When Kenny Afolabi-Brown climbed onto the blocks for the anchor leg of the 200-yard freestyle relay, he wasn't worried. Richard Montgomery's third leg was extending the relay's lead to an insurmountable margin. Second in the 50 freestyle earlier in the meet, Afolabi-Brown knew he couldn't be caught if he swam a decent, not even a great, lap. Still, there was history in this relay to overcome; a false start at last year's regions - a flinch of the foot by the junior while balancing on a wet, narrow platform - cost the Rockets a chance at defending their title in the event and their chances at consecutive Maryland 4A/3A swim championships.
"I kept thinking, 'Stay safe. Don't DQ.' I wasn't nervous," Afolabi-Brown said. "I knew I didn't need to do anything special, just be legal." He was. The Rockets finished first, adding a record in the free relay to their medley relay record that kicked off the state meet at the University of Maryland on Saturday. Three events later they finished third in the 400 free relay, earning points they didn't need, and finished with 319 points to win their second title in three years. Churchill finished second (265.5), trailed by Bethesda-Chevy Chase (208).
"It feels good to meet everyone's expectations," Afolabi-Brown said. "This team deserves this."
If Saturday's meet was about redemption for Richard Montgomery, it wasn't obvious. Afolabi-Brown didn't lead off, not because his coach was worried about a repeat of last year, but so his twin brother Gregory could get a flat start time after not qualifying in an individual event.
Nervous? "Not really," Gregory Afolabi-Brown said. "I didn't need to be first off the blocks. I just needed to swim fast and trust my teammates - We didn't have to be nervous. "
Coach Aryn Wheeler "was very insistent on safe starts," senior Bouke Edskes, who set a state record in the 200 individual medley (1:52.73) and just missed a second in winning the 100 butterfly (49.86), added with a sly grin. He joined the twins on both record-setting relays teams. Matt Nguyen and Simon Li swam on the medley and free relays, respectively.
In the girls' meet, Virginia-bound senior Morgan Hill led Sherwood to its first state title. The Warriors totaled 310.5 points, capping a season that included their first Metros title. Walter Johnson finished as runner-up with 237 points; Churchill was third (225.5).
"It's really special," said Hill, who set records in the 50 free (23.10) and 100 free (50.02). "After coming so close last year [runner-ups] it feels great to go out like this."
Hill, Margarita Ryan, Erica Hjelle and Emma Eutace set the state mark in the girls' 200 medley relay (1:46.00). Ryan, sister Sophia, Jaimy Wenhold and Hill also set the mark in the 400 free relay (3:31.64).
Montgomery County swimmers claimed 14 of 15 state records broken: Churchill's Hannah Lindsey, a Wisconsin recruit, in the girls' 200 free (1:49.71) and 100 back (55.08); Walter Johnson's Celine Nugent in the girls' 200 IM (2:04.97); Blair's Hannah Kannan in the girls' 100 fly (55.72) and teammate Madison Waechter in the 500 free (4:53.48); Quince Orchard's Eli Fouts in the boys' 100 breast (56.05); and Northwest's Jaycee Yegher in the girls' 100 breast (1:02.74). North Point Matthew Essing set the boys' 50 free record with a time of 21.15.
