Hoover Splits 19.3/42.6, Hamblin Breaks State 100 Breast Record at NC 3A Champs

2021 NCHSAA 3A STATE CHAMPS

• February 11, 2021
• Cary, NC
• Short course yards (SCY)
• Results – Meet Mobile

BOYS MEET FINAL SCORES

1. Chapel Hill 106
2. Marvin Ridge 101.5
3. Charlotte Catholic 71
4. Northern Guilford 40
5. East Chapel Hill 29

Sam Hoover defended his 2020 titles in the 200 free and 100 free to help Chapel Hill secure the North Carolina 3A team title. The senior and NC State commit was off of best times, but won comfortably, going 1:37.50 to take the 200 by over three seconds and 44.20 in the 100 to win by over two seconds.

Hoover was also big on relays, helping Chapel Hill overcome a 1.2-second deficit at the final exchange of the 200 free relay. Down 1:04.31 to 1:05.55 before diving in, Hoover delivered a 19.34 anchor to help Chapel Hill to a 1:24.89 and a win over Marvin Ridge’s 1:25.20. The relay broke the school record that they set last year at this meet, with just one new name this time.

Peter Bretzmann, another senior for Chapel Hill, went 1:48.88 to take the 200 IM in a very tight race with Concord junior Matthew Lucky (1:48.95). Both of them went under the 3A record of 1:49.20 set in 2018 by Colson Zucker (now a Duke standout), and both of them broke 1:50 for the first time ever, each clearing 1:49 altogether. Bretzmann, a Florida commit, followed that with another win, going 4:30.83 to take the 500 free and just missing a best.

Lucky went on to throw down a 54.59 in the 100 breast, ahead of Chapel Hill senior Michael Volpe (55.73). It was Lucky’s first time under 55 and Volpe’s first time under 56, as Lucky erased another Zucker 3A record, while Volpe was also under the old mark of 56.02.

Chapel Hill finished out the meet on top in the 400 free relay, going 3:06.10 ahead of Marvin Ridge’s 3:08.38. Chapel Hill snapped their own 3A record again, this time by over a full second, getting a major 42.68 third leg from Hoover and a 46.10 anchor from Bretzmann. That relay completed the trifecta, adding to wins in the 200 relays.

Southwest Guilford senior and Alabama commit William Watson led the 100 fly final in 48.37, out-touching Junius Rose senior and SMU commit Russell Exum (48.56) as both broke 49 for the first time.

GIRLS MEET FINAL SCORES

1. Charlotte Catholic 110
2. Marvin Ridge 70
3. Weddington 64
4. Cuthbertson 63
5. Northern Guilford 48

Charlotte Catholic’s girls won the 200 relays, and they were powered individually by senior Madeline Menkhaus.

In the 200 IM, Menkhaus got her first win, clocking a 2:03.05 to lead a 1-2 with sophomore teammate Sydney Sanders (2:05.94). In the 100 fly, Menkhaus, a Notre Dame commit, clocked a winning time of 54.15 ahead of Northern Guilford junior Maura Schoppa (54.69). Schoppa would go on to win the 100 back (55.97).

Menkhaus led off Charlotte Catholic’s 200 medley in a 26.34, and they got a 22.83 anchor from senior Olivia Rhodes to clock a new 3A record time of 1:44.89. Rhodes went on to take the 50 free in 22.99, scaring the 3A record of 22.92 set by Nora McCullagh in 2013, and she finished second to Junius Rose junior and UVA commit Madeline Smith in the 100 free, 50.16 to 50.58.

In the 100 breast, Parkwood senior and NC State commit Kaylee Hamblin blasted a lifetime best 1:00.35 for the big win, decimating Caroline Hauder’s 1:02.15 3A record and the overall North Carolina HS record of 1:01.26 set by Hough’s Grace Rainey in 2020. Rainey is a sophomore who will try to get that record back at the 4A meet later this weekend.

Junius Rose junior Emma Hastings, another NC State commit, dropped another 3A mark in the 500 free. She won the race in 4:49.37, edging Emmaline Peterson’s 2017 record of 4:49.84. Her teammate Smith, who won the 100 free, followed that up with a 1:48.90 to win the 200 free. Hastings finished third there in 1:50.38, with Marvin Ridge freshman Kaylee McDonald breaking 1:50 for second (1:49.77).

The 400 free relay came down to the touch, as Marvin Ridge prevailed over Charlotte Catholic, 3:30.76 to 3:30.89. McDonald was 51.64 leading off and Grace Wagner 51.65 anchoring for Marvin Ridge, while Menkhaus was 52.02 leading off for Charlotte Catholic.