Park Dunks Competition At Tri-Meet

By Amy Russell
The Severna Park High School swim team dunked the competition, sweeping first place in 22 of 24 events against Chesapeake and Southern High schools on Saturday, January 8. Two school records were set in the midst of the event, the first by Kevin Huntley, who swam the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:03.77 and the second by Katelyn Sowinski, who swam the 100-meter fly in 59.20. As was the case for several Severna Park swimmers, Huntley and Sowinski took first place in each of their four events.

In addition to their record-setting swims, Huntley and Sowinski’s top finishes included the 200-meter medley relay, 500-meter freestyle and the 400-meter free relay.
Other swimmers to finish first in each of their events were senior Sean Brant, juniors Jared Wasserman and Jenna Kirchoff, and freshmen Bennett Bean and Katie Parker.
“We did very well at the event,” said head coach Mike McTammany afterward. “Kevin Huntley and Katelyn Sowinski set team records and we had several kids win all the events they swam.”
Even though Severna Park’s biggest competition will come toward the end of the season against Broadneck, Annapolis and South River - three of the county’s “big four” powerhouses - McTammany said that both Chesapeake and Southern brought quality swimmers to the meet.
“The Crone brothers from Chesapeake are very good swimmers, and though Southern is young and small they are certainly growing,” said McTammany. “There is a gap in the ability level of some teams, but still we had a lot of really good swims.”
On the same weekend SPY swimming hosted one of the biggest meets in the country at the University of Maryland in College Park, many of Severna Park High School’s swimmers participated in that event on both Saturday and Sunday mornings and their high school meet on Saturday evening.
“There were several people who expressed concern with so many of the swimmers competing in both meets,” said McTammany. “But the County rules require them to compete in their high school events. I know a lot of the swimmers were up in College Park by 7:00am both mornings for competition and qualifiers, then came back [to Riva] for this meet. It’s unfortunate they had to forsake the evening portion of the national meet, but their ability to juggle that dual commitment is quite admirable,” he added.
Despite the seemingly overwhelming schedule, the Falcons didn’t appear to suffer in their meet.
“I look at Kevin and some of our other really strong swimmers and it’s really a testament to the kids that they’re able to do so well at the SPY meet in the morning and then come out and swim so strong that evening,” said McTammany.
Severna Park’s winning team boasts an exceptionally young and unusually small roster, featuring only about ten upperclassmen among its nearly 40 swimmers.
“It’s quite an interesting dynamic,” said McTammany. “We don’t have as many older swimmers as we usually do, but this team is responding really well. The older kids we do have are pretty much entrenched, they’re good leaders and they are doing a good job of bringing the younger swimmers along. We have a great bunch this year.”
Severna Park’s next meet will take place on Friday, January 14 at 3:30 at the Naval Academy Aquatic Club.