by Jennifer Beekman Staff writer GazetteNews
Rory Lewis, Jr.
Remember that name because the Albert Einstein High School sophomore has officially arrived on the Washington Metropolitan Area swimming scene.
Lewis, 15, made a name for himself and the Kensington school's growing swimming program with two top-five finishes - third in the 100-yard butterfly, fourth in the 200-yard individual medley - at the prestigious Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Championships on Feb. 9.
He finished in a three-way tie for ninth in individual scoring there and was one of just two swimmers in the top 11 representing a school outside Bethesda, Potomac or Rockville.
A week later, he won both events in record fashion to finish in a three-way tie for most individual points scored at the Maryland Class 4A/3A West Region championship meet. On Saturday at the University of Maryland, College Park, he set a meet record in the 100-yard butterfly en route to his first individual state title.
"We're in a tough region with teams like [two-time state champion] Walter Johnson, [Winston] Churchill and [Walt] Whitman and Rory won two events. I took a picture and sent it to our athletic director and was like, 'I don't think this has happened in the history of Einstein,'" second-year Titans coach Rod Godinez said.
As a 1994 Einstein graduate, Godinez would know. The program, he said, has consistently been among Montgomery County's weakest. But led by Lewis and teammate Duncan Johnson, who tallied two top 10 finishes at Saturday's state meet, the Titans won the Division IV title this winter and finished 12th in a 28-team field at states.
"This makes me very proud. I went to the school, it means something to me," Godinez said.
Lewis said he hopes his results send a message that there are elite-level swimmers dispersed among the county's lower division teams, and aims to bring more notoriety to swimming in the downcounty area.
There has been a promising influx of young talent at Einstein, though Lewis is in a class of his own, Godinez said. Watching Lewis work inspires his teammates, Godinez added.
A true individual medley swimmer, proficient in every stroke, Lewis currently holds program records in six events - 200-yard medley relay, 200-yard individual medley, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke - and is within striking distance of several additional marks.
"[Lewis] doesn't appear to be going fast ... somebody once said to me that watching him is like watching a dolphin. He's so graceful in the water. He doesn't waste a lot of energy. He's just very technically sound with all his strokes. He does not have many deficiencies," Godinez said.
Lewis comes from a swimming background. His father, Rory Lewis Sr., swam for Bethesda-Chevy Chase and owns a 50-yard freestyle Metros title. He also spent two years as the coach of Howard University's men's and women's swim teams.
The younger Lewis said he admires and is inspired by his father's accomplishments. Surpassing them, he added, is a major motivator.
Growing up in an area not known for producing the county's top swimmers, Lewis swims year-round with the Sea Devils club team for which is father is a coach, rather than the area's major Rockville-Montgomery and Nation's Capital swim clubs. He has quietly gone about his business, but after this year's breakout season, he is no longer under the radar.
"I hope [Lewis] continues to keep the same mentality and the same work ethic and love for the sport. If he does, I think he will do some really great things in the area. He still has two years of high school swimming left, I'm excited to see how far he can take his talent. I can only imagine what things are going to be like," Godinez said.
