An already standout season for the Chantilly Chargers became the best ever when the boys swimming and diving team won its first state championship last week.
The Chargers won the Virginia High School League Class 6 title in Stafford with 284 points, 50 ahead of the runner-up and defending champion Langley Saxons.
The competition was held March 4-5. Prior to the state meet, Chantilly had won district and region crowns during this winter season.
“The state is the one you want most and is the hardest to win,” Chantilly coach James Mackenzie said.
Only one swimmer won an individual race for Chantilly at the state meet, but the Chargers finished first in two relays and fourth in another. Chantilly won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:22.54, and it emerged victorious in the 400 free relay — the meet’s final race — in 3:03.34.
Yaron Li anchored the relays, with Ben Farello and Ben Clabeaux also swimming on both. Kyle Li swam in the 200 free and Blake Madsen in the 400 free.
Kyle Li was the team’s individual winner with a victory in the 100 backstroke in 54.93 and a second-place finish in the 200 individual medley. Yaron Li had a strong individual meet with a second in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free. Farello was second in the 200 free and fifth in the 100 butterfly.
Madsen was second in the back and sixth in the individual medley, and Clabeaux was ninth in the 100 free and 10th in the 50 free.
The fourth-place medley relay consisted of Madsen, Kyle Li, Jason Xin and Nate Murphy.
Chantilly got boosts from big diving points courtesy of Ivor Brown, who finished second, and Paxton Martinez in eighth.
Leading the runner-up Langley team was Hunter Zipperer with a second in the 50 free and sixth in the fly. Michael Zhou was third in the 200 IM and back. Langley’s medley relay of Zipperer, Zhou, Parris Garvin and Max Thompson won in 1:31.17. The Saxons’ 400 free relay finished third and the 200 free relay fourth.
The individual standout of the boys state meet was Lake Braddock’s Josh Howat, who won the 50 (19.97) and 100 (a meet record 43.75) freestyle races and anchored two relays. Howat’s teammate Josh Donovan won the 200 free (1:37.38) and was fourth in the fly.
Centreville’s Mike Soh won the back (49.23) and Woodson’s Nathaniel Grannis won the diving competition with a 578.25 point total.
