Catherine Hughes in the IM (2:01.55) and breast (1:02.45), as she was a standout swimmer in the meet. McLean’s Lily Flint was sixth in the 100 free and 50 free. The team’s medley relay was second, with the 200 free relay third.
For the ninth-place Langley girls, Claire Vroom was second in diving, Victoria Valko was second in the 100 free and seventh in the 50 free, and Alyssa Webb was fifth in the 200 free and eighth in the 500 free.
For the Marshall girls, Julia Simpson placed eighth in the 50 free and 10th in the 100 free, and Sophia Cloutier was 11th in the fly and 50 free.
Oakton diver Katie Vaughan finished fifth.
For the Oakton boys, Graham Evers was third in the 50 free and fifth in the 100 free. Spencer Dearman was fourth in diving, Ian Ching was seventh in the IM and ninth in the fly, and James Piccolo placed 12th in the back.
Oakton’s 400 free relay was 10th, with the medley and 200 free relays each 12th.
The Oakton boys had tied for third in the state last season.
For Langley this season, Matteo Vasiliadis was ninth in diving, Daniel Loughlin 11th in the fly and 12th in the 500 free and Jacob Lee 14th in the fly.
The McLean boys were led by a third in diving from Nick Wanzer and Noah Wanzer’s 11th in the event.
In swimming events for McLean, Aaron Jia was ninth in the IM and 12th in the breast, Andrew Christofferson ninth in the breast, and the 200 free relay was third.
For the Madison boys, Owen Dyson was seventh in the 50 and 100 free races, Kevin Rice was 12th in the IM and 16th in the breast, and the medley relay was eighth.