(Photo by Kevin Li/Rockville Rays)

The first half of the summer league season is behind us, but now we enter the oft treacherous Week 4 where divisional titles are won and lost. Even better, it’s Fourth of July weekend, meaning absences increase exponentially and give an added element of uncertainty entering this week’s meets. 

Sixteen teams have plowed through their divisions, or perhaps escaped near upsets, so far this season and sit at 3-0 with visions of championship trophies dancing in their chlorine-filled dreams. That’s 16 of 91 teams, which means only one division still has two undefeated teams left entering this week.

Still, with two weeks of meets left on the schedule, plus divisional championship meets, even the 2-1 teams aren’t out of the running quite yet, and a Week 4 victory over a 3-0 team would go a long way towards topping the end-of-the-season rankings.

To get everyone ready for a fun-filled, red-white-and-blue-themed Saturday, let’s take a look at the last of the undefeated teams and their match-ups.

Projected upset in division J

For the most part, our virtual meets tool has all but two 3-0 teams reaching their fourth win this week. The exceptions are in division O, where Washington Woods and Wheaton Woods are both undefeated, and division J. 

Calverton (3-0) heads to Old Farm (2-1) this week and the Eagles are predicted to upset the Chargers, 403 to 383. Upset, of course, is a loose term here. Old Farm is the second-ranked team in the division and their only defeat was an 8-point loss to Ashton in Week 2.

A lot of the projected blue-ribbon winners are shoo-ins for first, but many of the races for second-, third- and fourth-place points are up for grabs.

To get the meet started, there is a potentially fierce race in the 8 & under boys’ 25-meter freestyle where the top four are seeded within .75 seconds of each other. Old Farm’s Jean-Alexandre Gaultier (7) is the top seed followed by three Calverton swimmers, including Seifer Cushman (8), who swam a 19.59 last week.

Upset alert

Division A

After a crushing two-point loss to county rival Bethesda last week, Rockville (2-1) heads to Stonegate (3-0) to take on the undefeated Serpents.

Stonegate has been a force this year in division A, but they may be in for a fight this week against the resurgent Rays. The projected finish is 401-391 in favor of the Serpents. A big chunk of those points are expected to come from Stonegate’s 11-12 girls’, led by speedsters Jordan Wallace (12), Shannon Lamb (12) and Tia Thomas (11), who are expected to sweep all five events in the age group. They also boast the fourth-best breaststroker in the age group in Brianna Sanidad (12), who is slated to win by nearly two seconds over two Serpents.

This lineup may be the best in the entire league, if not the entire area.

They’ll be counterbalanced by Rockville’s fearsome 15-18 boys, who should also sweep their events top to bottom. The group hasn’t lost much this season, and they can line up the No. 1 and No. 4 freestylers in the county (Andrew Gibson and Harrison Gu), the No. 3 and No. 4 backstrokers (Gibson and John Jeang) and the No. 2 breaststroker and IMer (Gu).

Gu was notably absent from the Rays 395-397 loss last week.

If either team is to grab an edge, it will be in the 11-12 boys, which is the obvious swing age group. Rockville’s Alan Li and Stonegate’s Ryan Gruner are expected to go head to head in the 50 free, 50 fly and 100 IM. Gruner should also win the 50 back, while Li should take the 50 breast.

If Rockville earns the win and Tilden Woods gets by Bethesda, then there will be a three-way tie for first between Rockville, Stonegate and Tilden heading into the final dual meet and the championship meet. What a finish this could be.

Division D

Potomac Glen (1-2) may have lost two meets early, but they have a great shot to get to .500 this week against Country Glen (3-0). But the Gators won’t go down that easy. The meet is projected to finish 397-395 in favor of Country Glen, who is slated to win 26 of 46 individual events based on last week’s lineup. 

Potomac Glen doesn’t have a lot of opportunities to move up and earn extra points, but watch for the finish in the 15-18 girls’ 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 IM and 50 butterfly between Ellie Sherman of Country Glen and Alicia Tiberino of Potomac Glen. Tiberino is seeded second in the first three events, but expect her to rise to the challenge presented by the younger Sherman

In fly, they are both seeded with times of 31.25. The race for third in this event will also be tight between Lucy Srour and Hannah Lee. 

Division I

Another meet that will be decided in the outside lanes is Clarksburg Village (3-0) at Rockshire (2-1). That could spell danger for Clarksburg Village who is projected to win by the slimmest of margins, 397-395. Both teams’ age group stars are capable of winning their races handedly, with few exceptions.

However, here are a few races to keep an eye on.

In the 8 & under girls, keep an eye on Sidney Thompson and Annika Varis in backstroke, who are separated by .08 seconds based on last week’s times. Also, in the 25 breast, Beza Williams of Clarksburg is seeded ahead of Danielle Ram of Rockshire, 30.09 to 30.16.

In the 9-10 boys’ 25 backstroke, Eric Jiang and David Yune are separated by .01 seconds based on last week’s swims; meanwhile, Ashley Thommana and Lisa Lin enter seeded with times of 24.32 and 24.69, respectively, in the girls’ 25 breast.

Finally, in 13-14 butterfly, Katherine Lei and Maija Juusola-Fitzpatrick have both gone sub-40 this season in the girls event, while Kenya Brown sits third with a 40.12. On the boys’ side, Jonathan Yune and Vincent Trinh enter the meet with best times within .13 seconds of each other. 

3-0 vs. 3-0

In division O, two undefeated teams will meet in Week 4. It’s the only battle of undefeateds this week, and if either Mill Creek Towne or Potomac Woods lose this week in division C, it will be the last meeting of two unbeaten teams this season in the MCSL.

Washington Woods (3-0) at Wheaton Woods (3-0) isn’t expected to be a particularly close meet. It’s projected as a 73-point victory for the Tigers of Wheaton Woods, but considering the holiday weekend and that Washington Woods is also undefeated – not by a fluke either – this meet has a lot of intrigue.

Not likely…but maybe?

In division K, Kenmont (2-1) at Norbeck Hills (3-0) is seeded to be a 26-point finish. Not a lot of up-in-the-air races to make this a potential upset, but we’ve seen weirder results this summer. Similarly, James Creek (2-1) at Willows of Potomac (3-0) in division M is projected to be a 28-point result, which again isn’t close, but maybe.

The blowouts…

Not expected to be close, but you never know in the MCSL. Truly.

(B) Germantown (3-0) at Woodley Gardens (1-2)​ – 432-361
(C) Mill Creek Towne (3-0) at Robinhood (0-3) – 505-286
(C) Quince Orchard (2-1) at Potomac Woods (3-0) – 348-445
(E) Northwest Branch (3-0) at Franklin Knolls (0-3) – 468-324 
(F) Wildwood Manor (3-0) at Bannockburn (0-3) – 494-297
(G) Daleview (3-0) at Chevy Chase Rec (0-3) – 463-329
(K) Forest Knolls (3-0) at Diamond Farm (1-2) – 439-348
(N) Glenmont (3-0) at Fallsmead (2-1) – 452-335

Make sure to tweet us photos and results @reachforthewall and check back on Monday for complete meet results and top times from the entire DMV!

Washingtonian Woods at Wheaton Woods

Division O is often thought of as the pit of MCSL, the lowest point that a team could go and where teams could ‘care less’ if they won or loss. Those people obviously have not had a run in with Washingtonian Woods where “we go hard in division O” has been the soundtrack of  their summer.

They are fully aware that they are in the lowest division in the league, yet they are not letting titles restrain them from putting out fast times and having fun. Like other lower-division teams, they have difficulty filling events, but the ones who do come are ready and willing to put it all on the line for their team.

