Satisfying state conclusions for Hussey, Hall
Swimmers cap outstanding careers by placing at 4A-3A state championship meet
They’ve been doing it throughout their entire careers, so it should be no surprise that Severna Park’s Reid Hussey and Zoe Hall of Annapolis each turned in one final impressive performance to cap their high school careers on Saturday.
Swimming against the best publicschool talent in the state, Hussey earned second- and third-place finishes, while Hall finished eighth in the 50-yard freestyle at Saturday’s Class 4A-3A state swimming championships at the University of Maryland. Churchill won the boys team championship with 255 points, while Sherwood won the girls title with 339.
Hussey finished in second in the 200 IM 1:54.62, a little more than two seconds behind Walter Johnson’s Timmy Ellett, who set the state record in the event with a 1:52.11. Hussey was seeded fifth in the 100 butterfly, but shaved nearly two seconds off his seeded time and finished third in 50.87. Alex Colson of Wheaton was first with a state-record time of 49.08, while Quince Orchard’s Eli Fouts was second in 49.35.
“In my 200 IM, I was very happy with it. It’s my overall best in club and high school,” Hussey said. “Overall, I have nothing to complain about. I’m happy with both my swims.”
Saturday’s performance wraps up a stellar career for Hussey, who will swim next year for Loyola Marylandy. He does have several high-profile meets coming up before heading to swim for the Greyhounds.
“It was just a great way to end a great career,” Severna Park coach Matt McKenney said. “I can’t wait to see what he’s going to do at Loyola next year.”
Hall, the Anne Arundel County champion in the 50 free and 100 free, finished eighth in the 50 free on Saturday in 25.27, a little more than a second off the winning time. She finished 18th in the 100 free.
“I really wanted to get on the podium,” Hall said. “I’ve been racing the same girls from South River and Broadneck the last four years, so it was really fun to get out there and compete against them.”
Hall hasn’t participated in club swimming since her freshman year, but she graduates as one of the top swimmers from Annapolis and the county. She set team records this year in the 50 free and 100 free for the Panthers.
“She’s competing against girls who club swim,” Annapolis coach Andrew Grannell said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more of her.”
Severna Park was the top finisher among the five Anne Arundel County teams. The Falcons were 16th on the girls side with 30 points and were the only boys team from Anne Arundel to score and came in 14th with 58 points. The Falcons’ top finisher among the girls was Isabell Stone, who finished 10th in the 100 butterfly in 59.55.
Broadneck was second among the girls teams from the county with 19 points. Freshman Ella Martin was the Bruins’ top finisher with a 14th-place finish in the 200 IM.
For the second straight year, many of the county’s top swimmers were forced to miss the state meet due to a conflict with the Maryland State Club Championships. The result was several swimmers who were able to step in for their teams and get a taste of the state meet.
“It gets them all excited and shows them what a championship meet is like,” Broadneck coach Colleen Parr Winans said. “I’m very happy for the younger kids to get that opportunity right off the bat. Hopefully we can field the whole team next year.”
Kyle Rutherford of C. Milton Wright finished fourth in the boys 100 backstroke.
3A-2A-1A STATE MEET: Patterson Mill finished second and Harford Tech fourth in the boys team standings, while Harford Tech placed fourth in the girls.
Mason Young of Harford Tech won the boys 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke and teammate Tucker Young won the boys 50 and 100 freestyles. Tech’s Christopher Garvin was fourth in the 500 freestyle. Harord Tech’s Sydney James placed third in the girls 500 freestyle.
Patterson Mill’s Jack Leary finished second in the boys 100 butterfly, while teammate Alan Nguyen was third in the boys 50 and 100 freestyles. Patterson Mill’s Katerina Lomas was fourth in the girls 100 backstroke and teammate Isaara Ounnarach was fourth in the boys 200 freestyle.
Harford Tech placed second in the boys 200 IM relay and was third in the girls 200 and 400 freestyle relays. North Harford was third in the girls 400 freestyle relay.