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Northwood’s Andrew Maksymowski races to victory within the 500-yard freestyle within the CIF-SS Division 1 swimming championships on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at Mt. SAC. (Courtesy of Alex Tolkachev)
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Northwood’s Andrew Maksymowski races to victory within the 500-yard freestyle within the CIF-SS Division 1 swimming championships on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at Mt. SAC. (Courtesy of Alex Tolkachev)
ALL-COUNTY BOYS SWIMMING TEAM 2026
BOYS SWIMMER OF THE YEAR
Andrew Maksymowski, Northwood, Senior
A driving power deeply ingrained inside Andrew Maksymowski attracted him to the relays.
Whether it was the early-season Loyola Invitational, the CIF-SS Finals or racing by way of an damage on the CIF State Championships, the Northwood swimmer all the time appeared able to anchor a relay.
Why? The relays provided Maksymowski one other probability to guide his teammates.
“It makes me really happy that I get to set an example and be a role model for the younger generation,” he mentioned. “It’s huge that I’m given this opportunity to lead one of the best teams in California, and the best public school in California.”
Maksymowski’s management and velocity once more pushed Northwood towards the highest of leaderboards. For his efforts, he’s The Register’s Orange County boys swimmer of the 12 months for 2026.
The senior, who’s dedicated to USC, led Orange County in 200 and 500-yard freestyles and earned All-County honors within the 200 particular person medley and 100 freestyle.
His greatest accomplishments, nonetheless, might need been on the relays.
Maksymowski anchored Northwood’s 200 and 400 freestyle relays to All-County standing, together with a state-leading time within the 400.
“He was our leader from Day 1,” Northwood coach Alex Nieto mentioned of Maksymowski, a four-year swimmer on the college. “He showed his teammates what that standard looked like.”
At the CIF-SS Division 1 ultimate, Maksymowski dove in second behind Santa Margarita for his anchor and blazed an eye-popping 43.09-second cut up to carry the Timberwolves to the wall first in 2 minutes, 58.81 seconds.
Maksymowski exchanged a high-five with a teammate earlier than splashing the water.
He delivered the same efficiency on the Loyola Invitational in March. With Northwood trailing by a body-length getting into the anchor, he cut up 43.37 to guide the Timberwolves to the victory.
At state, Maksymowski suffered an IT band pressure within the finals of the five hundred free however within the subsequent occasion, cut up a 19.71 anchor within the 200 free relay to assist Northwood end second.
“My team needed me,” he mentioned. “I tried to step up as much as I possibly could.”
Northwood completed 2.5 factors behind Santa Margarita in a bid to defend its state title. The Timberwolves additionally have been second to the Eagles in group factors at CIF-SS Division 1 finals.
Maksymowski swept the 200 and 500 freestyles for the third consecutive 12 months in Division 1.
His successful contact within the 200 freed from 1:34.70 paced the county, set a private greatest and ranks him No. 3 in Orange County historical past.
He gained the five hundred free in a county-leading 4:22.85.
His All-County time within the 200 particular person medley (1:49.36) was a lifetime-best whereas his 100 free (44.22) was shut.
But for Maksymowski, management mattered essentially the most. He relished main group cheers and motivating teammates.
He credit Nieto and his mother and father Gabbie and Steve for his progress within the space. He credit his teammates for his or her acceptance and help.
“It’s a team effort,” Maksymowski mentioned. “As long as I give my 100 percent effort, I know everyone around me is going to give their best as well.”
COACH OF THE YEAR
Dean Crow, Foothill
In his fourth season, Crow molded a roster that completed second on the CIF-SS Division 2 championships.
The Knights gained the 200 freestyle relay (1:25.94) and positioned second within the 400 free relay (3:10.23) en path to scoring 149 factors. They edged Buena by six factors for his or her greatest end at CIF since successful Division 2 in 2018.
“The guys got fired up and we had incredible drops,” Crow mentioned of the part finals. “They all did great.”
Crow pointed to Victor Trijsburg for example of the development. The senior completed sixteenth within the 500 free with a 4:51.01, a few nine-second enchancment from the Crestview League finals.
In the 200 medley relay at CIF, Foothill completed eighth with a 1:38.19, nearly 2.5 seconds sooner than league finals.
Crow blended a roster that featured swimmers who compete in membership with a number of athletes who deal with water polo. Junior Ezra Nelson, who concentrates on water polo, emerged as a powerful dash freestyler and relay anchor.
ALL-COUNTY TEAM
(All distances in yards)
200 medley relay: Santa Margarita (Sam Zhou, Sr., Taylor Thongintra, Jr., Darren Nguyen, Sr., Bennett Korner, Sr.) 1:30.34; Northwood (Liam von Schonfeldt, So., Zachary Zhang, Sr., Eli Siniak, So., Michael Wang, So.) 1:32.24-PCL
200 freestyle: Andrew Maksymowski (Northwood, Sr.) 1:34.70; Michael Wang (Northwood, So.) 1:37.17; Inyoung Kim (El Toro, Sr.) 1:37.22-SVL
200 particular person medley: Peter Vu (Fountain Valley, Sr.) 1:48.60; Andrew Maksymowski (Northwood, Sr.) 1:49.36
50 freestyle: Connor Ohl (Newport Harbor, Sr.) 19.90; Bennett Korner (Santa Margarita, Sr.) 20.20; Nolan Baker (JSerra, Sr.) 20.22
100 butterfly: Sam Zhou (Santa Margarita, Sr.) 48.35; Holden Lee (Edison, Sr.) 48.80
100 freestyle: Connor Ohl (Newport Harbor, Sr.) 44.08-SL; Andrew Maksymowski (Northwood, Sr.) 44.22
500 freestyle: Andrew Maksymowski (Northwood, Sr.) 4:22.85; Jay Hickman (Villa Park, Sr.) 4:24.53
200 freestyle relay: Santa Margarita (Tyler Lee, Jr., Adam Cuthbert, Sr., Carson Eich, Sr., Bennett Korner, Sr.) 1:21.60-OC-D1; Northwood (Michael Wang, So., Eli Siniak, So., Max Chen, Fr., Andrew Maksymowski, Sr.) 1:21.65
100 backstroke: Holden Lee (Edison, Sr.) 49.08; Bennett Korner (Santa Margarita, Sr.) 49.14
100 breaststroke: Ethan Lim (Corona del Mar, Jr.) 54.85; Taylor Thongintra (Santa Margarita, Jr.) 54.99; Peter Vu (Fountain Valley, Sr.) 54.99; Elonzo Santos (Mater Dei, Jr.) 55.02
400 freestyle relay: Northwood (Michael Wang, So., Liam von Schonfeldt, So., Max Chen, Fr., Andrew Maksymowski, Sr.) 2:58.81; Santa Margarita (Adam Cuthbert, Sr., Jeffrey Chang, Jr., Tyler Lee, Jr., Bennett Korner, Sr.) 3:00.40
Diving: Braeden Valenzuela (San Juan Hills, Sr.) 551.15; Charles Bentley (Capistrano Valley, Fr.) 450.95
All-County legend: OC-Orange County report; D1: CIF-SS Division 1 report; PCL: Pacific Coast League report; SVL: Sea View League report; SL: Sunset League report
Note: Diving alternatives based mostly on CIF-SS division and CIF State finals.
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