“The kids came up with the slogan on their own, so if they’re behind it, then I’m behind it,” said Washingtonian Woods Head Coach Scott Collins.

Washingtonian Woods is a small team, so spirit is important to retain an identity. At their relay carnival, in which they placed third behind Flower Hill and Wheaton Woods, they went all out, covering their bodies with their key-note slogan. To these swimmers, it does not matter if they are in A or O, all that matters is that they have a lane and a team that stands behind them.

They have been coached by Collins for over ten years, and he has molded together strong teams during his tenure. He is hoping to move his team up and avoid an eventual return to O. His sister, Katie Collins, joined him three years ago, and they have stood side-by-side on the deck as a dynamic head-assistant coach duo since.

For Wheaton Woods, this season has been historic. When the scores were read after the completion of the first meet, they could not believe it and, after the initial shock passed, were overwhelmed with excitement. A 147-point victory over Tanglewood in Week 1 tied the number of wins they had in the previous two seasons. Since that key win, they have not loss and do not plan to do so.

Both teams have very few club-level swimmers, making it difficult to be competitive with the upper-division powerhouse teams that are composed almost entirely of them. Despite this, they have been giving their opponents harsh times, enabling them to retain their undefeated records. The winner of this division is usually customarily given the golden ticket out of O, and with strong talent, they both looked poised to do so.

“To beat a team that came down from N would be a huge jump in the right direction,” Collins said. “We have been working to stay out of O and this team has the chemistry to do so.”

Sarah Marcolin,12, of Wheaton Woods has not lost a single individual race all season. Lillie Spivey, 16, of Washingtonian Woods has only lost one. Spivey has chosen to swim this season despite a unstable shoulder that will require surgery upon the completion of the season. Although her shoulder has caused her to scratch the occasional event, her fighting spirit has become a staple for her team to look up to.

“[Spivey] has been a role model to the younger kids in and out of the water for as long as I can remember, but swimming with an injury has really proved it,” said Collins. Spivey is one of the few swimmers that swim on a year-round club team.

Among the most competitive events should be the 13-14 boys’ events. Joseph Kilmer, 14, Gabriel Morales, 14,  of Wheaton Woods and Ricky Ruiz, 14, of Washingtonian Woods will be within a couple of seconds in all of their events, with the closest race being between Kilmer and Ruiz in the 50 breast.

The relays are always a challenge for these two teams, and getting together enough swimmers to fill all eight relays is rare. In the 14 & under 175-meter free relay, their seed times separate these two teams by only two seconds.

Regardless of  the outcome of this meet, it is guarantied that these two teams will be fighting just as hard as the top teams in the league, and having more fun doing so.

Calverton at Old Farm

Calverton enters this week as the division J leaders with a 3-0 record, but lying in wait is Old Farm, who is coming on strong at the end of the season and hopes to spoil their run when they face off this weekend. Through the first three weeks, Old Farm suffered just a single loss, an eight-point heart-breaker to Ashton in Week 2. They can put the sour taste of defeat behind them, however, by beating their division foe and taking control of division heading into the final two weeks of the divisional season.

“[We] may be the best in the division, but we need to show up and swim well in order to win,” said Calverton Head Coach Tony Murray. “We need to focus on not making silly mistakes and go out there and steal the close races.”

It’s the last home meet of the season for Old Farm and that means for their handful of seniors it will be an emotion-filled morning as they say goodbye to the place that has brought them so many great memories.  It will be the last time they go all out and embrace themselves during ‘get weird’ and other cheering traditions. And it will be the last time they get to swim at home in front of all of their friends and family.

“This team been amazing, the attendance is high at practice and as a whole have really gotten a lot closer,” said Old Farm Head Coach Ali Benjamin.

Benjamin came back for her second year as head coach, along with the entire staff from last season. This, she says is key because they are able to get to know the swimmers and pay close attention to detail. Their first season brought them surprising success, a 4-1 record and second place finish in the division.

Calverton is known for their strong first half performances, while Old Farm has the depth and talent to make their second half catastrophic for their opponent.

“We know that if we have a lead after the first half, the kids will be pumped up and we can win,” Benjamin said.

In order for Calverton to keep their roll going, they will have to get off to a strong start, and with the addition of Claire Ryland, 11, and Kyle Ryland, 16, in the lineup for the just the second time this season, they could earn those crucial points to maintain the Chargers’s perfect record. At the one meet they did swim, Claire won every event that she was entered in while Kyle was right behind her with either a first- or second-place finish in every event that he swam.

Old Farm is seeded to win by 20 points, but with the addition of the Ryland’s who were not included in that calculation, the meet will be up for grabs.

It should be noted, however, that while Kyle Ryland is seeded first in the 15-18 boys’ 100-meter free, with a time of 58.80 seconds, Old Farm will be looking to pick up the 2-3-4 finish, with Patrick Johannessen, 16, James Orsak, 18, and Colby Zucker, 16, stacked up between 1.00.22 and 1.00.97. Zucker will be next to unstoppable in his best event, the 100 breast, where he is he is seeded eleven and a half seconds ahead of his closest competitor with a 1.07.11 and ranked second in the Coach’s Long Course Invite seeding list.

The boys 8 & under free could also be a deciding factor in the meet. The top four swimmers separated by just six tenths of a second. Jean-Alexandre Gaultier, 7, of Old Farm has the advantage going in with a 19.40 seed time.

On the girls side, Abbey Holmes, 16, of Calverton will be looking for first-place finishes in all of her events. Her closest competitor will be Old Farm’s Chrissy Cernoch, 18, who is seeded a second and a half behind her in the 50 fly.

In the 9-10 girls’ 25 fly, Hanna Bingley, 10, of Old Farm and Julia Flick,10, of Calverton will be battling it out in the 50 free and fly events. Their seed times separate them by two seconds in free and just one second in fly.

Katie Ledecky completes the breaststroke portion of the 100-meter individual medley. (Photo by Doug Kapustin/For The Washington Post)

It had to be a hoax, women debated in the parking lot. There was no way she was here.

Katie Ledecky blended in beside fellow Montgomery County Swim League competitors Saturday morning like she wasn’t the talk of the Palisades pool. This was where she fell in love with the freestyle stroke, long before the Olympic gold medal and world records.

Katie Ledecky takes a selfie for young fans during halftime. (Photo by Doug Kapustin/For The Washington Post)

When the Palisades Porpoises recited their chant, Ledecky joined them and shouted the rhyming lyrics with a smile. When the first race against the North Chevy Chase Sharx began, Ledecky cheered on the Palisades swimmers. But when it was time for Ledecky to swim, she wasn’t blending in anymore, casually shattering a handful of records in front of a crowd that went silent only when she was in the pool.

In Ledecky’s return to Palisades, she did her best to escape her newfound celebrity and go back to her swimming roots. But the lines for autographs and selfies with the local star reinforced reality – there is no escape.

Ledecky, a rising senior at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart and a two-time All-Met Swimmer of the Year, took it in stride, taking every picture and signing every swim cap. In a schedule that is packed with high-stake meets and even higher expectations, this race was all fun and no hoax.

“It’s a little different, but it’s the same fun,” Ledecky said.

Parents and grandparents fled the comfort of their shady seats to get as close as they could to the edge of the pool when Ledecky raced. Smart phones and cameras turned toward her. Imagine if Meryl Streep decided to do a high school play.

“Where’s her compression suit?” one woman asked.

Katie Ledecky cuts through the water during 100-meter freestyle event. (Photo by Doug Kapustin/For The Washington Post)

“That pool looks too small for her,” a man said as she blew by other swimmers.

The 25-meter-long pool was a second home for Ledecky when she started swimming at 6. The last time she swam with Palisades was in 2011, before she won the gold medal for the 800-meter freestyle in the London Olympics and set the world records in the 1,500 and 800 freestyle. She was just a normal teenager then, and Saturday felt familiar.

