2026 North Carolina High School Athletic Association 1A/2A/3A State Championships
- Feb. 13, 2026
- Cary, N.C.
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
It was a three-peat for the Raleigh Charter boys, a successful title defense for the girls and a move up the all-time national rankings for Raleigh Charter sophomore Reina Liu at the North Carolina 1A/2A/3A State Championships.
With the North Carolina High School Athletic Association expanding from three state meets to six this year, Raleigh Charter, which swept the 1A/2A titles last year, landed on top of the podium again in each gender.
The girls’ team was 100 points clear of runner-up Pine Lake Prep, while the boys’ squad outlasted runner-up Bradford Prep by 16 points.
It was the eighth overall title for the girls and the fourth for the boys.
The girls’ team was led by Liu, who won the 200 IM in a a personal best 1:55.86, which moved her to 17th all-time in the girls’ 15-16 age group. Liu also won the 100 back in 52.07.
Girls’ Recap
The future certainly appears bright for Raleigh Charter, not only because of the performance of Liu, but also freshman Alice Arcaro.
Arcaro won the 100 fly in 55.07 and then quickly got back in the pool and took the 100 free in 50.77. Both were personal best times.
Both Liu and Arcaro helped Raleigh Charter sweep the three relay events.
First, the team of Lucy Hefner (28.06), Christiana Hoang (32.26), Dorothy Grant (26.76), and Liu (21.94) won the 200 medley relay in 1:49.12.
Raleigh Charter’s team of Hefner (25.63), Neily Beaumont (26.62), Hoang (25.36) and Arcaro (24.04) then won the 200 free relay in a time of 1:41.65.
In the 400 free relay, the quartet of Arcaro (51.40), Beaumont (58.20), Grant (57.00) and Liu (49.20) won in a time of 3:35.80.
The other multi-event winner was Woods Charter junior Daisy Collins, a Texas commit.
Collins won the 200 free in 1:50.42 and then captured the 500 free in 4:51.10.
Other individual winners were:
- Pine Lake Prep junior Grace McCarthy topped the field in the 50 free with a time of 23.66.
- In diving, Christ the King freshman Avery Noonan won with 392.20 points.
- Wake Preparatory Academy senior Lexi Alexander won the 100 breast in 1:04.85.
Girls Team Standings — Top 5
- Raleigh Charter, 342
- Pine Lake Prep, 242
- Community School Davidson, 135
- NCSSM-Durham, 131
- East Surry, 117
Boys’ Recap
Raleigh Charter only claimed victory in one event, and that came in the 200 free when senior Alex Lee swam a personal best 1:43.28 to top the field.
The individual standouts were Research Triangle senior Calvin Schaper and Chatman Central senior Jesse Eskelund.
Committed to Illinois-Chicago, Schaper won the 200 IM in 1:55.43 and the 100 breast in 56.19.
Eskelund was the sprint freestyle king, swimming personal bests to win both the 50 free (21.69) and the 100 free (47.40).
The 200 medley relay was won by Corvian Community’s team of Liam York (26.61), Evan Jackson (27.81), Matthew Tripsa (23.09), Gavin Johnson (22.49) in 1:40.00.
Bradford Prep’s team of Truman Lee (21.93), Cameron Darling (22.69), Ian Watson (22.66) and Wilson Felder (21.72) then won the 200 free relay in 1:29.00.
In the 400 free relay, Pine Lake Prep’s squad of Nolan Deardorff (50.39), Vivahn Patel (50.37), Grant Degner (51.74) and Connor McCarthy (47.24) won in 3:19.74.
Other individual winners were:
- Mt. Island Charter’s Colby Novice won diving with 465.95 points.
- Tripsa, a junior, won the 100 fly in a personal best 50.27.
- Cullan Harding, a sophomore from Langtree, swam a personal best 4:42.72 to take the 500 free.
- Mt. Island Charter senior Beck Armstrong captured the 100 back in a personal best time of 51.79. It was his fourth straight state championship in the event.
Boys Team Standings — Top 5
- Raleigh Charter, 191
- Bradford Prep, 175
- Mt. Island Charter, 163
- Corvian Community, 158
- Pine Lake Prep, 155
