Potomac Valley 14 & Under Short Course Championships
- March 13-16, 2025
- University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
- Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
- Meet Central
- PDF Results
- Results on Meet Mobile: “PV SC 14 & Under Championships 2025”
The Potomac Valley 14 & Under Short Course Championships, held from March 13-16th, brought together many of Maryland’s top young swimmers for an exciting weekend of competition.
Aaron Erdas, a 10-year-old swimmer from Nation’s Capital Swim Club, dominated his events, winning six individual titles. He took 1st place in the 50 free (27.46), 50 back (30.82), and 50 fly (28.74), all with personal bests. He added two wins in 100-yard distances, touching 1st in the 100 fly (1:03.53) and 100 IM (1:07.82), also setting new best times. In the 200 IM (2:25.54), he narrowly missed a lifetime best by just 11 hundredths, but still secured the win.
Erdas’ older teammate, 14-year-old Finn O’Shea, hit the wall 1st in six of his individual swims. He claimed victory in the 50 free with a 21.41 and the 100 free with a 46.11, a career-quickest time. He showcased his versatility by winning the 50 back in 24.13 and the 50 fly in 23.10, both his fastest performances ever. Moving up in distance, he took 1st in the 100 fly with a 51.08, another personal best, and capped off his individual events with a 53.62, his quickest ever in the 100 IM.
12-year-old Sara Young, from Rockville Montgomery Swim Club, was another top performer of the meet, notching four individual wins. She secured 1st place in the 500 free (5:06.64), 100 fly (58.71), and 200 fly (2:10.83), all with personal bests. In the 100 free (53.35), she dropped over two seconds from her previous best to finish 2nd. She was also 2nd in the 50 fly (27.14) and 3rd in the 50 free (24.92), with both swims once again representing new career bests.
Machine Aquatics’ 12-year-old Kennedy Masten also put on a show by winning five of her events. She dominated the backstroke events, touching 1st in all three distances: the 50 back (26.12), 100 back (55.70), and 200 back (2:06.72), all with lifetime bests. She also secured victories in the 50 fly (27.01) and 100 IM (1:01.19), both as season-best swims. In the 50 free (24.81), she was also 2nd with another season-best.
Yet another 12-year-old, Tyler Harris from the Mason Makos Swim Team, was a six-time winner at the meet. He showcased his sprint prowess with victories in the 50 free (22.93) and 100 free (50.66), both personal bests. His backstroke was equally impressive, as he swept all three distances, hitting the wall 1st in the 50 back (26.21), 100 back (55.66), and 200 back (1:59.98), all with PBs. He capped off his meet with another win and best time in the 100 IM (57.63).
Beyond those individual standouts—among many others—was a national age group record in a relay. The Nation’s Capital Swim Club team of Jilly Shifflett, Gabe Hanson, Harper Bartholomew, and Finn O’Shea combined for a 1:29.13 in the 13-14 mixed 4×50 free relay, shaving a tenth off the record set by a completely different NCAP relay in 2018.
Nation’s Capital trains out of multiple locations, with swimmers competing under several different coaches. Schifflett and O’Shea train with Bryce Bohman at NCAP West, while Bartholomew swims under Dory Halbe at Georgetown Prep. Hanson also trains at Georgetown Prep, but under the guidance of Stephen Sakaris.
Splits Comparison:
| NCAP’s New Record |
NCAP’s 2018 Former Record
|
|
| 1st leg | Jilly Shifflett (F) – 23.35 |
Landon Gentry (M) – 21.50
|
| 2nd leg | Gabe Hanson (M) – 21.21 |
Emil LaSida (M) – 22.00
|
| 3rd leg | Harper Bartholomew (F) – 23.92 |
Camille Spink (F) – 22.93
|
| 4th leg | Finn O’Shea (M) – 20.65 |
Carly Sebring (F) – 22.80
|
| Total Time | 1:29.13 | 1:29.23 |
Shifflett’s leadoff split of 23.35 was a new career best for her, improving upon her 23.41 from December. She also won the 50 free, 50 fly, and 50 back individually at the meet, with the 50 fly and 50 back wins both setting lifetime bests by at least a second.
Bartholomew claimed an individual win in the girls’ 100 free with a time of 51.55. Hanson’s top finish was 2nd in the 100 back, where he stopped the clock at 52.74.
Final Team Scores
Girls’ Top 5:
- Nation’s Capital Swim Club — 3260.5 points
- Rockville Montgomery Swim Club — 2535 points
- Machine Aquatics — 726 points
- All Star Aquatics — 681 points
- Occoquan Swimming — 666 points
Boys’ Top 5:
- Nation’s Capital Swim Club — 3062.5 points
- Rockville Montgomery Swim Club — 2825.5 points
- Machine Aquatics — 941.5 points
- Occoquan Swimming — 593.5 points
- All Star Aquatics — 570.5 points