“I went to swim practice for two hours, then came here, and that’s what I did when I was younger,” Ledecky said. “It just felt like the same kind of routine when I was 11 or 12.”

Before the season, Ledecky told Palisades coach Gerri Diamond that she wanted to return for a home meet this summer. With international competitions and the 2016 Olympics on the horizon, Ledecky said she’s not sure how many more, if any, Palisades meets are in her future.

If Saturday’s meet was her last, she left her mark, comfortably breaking the county record in the 100 freestyle (55.75) and the 100 individual medley (1:04.53). She also swam in the 50 butterfly and the 100 backstroke, winning both events and breaking the pool records.

Katie Ledecky converses with young fans during a break in the action. Olympian and world record holder, Ledecky, is on hand, competing with her club team at the Palisades Pool on Saturday morning. (Photo by Doug Kapustin/For The Washington Post)

With each stroke, the gallery commented on her excellent form. “It’s just amazing these girls get to swim next to her,” one woman said. Kids from the North Chevy Chase team watched Ledecky closely and asked each other what tips they could pick up. Mary Gen Ledecky, Katie’s mother, listened to parent after parent who wanted to tell her how nice Katie was to their child or how special it was to see her swim.

“I was surprised she was going to be swimming,” said North Chevy Chase coach Kevin Wagman. “The first thing I did was tell my dad. He was an MCSL coach before me and we loved watching her.”

If Katie Ledecky tried to walk from one end of the pool to the other, an entourage followed. Some little girls didn’t have a specific request for her — they just wanted to be near the star while they still had the chance.

When the meet was over, Ledecky put her Team USA hat on and proceeded to the team’s barbecue, just like old times. Kind of.

“I remember learning how to breathe freestyle when I was 6 on that ladder,” Ledecky said. “There are so many memories at this pool, and it’s something I never want to forget.”

Reaching 4-0

Stonegate beats Rockville, 405-387

(Photo by Kevin Li/Rockville Rays)

The Rockville Rays (2-2) fell to the Stonegate Serpents in a close, 18-point decision in Week 4. The Serpents advanced to 4-0 and took control of the league’s top division heading into their final dual meet of the season against Upper County (1-3), and after winning the division’s relay cardinal, Stonegate is almost assured to win their first division A title in pool history.

Stonegate’s 11-12 girls led the way for the Serpents by sweeping all five events on Saturday. Shannon Lamb, 12, paced her age group by winning the 50-meter freestyle (30.34 seconds) and backstroke (33.91) events, as well as the 100-meter individual medley (1:16.62). Brianna Sanidad, 12, and Tia Thomas, 11, picked up the other two wins in the breaststroke and butterfly events.

Stonegate's Cassie Sanidad, 13, swimming to victory in breaststroke. (Photo by Tom Taylor/Stonegate Serpents)

Rockville’s 15-18 boys nearly matched Stonegate’s 11-12s with sweeps in four of five events. John Jeang, 16, won the 100 free in 56.48, followed by four other Rays. Jeang also won the 100 back in 1:03.65. Karl Treichel, 16, won the 100 IM (1:04.94) and 50 fly (28.12). They placed 1-2 in the only event they did not sweep, breaststroke, which was won by Everett Plocek, age 18.

Alan Li of Rockville and Brady Ott of Stonegate continued their impressive seasons in division A.

Li is undefeated this season with 16 individual wins for the Rays. Li won the 100 IM (1:10.34), 50 free (28.47), 50 breast (39.16) and 50 fly (30.41).

Ott picked up another three wins in the 50 freestyle (25.50), 50 back (30.06) and 50 fly (27.69) over Rockville standout 13-year-old John Clado. However, Clado handed Ott his first loss of the season with his win in the 100 IM (1:05.06).

Ott ranks in the top five in all four events and holds the top times in the free and fly. 

Wheaton Woods takes control in division O

Not all the lanes were filled, but that didn’t matter to Wheaton Woods (4-0). The Tigers beat Washington Woods, who also entered this week undefeated, 465 to 313.

Wheaton Woods won 28 of 50 events to take the meet, including sweeps in the boys’ 9-10 freestyle and backstroke, girls’ 11-12 breaststroke, boys’ 11-12 backstroke, boys’ 13-14 backstroke, girls’ 15-18 freestyle, boys’ 15-18 freestyle, backstroke, IM and breaststroke – the latter of which was uncontested by Washington Woods.

Sarah Marcolin, 12, won three individual events for the Tigers and helped them to wins in both the girls’ graduated 175 free relay and by swimming up with the seniors in the 18 & under 200 medley relay. Chrissy Wasel, 15, also added three individual victories as well.

Miller Donovan (12), Lillie Spivey (16) and Amanda Murayama (13) each won four events apiece for the Waves.

Wheaton Woods takes on Flower Hill (3-1) next week. Flower Hill and Washington Woods both trail Wheaton Woods in the division rankings, 24-18.

Germantown pulls out close contest

Entering Week 4, Germantown was favored to win by 71 points based on the virtual meet generator. It was way off.

Germantown won by a slim 401-391 over Woodley Gardens (1-3), who made the Torpedos work for the victory. With the win, Germantown advances to 4-0 in division B with a six-point lead over Tallyho (3-1) entering Week 5.

 The Torpedos were led by Michael Wong, 14, and Arona Baigal, 14, who each won four individual events apiece. Matthew Din won three for the Waves in the 15-18 age group.

The rest…

• Mill Creek Towne (4-0) at Robinhood (0-4): 506.5-281.5
• Calverton (4-0) at Old Farm (2-2): 415.5-373.5
• Country Glen (4-0) at Potomac Glen (1-3): 428.5-363.5
• Clarksburg Village (4-0) vs. Rockshire (2-2): 408-372 
• Potomac Woods (4-0) at Quince Orchard (2-2): 443-349
• Northwest Branch (4-0) vs. Franklin Knolls (0-4): 467-324
• Wildwood Manor (4-0) vs. Bannockburn (0-4): 524-267
• Daleview (4-0) vs. Chevy Chase Rec (0-4): 467.5-324.5
• Forest Knolls (4-0) vs. Diamond Farm (1-3): 421.5-347.5
• Glenmont (4-0) vs. Fallsmead (2-2): 462-320

Ledecky returns to summer league swimming

Katie Ledecky completes the breaststroke portion of the 100-meter individual medley. (Photo by Doug Kapustin/For The Washington Post)

Katie Ledecky, 17, shattered the league record in the girls’ 100 freestyle with a time of 55.75 on Saturday at her home pool, Palisades. The previous record stood at 57.12, set in 2013 by Chevy Chase Rec’s Carolina McTaggart, also age 17. She also took down the record in the 100 IM, which was also held by McTaggart, with a time of 1:04.53.

Read more: Katie Ledecky returns to her summer swim league to sign autographs — and set records

The last time Ledecky broke records in the league was 2011, her last time swimming in the league before getting sidetracked with winning Olympic gold medals and breaking world records.  when she set the record in the 13-14 girls’ 100 IM (1:06.09). Despite the boost provided by Ledecky, Palisades lost, 392-399.

Also nearly making history, David Fitch of Potomac camewith .31 of breaking the league mark in the 9-10 boys’ 25 breaststroke with a time of 17.68. Justin Pratt of Old Farm holds the record with a time of 17.37, set in 1994. It is the second oldest individual record in the books. Potomac lost to Garrett Park, 369-419.

Upsets

James Creek at Willows of Potomac (391-385)

In division M, James Creek (3-1) knocked off Willows of Potomac (3-1) to throw the division into turmoil entering the final weeks of the season.

