Kate Douglas, Simon Bermudez Star at Virginia Private School State Championship Meet

2024 VISAA Swimming & Diving State Championship Meet

• February 16-17, 2024
• Christiansburg Aquatic Center, Christiansburg, Virginia
• Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
• Full Meet Results

Two team streaks were extended last month at the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association championships in Christiansburg, Virginia.

The girls from the Collegiate School won their 4th consecutive title, while St. Christopher’s won their 3rd-straight among Virginia’s private schools, which compete independently of the state’s public schools (VHSL).

Girls’ Top 5

1. Collegiate School – 343
2. St. Catherine’s – 253
3. St. Anne’s Belfield – 141
4. Trinity Episcopal – 140
5. Trinity Christian – 122

Boys’ Top 5

1. St. Christopher’s – 230
2. (tie) Norfolk Academy/Trinity – 217
4. Collegiate School – 164
5. St. Anne’s-Belfield – 150

Girls’ Recap

The Collegiate School won five total events on the weekend, including two relays. The team of junior Isabella Little, 8th grader Savannah Harris, sophomore Emory DeGuenther, and freshman Jasper Jones combined for a 1:45.11, highlighted by a field-leading 23.17 from the anchor Jones and another from backstroker Isabella Little (26.76).

Showing off their depth, the Cougars won the closing 400 free relay with two different legs – freshman Valentina Linkonis and middle schooler Natalie Tang joining Jones and DeGuenther. Jones split 51.42 and DeGuenther split 50.86 on the anchor leg to pull away from the runners-up at the St. Catherine’s School (3:31.50).

In the other relay, St. Catherine’s was able to grab the win with a veteran relay that includes two seniors. Elizabeth Goodwin-Birnie, Mary-Stuart Hawkins, Blair Parker, and Sophie Sullivan combined for a 1:37.05, holding-off the Collegiate School and a 23.81 anchor from Little for a .19 second margin of victory.

Little would win the 100 back individually in 57.34, missing Asia Minnes’ VISAA Record by just .17 seconds. St. Paul VI junior Katie Torrey was 2nd in 57.69.

For all the successful sprinters in those relays, it was sophomore Kate Douglas (not to be confused with Kate Douglass) from the Potomac School who won the girls’ 50 free in 23.35, missing the VISAA Record by .18 seconds.

Later in the session, Allie Witdoeckt from Trinity Christian School won the 100 free in 50.83, 1.02 seconds ahead of Douglas (51.85). That was one of two individual wins for Witdoeckt: she also won the 100 fly in 54.44, a four-tenths improvement over her best time. Witdoeckt is committed to Pitt and was the only senior to win an individual swimming title for the girls at this meet, though Flint Hill senior Michayla Eisenberg won the 1-meter diving event.

Witdoekt successfully defended both titles from last year, dropping time in each from the 2023 meet.

DeGuenther, the top split on the 400 free relay, swam the 200 and 500 frees individually. She won the 200 by over four seconds in 1:49.31 and the 500 by over two seconds in 4:56.29. She was 2nd and 4th, respectively, in those races at the 2022 meet, but scratched out of last year’s state championship.

Elizabeth Bryan from Oakcrest School won the 200 IM in a best time of 2:03.21 and later added a victory in the 100 breast in 1:03.40. She’s another young champion at this meet, only a sophomore.

Boys’ Recap

The boys’ meet had a lot more experience at the top, including senior Simon Bermudez from Flint Hill and junior Will Browne from St. Anne’s, the double winners of the day.

Bermudez, a member of the Colombian Junior National Team, won the 100 back in a new best time of 47.68 and the 200 IM in 1:47.13. He also split 22.40 leading off a 9th place Flint Hill 200 medley relay and a 20.21 on a prelims 200 free relay.

Bermudez is committed to NC State next season. In three VISAA Championship meets, he is now a perfect 6-for-6 in individual events.

Browne, a Harvard commit, won the 100 free in 44.86 and the 100 fly in 49.34. That 100 free time was just .05 seconds shy of Ali Khalafalla’s VISAA Record.

Browne won two races at last year’s meet too – though in 2023 it was the 100 free and 200 free instead of the 100 fly.

He also split 20.68 on St. Anne’s 200 free relay and 22.11 on the fly leg of their runner-up 200 medley relay (out-splitting his freestyle anchor).

Patrick Puzon was the top sprinter of the meet. He split 20.17 to anchor Trinity Episcopal’s 200 free relay, won the 50 free individually in 20.83 ahead of Norfolk Academy sophomore Blaise VanSlyke, and was 2nd to Browne in the 100 free in 45.98.

That 100 free for Puzon is a new personal best and has dropped over a second this season.

As for the winners from St. Christopher’s it was depth that carried them to a tight team title over teams that had more wins. They got one win, from Alex Gertner in the 200 free (1:41.15), but that was it. They racked up points from five different individual swimmers with at least 20 individual points, including Ryan Smith (29), James Johnson (25), Benjamin Franks (24), and Benjamin Butterfield (20).

Woodberry Forrest School won the 200 medley relay in 1:33.55 with a team of Rawlings Leachman, Ayrton Moncur, Nate Stein, and Julius Davis.

Norfolk Academy, anchored by VanSlyke in 20.55, won the 200 free relay in 1:24.68. He was joined by Spencer Thompson, Richard Hope, and Carter Whetstine in that winning effort, with VanSlyke holding off the aforementioned Puzon anchor.

Norfolk wrapped the meet with another win, this time in the 400 free relay in 3:07.45. That was less of a nailbiter, with VanSlyke powering away with a 45.47 anchor split.

Other Boys Meet Winners:

• StoneBridge School junior Gabe Nunziata won the 100 breast in 54.49, using a big opening 50 and holding on over Max Moore‘s (54.76). Nunziata, a Tennessee commit, successfully defended his title with that win.
• Fork Union’s Everett Mitchell won the boys’ 1-meter diving with a score of 265.15.