State-level assertion: Swimming Rams file 4 college data

The Maricopa High School swim group delivered a record-breaking efficiency on the Arizona Interscholastic Association Division II State Championships on Nov. 7 and eight at Mesa’s Skyline Aquatic Center, proving the Rams have constructed a program able to competing with the most effective in Arizona. 

Senior Holden Gehrke led the way in which, shattering 4 college data and taking second place within the 200-yard freestyle. His time of 1:44.68 erased his personal college file by a second and a half. 

“We had a wonderful showing and multiple move-ups from the original psych sheet going into the meet,” Head Coach Meg O’Brien reacted. “I am very happy with how the team did overall this season and at state.” 

Gehrke continued his sturdy meet within the 500-yard freestyle, ending fifth within the finals with a time of 4:56.51. His most electrifying second got here within the 400-yard freestyle relay when his leadoff cut up of 48.29 broke the varsity’s 100-yard freestyle file set in 2021 by Connor Schrader. Swimming with Dante Flores, Mykah Bitter and his youthful brother, Hudson Gehrke, the relay positioned sixth within the state in 3:30.51, three seconds sooner than the earlier college file. 

The ladies group featured worldwide expertise with junior alternate scholar Hana Iwashita of Yokohama, Japan. She broke her personal college file within the 100-yard butterfly in 1:07.20, almost two seconds sooner than her earlier mark. She positioned twenty seventh within the fly and 18th within the 200-yard freestyle. 

The boys relay groups added to Maricopa’s depth. The 200-yard medley relay of Bitter, Flores, Hudson Gehrke and Holden Gehrke completed twelfth general. Flores added a Twenty fifth-place end within the 200 particular person medley and twenty first within the 500 freestyle. Hudson Gehrke, a freshman, reached the finals in his first state look, inserting twenty first within the 100 butterfly and 14th within the 100 backstroke. 

The ladies’ relay groups additionally confirmed enchancment. The 200-yard medley relay of junior Marlie McNamee, freshman Charity Horner, junior Hana Iwashita and sophomore Xaria Martin held its place, whereas the 200 freestyle relay of Horner, McNamee, sophomore Ashlyn Grutzius and Iwashita positioned Twenty fifth. 

Freshman breaststroker Charity Horner emerged as considered one of Maricopa’s breakout performers. She made the finals within the 100 breaststroke and completed twentieth after getting into preliminaries seeded Twenty fifth, a powerful displaying for a first-year swimmer on the state stage. 

Senior Mykah Bitter rounded out the person efforts by bettering to thirty ninth within the 100 backstroke. 

The boys completed twelfth out of 32 scoring groups. The ladies positioned thirtieth among the many scoring groups after getting into the meet seeded under that mark, that means each teams outperformed their unique projections. 

The program will graduate seniors Gehrke and Bitter, however the future stays brilliant. Freshmen Hudson Gehrke and Charity Horner each reached finals of their first state meet. Flores has two extra years to construct on his multi-event success, and Iwashita’s return affords a lift on the ladies’ facet.