James Creek had four swimmers win all of their individual events to lead them in the win. Alain Vu (12), Logan Cort (14) and Caroline Dunn (14) each won four races, while Adriana Urubruo (8) and David Kavtaradze (7) won three apiece.

Kavtaradze won a close one in the boys’ 8 & under free by edging the Dragons’ Yuanzhe Cui (8) 21.43 to 21.97.

In an even closer race, Allison Wong (11) beat Ava Zhang (11) by .23 seconds in the 11-12 girls’ 50 back.

With the win, James Creek is now tied with Willows of Potomac for the division lead with 23 points. Montgomery Square (2-2), who won relay carnival, has 22 points and Hillandale (2-2) has 20 points. James Creek hosts Montgomery Square in Week 5, while Willows of Potomac takes on Hillandale.

Kenmont at Norbeck Hills (398-393)

Kenmont pulled within two points of Norbeck Hills in the standings with their narrow victory over the Anacondas on Saturday to set up an exciting divisional championship meet if both squads win next week.

Kenmont won with their depth after only winning 21 of 50 events and only one relay. They picked up points by sweeping 8 & under girls’ backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly, 9-10 girls’ backstroke and 11-12 girls’ breaststroke. 

Zakiatou Drame, 8, won three events to lead the Anacondas. Emma Lantry, 7, won backstroke to round out Kenmont’s sweep of the 8 & under girls’ events.

Photo finishes

• Connecticut Blair at Hallowell (396.5-394.5)

• Twinbrook at New Mark Commons (385-381)

• Tallyho vs. Darnestown (398.5-392.5)

Jack Conger (silver/red cap) swimming at the long-course invite meet shortly after the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. (Photo by Ginny Maycock)

Today is the day. The day that MCSL swimmers, coaches and families come together to enjoy a night of fast swimming at the Rockville Swim and Fitness Center at the Coaches Long Course Invitational.

The meet has hosted the likes of Katie Ledecky, Jack Conger, Mike Barrowman, Eric Friedland, Sean Stewart, Brady Fox and a myriad of the county’s elite swimmers in his long and storied history.

Final psych sheet

Events begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday night. The pool will open at 4:30 p.m. and the first warm-up begins promptly at 5 p.m.

Warm-up schedule:

Coaches, parents and swimmer cheering at the 2013 Coaches Long Course Invite. The annual midseason all-star meet is one of the highlights of summer league swimming in the DMV. (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

To get you ready, here are seven races to keep an eye on during the night:

1. Bouke Edskes of Upper County has an outside chance at breaking Mike Barrowman’s historic 15-18 200-meter individual medley record.

The 16-year-old comes in with a time of 59.96 seconds in the 100 event, but has a personal best of 1:55.33 in short-course yards. That time converts to a 2:11, which is just two seconds shy of Barrowman’s mark of 2:09.17, set in 1986 – two years before the former Montgomery Square swimmer set the world record in the 200 breaststroke.

Edskes will be pushed by Glenwood’s Jack Foster, 18, who is back after a year at Columbia University. 

2. There are a lot of close races on the psych sheet, but few are as stacked as the 11-12 girls 100 freestyle. The entire heat is seeded within one second of each other based on their times in the 50, led by Potomac Woods’ Megan Sharkey, 12, with a 29.34. She is followed by Maya Fischer, 12, of East Gate (29.34) and Malia Bush, 11, of Regency Estates (29.81).

The jump from the 50 to the 100 is a big one at this age, so expect this race to open up a bit; but not too much. This race is loaded with year-round talent with experience in the long-course pool.

3. Another great freestyle race to keep an eye on is between Caroline McTaggart, 17, of Chevy Chase Rec. and Anna Kolanowski, 18, of Bethesda in the 15-18 girls’ 200 free. Kolanowski edged McTaggart, 2:05.11 to 2:05.13 at last year’s meet. Kolanowski is the two-time defending champion in this event, and she is back after a year of collegiate training at the University of Georgia. Could Elizabeth Pepper’s record of 2:03.19 be on notice? Perhaps.

4. David Fitch, 10, of Potomac has the speed to attack Sean Stewart’s record in the 9-10 boys’ 50 backstroke. Fitch went 35.76 at last month’s NBAC long-course meet in the event. The record, set in 2001, stands at 35.17. 

It should be noted, however, that this record has survived attempts by Jack Conger, SanJay Wijesekera, Devin Truong and, most recently, Brett Feyerick.

5. Hannah Lindsey, 16, of Regency Estates and Kristina Li, 18, of Stonebridge will face off once again in the backstroke. If you follow high school swimming, you know these two have been going at it over the last two seasons in the 100-yard backstroke while swimming for rival teams.

Last year, both swimmers went under the meet record in the 200-meter backstroke event with Li taking the race, 2:17.26 17 to 2:18.54 15. Expect both swimmers to go under the record again this year in an exciting finish, but the edge goes to the graduating senior in her last long-course invite.

6. In his last hoorah before U.S. Nationals in August, Carsten Vissering, 17, of Old Georgetown has a chance at adding the 200 breaststroke record to his collection of records.

Vissering, who recently committed to Southern Cal, has the 13-14 boys’ 100 breaststroke record (1:08.41) and came within two seconds of setting the 15-18 mark at last year’s meet with a 2:22.41. Since then, Vissering has set national age group records and the national independent high school record in the 100 breaststroke events. He is a darkhorse to make the national team delegation to Pan Pacs in Australia and a likely candidate for the junior national team, which will compete at Junior Pan Pacs in Honolulu.

7. Finally, stick around for the butterfly events. In the boys’ 11-12 event, Alan Li of Rockville leads the way with a 30.13, followed by Zach Bayler of Robinhood (30.52), Daniel Wang of Rockshire (30.96) and Brett Feyerick (31.28). These are all seasoned swimmers with long-course experience so expect strong finishes, especially by Li and Feyerick.

On the girls’ side, East Gate’s Maya Fischer tops the qualifiers with a 31.99, but the next four swimmers are within striking distance.

Send us photos and videos to @reachforthewall on Twitter and rftw@washpost.com.

Giulia Baroldi, 10, swimming to a new meet record in the girls 100-meter freestyle at the 2014 MCSL Coaches Long Course Invite. (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

Swimmers will have to wait another year before breaking any of the coveted records at Montgomery County’s Coaches Invitational Long Course Meet – every swimmer except for one.

Strong gusts and pummeling rain sent the crowds that had congregated to watch the 36th iteration of the MCSL’s midseason all-star meet fleeing to their cars Tuesday evening at the Rockville Swim and Fitness Center. What was just as rumbling thunder in the distance quickly gave way an intense thunderstorm that forced organizers to cancel the meet – a rarity in summer league swimming, which has no hope of rescheduling meets.

The competition, which serves as a tune-up meet for many of the county’s year-round swimmers ahead of local and national-level competitions in late July and August, made it through 16 and a half events before the announcers advised swimmers, spectators and officials to seek cover in their cars.

The half event was the 8 & under boys’ 50-meter backstroke, which was started after the announcer began ushering people off the deck and required confused timers – and more than a few spur-of-the-moment volunteers – to rush to grab timing plungers. 8-year-old Ashton Sun of King Farm won the terminal event.

Still, despite only a third of the events being swum, the crowd of parents, coaches and swimmers that packed the spectator areas, and quite literally every inch of space that lined the 50-meter pool, saw plenty of great swimming before the downpour – including a meet record and two near-misses.

Giulia Baroldi, 10, of Potomac Glen scorched the record in the girls’ 9-10 100 freestyle with a new record of 1 minute 5.10 seconds. She broke a seven-year-old record, set by Tilden Woods’ Natsumi Horikawa, who beat Katie Ledecky head-to-head, 1:06.75 to 1:07.15. Both swimmers went under the record in 2007.

