RMSC’s National Team recently competed at NCSA Spring Championships (Junior Nationals) on March 16-20. The meet featured approximately 800 of the fastest 18&Under swimmers in the country, representing over 60 clubs. The meet has held at lower capacity than in previous years, and RMSC swimmers took advantage of that to produce some of our best results in several seasons. Combined, the team finished 4th overall with 1223 points, which is an improvement of over 400 points from 2019 (the meet was not held in 2020). The team was as balanced as it has been in recent memory, with Boys finishing 3rd with 608 points, and Girls finishing 4th with 615 points. The top 24 finishers in each event scored points for the club, while the top 40 made it back to finals.
Many swimmers contributed points to the team effort, including seven swimmers that earned medals by placing in the top eight. Individually, Toby Barnett led the team with 125 points. His three 3rd place finishes were all RMSC Team records: 200 breast (1:57.87) was a 15-16 and Senior record and a Senior National cut, 200 IM (1:48.53) was a 15-16 record, and 400 IM (3:49.42) was a 15-16 and Senior record. He also placed 6th in 500 free, top 16 in 200 back, and top 24 in 100 breast. Madison Smith was our Girls’ leading scorer with 85 points. She was 5th in 1000 free, 6th in 1650 free, and top 16 in 200 free and 500 free. Carly Sebring was 7th in 50 fly (24.76) in a 15-16 Team record, top 16 in 50 back (25.10) in a 15-16 and Senior Team record, top 16 in 100 back (54.97) in a 15-16 Team record, and top 16 in 50 free and 100 fly. Abby Carr was 7th in 200 fly (1:57.79) in a 17-18 and Senior Team record and Senior National cut, 8th in 200 back, top 16 in 100 back and 100 fly, and top 24 in 50 back. Pierre Zeineddin was 6th in 200 fly and top 24 in 100 fly. Everett Oehler was 7th in 200 free, top 16 in 50 fly, 100 fly, and 200 fly, and top 24 in 100 free. Jonik Surprenant was 7th in 100 fly and 200 fly. Sean Santos was top 16 in 1000 free and 1650 free, and top 24 in 500 free, 200 breast, and 400 IM. Sarah Culkin was top 16 in 50 fly and 200 fly, and top 24 in 100 fly. Alvin Kimwon was top 16 in 200 breast, and top 24 in 50 breast and 100 breast. Katherine Blake was top 16 in 1000 free and 1650 free. Sarah Eliason was top 16 in 100 fly. Andrew Eliason was top 24 in 50 free, 100 back, 100 fly, and 200 fly, while Jane Umhofer was top 24 in 100 breast and 200 breast. Other top 24 scorers included: Hanna Bingley in 200 breast, James Case in 200 back, and Jed Garner in 200 breast. Also adding top 40 finishes were: Nina Allen, Teddy Ament, Nasim Elkassem, Gabriel Fouts, Erin Haines, Rin Iimi, AJ Navaleza, Amy Qin, Aiden Rooney, Maria Sawadogo, and Rachel Soubier.
Many of the best swims in this team effort, and much of our scoring, came on relays. Our top finish came from the Girls 200 Free Relay of Carly Sebring, Nina Allen, Amy Qin, and Sarah Eliason, who took 4th in a Senior Team Record (1:33.49). Qin, Madison Smith, Eliason, and Sebring also had a 5th place finish in the Girls 400 Free Relay. Our top Boys relay finish was a 5th in the 400 Medley Relay by Andrew Eliason, Alvin Kimwon, Jonik Surprenant, and Everett Oehler. Oehler, Surprenant, Sean Santos, and Toby Barnett also turned in a 6th place finish in the Boys 800 Free Relay. Abby Carr, Hanna Bingley, Sarah Culkin, and Sebring added an 8th place in Girls 200 Medley Relay. Showcasing our team’s depth, we had several other relays score by placing in the top 24, including the remainder of our A relays, all five Girls B relays, and four Boys B relays. Contributors to these top 24 relays included: Katherine Blake, James Case, Nasim Elkassem, Liam McDonough, AJ Navaleza, Emmanuel Odim, Maria Sawadogo, Rachel Soubier, Jane Umhofer, David Yune, and Pierre Zeineddin.