Bears Deliver Powerful Performance at State Swim & Dive Championships
The Bears Swim & Dive program capped off an exceptional season with standout performances at the State Championships, highlighted by multiple podium finishes, two silver‑medal backstroke swims, and runner‑up honors in both the Girls' and Boys' 200 Free Relays. Behind strong showings across all event groups, the team demonstrated depth, resilience, and state‑level excellence.
Prelims Recap
The Bears opened the State Championships with a determined showing in prelims, advancing numerous athletes and relay squads into championship finals.
The morning began with solid momentum: both the Boys (1:44.96) and Girls (1:58.30) 200 Medley Relays posted competitive times to earn their lanes for the finals session.
In the individual events, several Bears delivered key qualifying swims. Oscar Ryzhkov advanced in the 200 Free (1:44.93) and later in the 100 Fly (51.60), while Charlotte Weeter, Molly Melchiors, and Casey Chingirian each posted consistent prelim efforts in the 200 Free and 500 Free, securing positions in the finals.
Sprint power came through with Tayne Naude (21.49) placing 4th in prelims of the 50 Free and Amber Naude (23.82) earning the 3rd seed in the girls' heat.
Backstroke prelims set the tone for medal contention, with Tayne Naude (51.48) and Amber Naude (56.65) each qualifying 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in their events. Similarly, Alana Drevet secured a finals spot in the 100 Breast with a strong 1:09.44 performance.
Both 200 Free Relay squads entered finals as the No. 2 seeds, with the boys posting 1:28.21 and the girls 1:39.25.
The 400 Free Relay teams also earned championship‑final lanes, rounding out a successful prelims campaign.
Finals Session Recap
The Bears carried their prelim success into finals, earning multiple podium finishes and high‑impact point contributions.
Relay Excellence
The program's strongest moments came from its elite relay squads.
- The Boys 200 Free Relay (Ryzhkov, Mynatt, Jackson, T. Naude) delivered a blazing 1:26.73, securing State Runner‑Up honors and 41 points.
- Moments later, the Girls 200 Free Relay (A. Naude, Cavalli Vasconcellos, Weeter, Garijo) matched the achievement, finishing 2nd in 1:37.48 and adding 42 points.
- Both relays set new school records for the event.
Both the Girls' and Boys' 400 Free Relays closed out the meet with strong 4th‑place finishes, each contributing 38 points to the team totals. The boys' relay finished with a new school record time. The girls' medley relay (Chingirian, Drevet, Kader, Cavalli Vasconcellos) finished in 7th place with a time drop from the preliminary round. The boys' team returned in the B-final and finished in 15th (Jackson, Damm, Mynatt, Guy).
Individual Highlights
In one of the meet's most exciting finals, Tayne Naude raced to a silver medal in the 100 Back, touching in 49.46, which secured Naude's second individual school record for the day. His sister, Amber Naude, matched the achievement on the girls' side, also taking 2nd in the 100 Back (56.12). Both added 21 points apiece.
Amber also claimed State Runner‑Up in the 50 Free (23.36), which replaced her own school record time from last year, while Caroline Garijo contributed strong points with a 10th‑place finish (25.09).
In the butterfly events, Oscar Ryzhkov secured a podium finish, placing 3rd in the 100 Fly (50.28), which solidified Ryzhkov's first individual school record. He also earned a top‑five showing in the 200 Free (1:41.79).
Distance events proved to be a major strength for the girls' team, with Charlotte Weeter (5:09.89) and Molly Melchiors (5:15.13) placing 6th and 7th, respectively, and Casey Chingirian and Leila Kader adding additional scoring. On the boys' side, Jax Jackson (4:50.81, 6th) and Brighton Damm (5:00.55, 8th) delivered a crucial scoring double in the 500 Free.
Breaststroke finals saw Alana Drevet secure an impressive 5th‑place finish (1:10.33), adding another significant point contribution to the Bears' total.
"Our athletes showed incredible composure and heart on the biggest stage," said Coach Hall following the meet. "From prelims to finals, every swim counted, and the team rose to the challenge. The relay results, especially, reflect the commitment and chemistry of this group."