Baroldi was pushed in the first half by Little Falls’s Jillian Berger and Bethesda’s Kate Hallmark before the young Gator pulled away in the final 30 meters to win by over a body length.

Earlier in the meet, Jack Foster, 18, of Glenwood and Bouke Edskes, 16, of Upper County dueled over four lengths of the 15-18 boys’ 200 individual medley. Foster, who returns after a strong first season at Columbia University, won the event by a touch, 2:09.36 to 2:09.43. They narrowly missed breaking Olympic gold medalist and former world record holder Mike Barrowman’s legendary record of 2:09.17, set in 1986.

Hannah Lindsey, above swimming the breaststroke leg of the 200 individual medley, won the event in 2:21.32. (Photo by Deb Lindsey)

Hannah Lindsey won girls’ IM with an impressive back-half swim in breaststroke and freestyle to hold off Rockville’s Emily Zhang.

And just before the meet was called, Bethesda’s Anna Kolanowski – another returning collegiate swimmer – won the 15-18 girls’ 200 freestyle in 2:03.69. The rising Georgia sophomore touched half a second behind Elizabeth Pepper’s record, set in 2007. It was Kolanowski’s third straight victory in the event at the Coaches Invite.

Adrian Lin, 17, of  Potomac won the boys’ heat in 1:56.27.

Due to timing errors, not all of the events results were official. In the 11-12 freestyle, Alan Li of Rockville won the boys’ event (1:00.21) and Maya Fischer of East Gate won the girls’ race (1:02.89).

Potential record-breaking swims, notably Carsten Vissering, 17, in the 15-18 boys’ 200 breaststroke and an anticipated showdown between Kristina Li, 18, and Lindsey in the senior backstroke event wouldn’t have their day. 

Phoebe Bacon, above swimming butterfly during Tallyho's dual meet against Cedarbrook, set the MCSL record in the 11-12 backstroke a week ahead of divisionals. (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

Teams have endured five, hard weeks of weekly training and dual meets to prepare for the last team meet of the season: divisionals.

Aside from the relay carnival, divisionals is the only time all six teams in a divisions come together at one time. Each team sends their top two swimmers in each event to compete for the title of division champion.

For teams in first place, it can be a chance to reassert their position, while, for the teams not quite at the top, its a chance to finish the season on a good note. And for the top swimmers in the county, the meet serves as a final chance to confirm their spot in next weekend’s all-star meet.

Regardless of motives, divisionals always provides an intense, spirited atmosphere not comparable to any dual, club or high school meet.

1. Fight to the finish in division F

Wildwood Manor and Regency Estates have been battling all season. In their dual meet in Week 2, Wildwood Manor managed to defeated Regency Estates by just three points. However, at the relay carnival Regency Estates got their revenge by pulling out a 10-point victory over the Wombats. These teams sit at the top of their division and have had two close encounters, so far; divisionals should be no different. 

Wildwood Manor has the advantage in the standings heading into the meet by four points, 38 to 34. But if Regency Estates can win tomorrow’s divisional meet, they’d end in a tie with 54 points each.

2. Record alert

The girls 9-10 50-meter free record has stood for fourteen years, but that could all end this weekend. Jillian Berger (10) of Little Falls is just .21 seconds off of the record entering Saturday’s meet. Morgan Ribar currently owns the record with a time of 30.12, set in 2000, and it stands as the second oldest record in the books. Also in jeopardy is the boys 9-10 50 free record. David Fitch (10) of Potomac will attempt to drop .23 to break the three-year-old record of 29.58, which was set by Timmy Ellett of Tilden Woods in 2011.

3. Battle of the backstrokers  

Four of the top six 15-18 boys’ 100 backstrokers will be facing off against each other in division A’s championship meet, and will provide a preview to the fierce competition expected at all-stars. John Jeang, 16, of Rockville currently holds the top spot in the county with a 59.02. Not far behind him is Bouke Edskes, 16, of Upper County with a 59.28, Joey Snodderly, 17, of Tilden Woods with a 59.82 and Andrew Gibson, 17, of Rockville with a 1.00.08.

4. Identity crisis 

Division L is in need of a leader. Unlike most divisions, their is no undefeated team, but Forest Knolls and Poolsville are separated by just two points in the division standings. Forest Knolls and Poolsville both won four dual meets, but Forest Knolls has the advantage in the standings after beating Poolsville by two points at the relay carnival. These two might be the top two, but East Gate is still in it, winning three of their dual meets and earning a 38-point decisive first place finish at the relay carnival to put them just four points out of first.

5. At it again

Eleven-year-old Brett Feyerick of Tallyho is at the bottom of his age group, but the top of the county by over a second and a half in backstroke. As a ten year old last season, he broke the MCSL record in the 9-10 25 back and went undefeated throughout the whole season. He looks poised to drop the last .17 seconds necessary to break Devin Troung’s three-year-old time of 30.42. If Feyerick does not beat it this year, he still has one more season before he ages up. That’s a lot of opportunities to ink his name to the record book.

6. Distancing themselves

Four MCSL records have already been broken this season by three different swimmers. Katie Ledecky broke both the 100 free and 100 IM records earlier this season in her impromptu record to the league. Last week, Phoebe Bacon, 11, of Tallyho and Eli Fouts, 14, of Manchester Farms both broke their records in the girls 11-12 50 back and boys 13-14 boys back, respectively, and will be looking to lower those marks once again this weekend. Although Bacon has two seconds separating her and her closest competitor, Fouts has a crowd fighting to catch up to him. Michael Wong, 14, of Germantown and Sanjay Wijesekera, 14, of Rockville are each less than half of a second behind Fouts and his record.

7. 8 & under talent 

Two of the counties best 8 & unders will be facing off against each other in the 25 breast in division A. Cole Hilton, 8, of Woofcliffe is ranked first in the county with a 21.63, followed closely by Harrison Quach, 8, of Stonegate with a 21.83. These two will provide some of the closest races at divisionals, as they are separated by four one-hundreds of a second in the 25 free as well.

8. Potomac Woods, Mill Creek Towne battle continues 

Potomac Woods and Mill Creek Towne have distanced themselves from the rest of division C but not each other. Entering Week 5, they were both undefeated and finished first and second respectively at the relay carnival. After a close, intense meet, Potomac Woods defeated Mill Creek Towne by just six points. This weekend, they will be facing off for the third time this season. Mill Creek Town will have to be spectacular to place first and needs some help from other teams to have any hope of coming out first in the final division standings.

9. Top of the county

Stonegate has had a historic season, winning all five dual meets by wide margins and the division A relay carnival. A victory at divisionals would seal their place as the top team in the county, knocking down Upper County, last years champion. Stonegate has tons of impressive talent, including Brady Ott, 14, Ryan Gruner, 12, Caleb Vu, 8, and the best class of 11-12 girls in the county in Shannon Lamb, Tia Thomas, Jordan Wallace, Taylor Wallace and Brianna Sanidad. They have a total of 100 all-star times, the second highest number in the county. 

 10. Medley relay mania

Although Manchester Farms team of Grace Elliott, 14, Dylan Gribble, 15, Lindsay Knapp, 17, and Sydney Knapp, 15, won the 18 & under medley relay at the division B relay carnival, Cedarbrook’s team of Grace Goetcheus, 16, Margret Wolfson, 15, Sydney Kirsch, 16, and Hannah Griffin, 16, are just .09 seconds behind them. Even with though Manchester Farms won the event at the relay carnival, they are not guaranteed the spot at all-stars. If Cedarbrook beats their time of 2.09.06, they will get to represent the division at all-stars. 

We've got 11 races on our "record watch" for MCSL all-stars, including one in the 8 and under age group. Which records do you want to see go down? (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

We’ve come to the end. The final day of swimming in the Montgomery County Swim League is upon us. After a break day of competition at Sunday’s all-star relay sections, the county turns to the individual races. Forty-eight events will be contested at the Rockville Swim Center, and it looks like we’re in for a great day of fast racing.

To get you ready, here’s a preview of Sunday’s best races:

Record watch

Talent is young this year in the league, tending towards the lower end of the age groups, which has resulted in a relatively low number of records having been set this season (6). If it weren’t for the county’s resident world record holder, Katie Ledecky, showing up to a random meet in Week 4 to set records in the 15-18 girls’ freestyle and individual medley, the number would stand at three individual records and a relay record.

But the record-breaking struggles (as if not being the fastest ever in a league studded with national age group, high school and world record holders is strugglings), could all end Sunday at the MCSL’s individual all-star meet. Here’s a quick look at the potential record-setting swims in event order:

Event #2: 12 and under girls’ 100 IM

Phoebe Bacon, above swimming butterfly during Tallyho's dual meet against Cedarbrook, set the MCSL record in the 11-12 backstroke in Week 5. (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

Tallyho’s Phoebe Bacon‘s name already appears twice on the record books, including a record-breaking swim in the Foxes last dual meet of the season at Cedarbrook. The 11-year-old took down her age group’s record in the 50-meter backstroke with a time of 31.56 seconds. At all-stars, Bacon could had the IM record as well. Her seed time of 1:10.40 is just under a second off the mark, set in 2009 by Poolesville’s Lauren James, and, as we know, that’s not a lot for a 12 and under.

Bacon is fresh off a strong performance at PVS’s long course age group championships two weeks ago where she finished sixth overall in the 200 IM.

Event #7: 9-10 boys’ 50 freestyle

David Fitch, 10, of Potomac enters as the only 10 and under that has been sub-30 this season and only the third ever in the area along with NVSL record holder Johnny Bradshaw (29.38) and MCSL record holder Timothy Ellett (29.58). Fitch enters with a time of 29.71 and a great shot at taking down the three-year-old mark.

Event #8: 9-10 girls’ 50 freestyle

What a race this should be. One of two ties atop the seedings, Little Falls’ Jillian Berger, 10, and Potomac Glen’s Giulia Baroldi, 10, are both listed with times of 30.33. The current record stands as 30.12 set 14 years ago by Morgan Ribar of Damascus.

[Update from comments: Giulia Baroldi established a new 9-10 girls' 50 free record today at all-star relays with a 29.70 lead-off split in the 14 and under graduated freestyle relay.]

Giula Baroldi, above swimming to a meet record at the MCSL Coaches Invite, swims for Potomac Glen during the summer. Her time from the midseason all-star meet ranks her third nationally. (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

Baroldi’s time was achieved at divisionals, while Berger achieved her best in Week 3. However, the two have not met since the 100 freestyle at Coaches Invite where Baroldi set the meet record. Berger’s most recent best was a 30.45 at divisionals and the slowest time by either girls since Week 2 is a 31.50. The push by Berger was enough to help Baroldi in the long-course event a few weeks ago; and it wouldn’t be hard to imagine a similar situation on Sunday. The question is, who will get the record this time?

Event #23: 11-12 boys’ 50 backstroke

Brett Feyerick and potential record. Not the first time those words have been mentioned in the same breath. Despite being just 11-years-old, the Tallyho swimmer is well within striking distance of Devin Truong‘s record of 30.42. Feyerick is seeded with a time of 30.68, a hair behind the mark set in 2011 (the “fastest” year measured by number of league records still on the books), but the current record holder in the 9-10 age group should take down another age group mark, no problem.

If not, there is always next season.

Event #25: 13-14 boys’ 50 backstroke

If there is a reason to show up for the first half of the meet it’s this race right here. A record held by Jack Conger could go down. I’ll repeat that. A record held by Jack Conger could be broken, and not a record set when he was a talented, albeit unfocused, 12 and under swimmer. This is a record he set when he was breaking national age group records.

Eli Fouts, 14, of Manchester Farms is seeded with a 28.16. That’s just .46 shy of Conger’s league record of 27.70. Fouts, who broke Carsten Vissering’s record in breaststroke in Week 5 and the 100 IM record at divisionals last week, holds the second fastest time in league history and is among the area’s fastest ever in the event. In recent history – other than Conger – only the NVSL’s Jaya Kambhampaty (27.31), Philip Hu (27.81), Andrew Seliskar (27.96) and James Murphy (28.12) have been faster. That’s a good list to be on if those swimmers career trajectories prove anything.

Event #26: 13-14 girls’ 50 backstroke

Record or not in the boys’ event, I hope the crowd doesn’t disperse too quickly. Otherwise, they might miss another rising star make a run at another record. Emily Wang, 14, of Upper County is seeded .56 seconds off the mark, set in 2006 by Rockville’s Cara Chuang, with a time of 30.57. The rising Churchill sophomore is ranked in the top three in freestyle, backstroke, butterfly and IM – No. 1 in backstroke and butterfly – and has a great shot at taking down one of few records that survived the supersuit era. 

Event #30: 8 and under girls’ 25 breaststroke

The hardest records to predict are those in the 8 and under age group. Consistency is basically nil and times are based on a swimmer hitting the perfect combination of a good dive, a strong finish and in-race focus to maintain technique when they see their competition beside them in their periphery vision – okay, who are we kidding, when they turn their heads a full 90 degrees mid-breath to see exactly where the swimmer in the next lane is.

That said, Felicity Yetter of Wildwood Manor is different. She’s swum her league-best time of 21.14 seconds twice this season already, plus a third time of 21.20, which is remarkable consistency for an eight-year-old. That time puts her just off Yaly Levy’s record of 20.83, which was set in 2003.

Just behind her is Woodcliffe’s Anna Wei Li with a 21.64, which isn’t out of record-breaking contention and should push Yetter. If you’re at Rockville, I hope you’re on your feet cheering these girls on because there is nothing better than an 8 and under record-breaking performance and subsequent elation from the swimmer, coaches and teammates. Pure joy.

Event #31: 9-10 boys’ 25 breaststroke

Harrison Cerone of Darnestown and David Fitch of Potomac are in for a great duel in the breaststroke event that may end with one of their name’s inked to the record books. Cerone is the top seed with a 17.66, while Fitch is seeded a hundredth of a second behind him.

The current record was set 20 years ago by Old Farm’s Justin Pratt, who posted a time of 17.37 in an early season dual meet. He likely didn’t have the competition offered by Sunday’s all-star meet and it wouldn’t be surprising if the two 10-year-olds pushed each other under the mark. Also keep in mind that Fitch might be coming off a record in the 50 freestyle that could be the sort of confidence boost needed to get him under regardless of what Cerone does.

Event #35: 13-14 boys’ 50 breaststroke

In Week 5, Eli Fouts slipped under Carsten Vissering’s record in the 50 breaststroke by a slim .1 seconds. Another week, another opportunity to lower a mark that many expected would stick around for awhile. But if not, he’s already cemented his 13-14 legacy with by becoming the first in the age group to go under the 31-second barrier. If that doesn’t impress you, keep in mind that none of an illustrious list of area breaststrokers achieved that feat. Not Vissering, not Seliskar, not Eric Friedland, not Ed Moses, not Mike Barrowman.

Event #42: 9-10 girls’ 25 butterfly

Giulia Baroldi, a likely contender for the 50 free record, enters as the top seed with a 15.37. If she can drop .41 seconds, she’ll get the record and become one of the few area swimmers to break the 15-second barrier. The record stands at 14.96 and was set by Lila Vera of Stonebridge in 2006. Only the NVSL’s Cassidy Bayer (14.74) and PMSL’s Gabrielle Standfield (14.74) have been faster.

Event #44: 11-12 girls’ 50 butterfly

If Phoebe Bacon misses the mark in the IM event earlier in the meet, no problem. The butterfly event is her best chance at adding a second 11-12 record to her list of accolades (she already has the backstroke record). She enters the meet with a time of 30.52, which is just .11 seconds off Laura Eull’s mark of 30.31, set in 2000.

This is a no-pressure meet for Bacon, not just because it’s only summer league swimming, but also because she’s only 11-year-old. If she’s carried enough of her taper from age group champs over, this record could go down big.

Best Races

Swimmers dive in during a Week 5 dual meet in the MCSL. Which races do you think will be the best at Sunday's all-star meet? (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

Moving on. Not every race is going to be possible record, but that doesn’t mean spectators should head to the concessions stand in between. Record-breaking swims are fun to watch, but they can’t beat a full field of swimmers separated by tenths or hundredths of a second. Those races this year’s all-star meet has in spades. Here are some to keep an eye on.

Event #5: 8 and under 25 freestyle

Only one other event is seeded as tightly as this one, but 15-18s don’t have nearly the intrigue of seven eight-year-olds, most of which are meeting for the first time. Separated by less than half a second, this race is completely up for grabs, but you have to like King Farm’s Ashton Sun, winner of the 50-meter race at the Coaches Invite, and the favorite by .24 seconds.

[Correction: Samir Elkassem won the 50 freestyle at the Coaches Invite, Ashton Sun won the 50 backstroke.]

1. Ashton Sun, 8, King Farm – 16.37
2. Samir Elkassem, 8, Country Glen – 16.61
3. Liam Rooney, 8, Franklin Knolls – 16.64 
4. Cole Hilton, 8, Woodcliffe – 16.70
5. Harrison Quach, 8, Stonegate – 16.74 
6. Jordan Kelly, 8, Rockshire – 16.78
7. Caleb Vu, 8, Stonegate – 16.87

Event #9: 13-14 boys’ 50 freestyle

Stonegate’s Brady Ott was one of the Serpents most consistent scorers all season. Ott ranks No. 1 in the league in freestyle and butterfly, and should be able to outpace the field at all-stars in both events, as well. He’s also the second fastest freestyler in the area behind NVSL’s Thomas Hallock (24.54), who is leagues ahead of everyone in free.

1. Brady Ott, 14, Stonegate – 25.46 
2. John Pate, 14, Flower Valley – 25.63 
3. Theodore Jagodits, 14, Poolesville – 25.81
4. Tyler Van Wagener, 14, Wildwood Manor – 25.89

Event #10: 13-14 girls 50 freeestyle

Celine Nugent holds a .2-second advantage entering the race, but right behind her is Olivia French, who was the winner at the 2012 all-star meet when Nugent and French were 11-12s. French also finished fourth at last year’s all-stars as a 13-year-old.

1. Celine Nugent, 14, Tilden Woods – 28.35 
2. Olivia French, 14, Kentlands – 28.55 
3. Zoe Westrick, 14, Old Georgetown – 28.70
4. Thiany Riddihough, 14, Bethesda – 28.84

Event #11: 11-12 boys’ 50 freestyle

If there is a person you don’t want in the lane next to you when you’re the top seed, it’s Brett Feyerick. That said, Jacob Linder is no slouch. The 12-year-old finished fourth at age group champs with a fast 28.36 – well ahead of Feyerick’s ‘B’ final-winning 28.68. Gabriel Laracuente was eighth in the ‘A’ final and posted his best in prelims with a 28.88.

1. Jacob Lindner, 12, Lakelands – 28.03 
2. Brett Feyerick, 11, Tallyho – 28.34 
3. Gabriel Laracuente, 12, Quince Orchard – 28.51

In such a short race between two pint-sized heavyweights, look for one swimmer or the other to take an advantage at the start or turn; that’s where 50s are won.

Event #12: 11-12 girls’ 50 freestyle

This has been my favorite age group to watch in the county all season. Every year as we watch new talent enter the high school ranks, I hear club coaches say, “Yeah, but look at who is behind them.” They’re talking about these girls right here (and another handful across the Potomac in Virginia).

1. Megan Sharkey, 12, Potomac Woods – 29.27 
2. Maya Fischer, 12, East Gate – 29.44 
3. Malia Bush, 11, Regency Estates – 29.53 
4. Shannon Lamb, 12, Stonegate – 29.87
5. Tia Thomas, 11, Stonegate – 30.08

Fischer won the 100-meter race over Sharkey, Bush, Lamb and Thomas – but halving the distance makes all the difference in a summer league event. Sharkey has been the most consistent this season with three of the top-four times swam this year, and should be considered the favorite in the sprint.

Event #14: 15-18 girls’ 100 freestyle

*Ding, ding* … round five (or something like that).

1. Caroline McTaggart, 17, Chevy Chase Recreation Associa – 58.08
2. Anna Kolanowski, 18, Bethesda – 58.53

In summer league competition over the last three seasons, this has been one of the best matchups of pure, freestyle talent. Kolanowski enters her final all-star meet with three straight wins over McTaggart in the 200-meter event at the Coaches Invite. But mid-distance has never been McTaggart’s strength, while it’s Kolanowski’s main event.

In the 100 distance, McTaggart beat Kolanowski in their one meeting in 2012. She also won last year in a league record time of 57.15 (since broken by Ledecky).

But in the end, with it being a senior versus rising senior race, you have to like the exiting 18-year-old, who wants to end her career on a high note.

Event #21: 15-18 boys’ 100 backstroke

Bouke Edskes, 16, of Upper County is among the best in the county, especially among the lower half of the 15-18 age group. (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

1. John Jeang, 16, Rockville – 59.02 
2. Grant Goddard, 17, Palisades – 59.09 
3. Bouke Edskes, 16, Upper County – 59.28
4. Jase Ashkin, 16, King Farm – 59.44

Edskes beat Jeang in their head-to-head race in Week 2 when Upper County met Rockville. Jeang didn’t swim divisionals, but it probably doesn’t matter. As good as the top seeds (and Ashkin) are, Goddard is a racer. He’s proven that over the course of his career and, just because he’s preparing for next week’s U.S. nationals, that shouldn’t be any different this week.

Event #32: 9-10 girls’ 25 breaststroke

Isn’t everyone jealous of the 10 and unders? Another great potential race that will be decided across a single length of the pool.

1. Sophie Duncan, 10, Seven Locks – 19.74
1. Laura See, 10, Fallsmead – 19.74 
3. Carly Sebring, 9, Damascus – 19.90 
4. Joyce Wu, 9, King Farm – 19.93
5. Emma Dorsey, 10 Olney Mill – 20.01

Lee has the edge in this race due to her consistency throughout the season. She holds the third, fifth, sixth, eighth and 11th fastest swims of the year in the event. Only Kate Hallmark of Bethesda, who isn’t swimming the event at all-stars, has faster times – 19.50 and 19.53 in Week 3 and 4, respectively.

Event #43: 11-12 boys’ 50 butterfly

Butterfly events in the 11-12 age group can be among the most exciting. Swimmers are rarely experienced enough to have completely mastered the ability to time their strokes perfectly into the walls, and that means that a poor turn or an extra stroke at the finish could completely eras the .31- or .42-second difference between the top three.

1. Alan Li, 12 Rockville – 30.00
2. Zach Bayler, 12 Robin Hood – 30.31 
3. Daniel Wang, 12 Rockshire – 30.43

This will be the second matchup between Li, Bayler and Wang who will open the meet in the 12 and under boys’ 100 IM event where they are seeded 1-2-3 with times of 1:09.07, 1:09.57 and 1:10.01, respectively. 

Event #47: 15-18 boys’ 50 butterfly

John Mooers, above swimming his last dual meet at Cedarbrook in Week 5, hopes to end his MCSL career with victories in IM and butterfly. (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

Lots of talent in this heat. The race for first should be between the two all-Americans at the top. Already mentioned, but Goddard’s desire to win gives him an edge in any race. That said, Mooers is a graduating senior who will be swimming his last race for Cedarbrook while his coach, Dave Crocker, coaches his second to last heat of summer league swimming after 35 years in the MCSL.

1. Johnny Mooers, 18, Cedarbrook – 26.13
2. Grant Goddard, 17, Palisades – 26.34 
3. Alex Wu, 18, Woodcliffe – 26.72 
4. Kohler Sukachevin, 18, Hillandale – 26.78
5. Anatol Liu, 17, Rockville – 27.08
6. Griffin Alaniz, 15, Connecticut Belair – 27.13

Event #48: 15-18 girls’ 50 butterfly

There is no better event to conclude this year’s meet. The top nine swimmers are separated by less than a second and they’re all capable of dropping time.

It’s an odd time of year for senior swimmers. Some will be coming off taper from senior champs while others will be in various stages of their taper for nationals or zones, which means anything can happen. 

1. Maddy Zarchin, 15, Lakelands – 29.53 
2. Anna Kolanowski, 18, Bethesda – 29.78
3. Sydney Kirsch, 16, Cedarbrook – 29.80
4. Caroline McTaggart, 17, Chevy Chase Recreation Association – 29.94
5. Caroline Clark, 18, Potomac Woods – 29.98
6. Alicia Tiberino, 18, Potomac Glen – 30.09
7. Ellie Sherman, 17, Country Glen – 30.21
8. Scarlett Sun, 17, Rockville – 30.40
9. Kelsy Song, 16, Woodcliffe – 30.47

The heavy sluggers in this event are bunched at the top and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a touch-finish between Zarchin, Kolanowski, Kirsh and McTaggart. None are pure butterfliers, but all are strong sprinters.

Forecast

We don’t often (i.e., never) include a weather report in our previews, but this is an outdoor meet and the weather hasn’t been kind to the area’s summer league championship meets this year (or any year…ever), so here they are.

8 a.m.: 75 degrees, partly cloudy, 34% rain
9 a.m.: 77 degrees, partly cloudy, 34% rain
10 a.m.: 79 degrees, partly cloudy, 37% rain
11 a.m.: 81 degrees, partly cloudy, 43% rain
noon: 83 degrees, partly cloudy, 47% rain
1 p.m.: 78 degrees, T-storms, 51% rain
2 p.m.: 82 degrees, partly cloudy, 43% rain
3 p.m.: If we’re all still at Rockville by this time then we’ve been huddled in cars waiting for a monsoon to pass – not entirely out of the question. (79 degrees, T-storms, 51% rain)

Now everyone do a nice weather dance.

Good luck and congratulations on another great season!

Congratulations to all the all-star qualifiers, team and league record breakers and ALL the swimmers who jumped in the pool this season! I’d also like to extend a big congratulations to the divisional winners this season: Stonegate (A), Germantown (B), Potomac Woods (C), Country Glen (D), Northwest Branch (E), Wildwood Manor (F), Daleview (G), Inverness Forest (H), Clarksburg Village (I), Calverton (J), Norbeck Hills (K), Poolesville (L), Willows of Potomac (M), Glenmont (N) and Wheaton Woods (O).

About 30 minutes after breaking a record held by one of the fastest swimmers every produced by the league, Eli Fouts stepped onto the blocks, dove in the water and re-set his own league mark in a second event with a performance that left coaches on deck at the Rockville Swim Center shaking their heads and smiling – happy for the swimmer and amazed at the swims.

Fouts, hanging loosely on the lane line while he exchanged handshakes with his competitors, smiled too. Fouts has a lot to be happy with after three weeks of fast swimming that concluded Sunday at Rockville Swim Center with his third and fourth league record-breaking swims of the summer.

Eli Fouts, 14, above swimming backstroke, broke Jack Conger's record in the event by over half a second. (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

The 14-year-old Manchester Farms swimmer began his meet by blazing through the league record in the 13-14 boys’ 50-meter backstroke with a time of 27.11 seconds. Fouts spun through the water with speed, strength and precision that beguiles his age.

The swim slashed over half a second off the previous record, set by three-time All-Met Swimmer of the Year Jack Conger in 2009. If Fouts can find the sort of focus Conger did as a rising freshman, Maryland swim fans are in for another great four years.

“It feels really good [to break Conger's record],” said Fouts, who admitted he was nervous about taking on a record held by Conger before the race. “He’s really fast, and he went to Olympic Trials; it’s a pretty good feeling.”

Complete results

He followed up his early performance by breaking the record in the 50 breaststroke that he set two weeks earlier during Manchester Farms’ final dual meet. In the Dolphins meet at Germantown, Fouts became the first 14 and under in the area to break the 31-second barrier with a time of 30.93 – a milestone never reached by Carsten Vissering or Eric Friedland before Fouts. 

But Fouts, who trains with RMSC year-round, saw his time eclipsed by a swimmer in the Northern Virginia Swim League a week after his record-breaking swim, supplying him new motivation entering Sunday’s event despite already possessing the record. Fouts blasted a 30.79, a full 2.1 seconds faster than second-place to win the race and reclaim the area’s top spot.

“It felt not as stressful. Backstroke was my stressful [event],” Fouts said. “I already had the record in breaststroke and I just wanted to go faster.”

Before this weekend, Fouts had never won an all-star event. His highest finish came in 2012 when he finished nearly a second behind Rockville’s Sanjay Wijeskera in the 11-12 boys’ 50 backstroke event. Wijesekera touched third on Sunday – 2.04 seconds behind Fouts.

A rising Quince Orchard freshman, Fouts also set his age group’s 100 individual medley record at last week’s divisionals with a time of 1:00.89, which gives him three of five 13-14 boys’ league records and should make his future high school teammates very excited.

“I’m pumped to get to QO,” Fouts said. “I already know the coach because he was one of my teachers in sixth grade. He’s waiting for me to come, and hopefully I can do my best for the team.”

His best in the 100-yard breaststroke (59.69), would have won the event at the MCPS Division II championship last year and placed eighth at Metros and makes him one of the top incoming freshman in the county.

David Fitch, 10, the new 9-10 boys' 50-meter breaststroke record holder poses with Carsten Vissering. (Photo by Lucy Fitch)

If he can keep improving, he is likely to step onto the blocks next to Carsten Vissering, a rising Georgetown Prep senior, who is the reigning Metros champion in breaststroke and was also making waves at all-stars Sunday morning.

Vissering, 17, took down the record in the 15-18 boys’ 100-meter breaststroke with a blistering time of 1:00.74. 

That time lowered the mark set in 2008 by Tilden Woods’ Eric Friedland, a former NCAA champion.

“I remember watching Friedland post that time at this pool and I thought, ’That will never be broken’,” said Little Falls Coach Jason Blanken, who holds the league’s third oldest record, set in 1998. “Vissering is just on a different level than everyone else.”

Vissering went out in a 28.7-second split and gutted out the final two laps to set the record, despite a brutal few months in the pool training with Nation’s Capital Swim Club’s elite Georgetown Prep practice group.

“It’s fun getting the record; it’s a really important meet for me since I think it might be my last MCSLs and I wanted to leave something behind before I finished my career,” Vissering said. “It’s a little sad [knowing I might not be back] but it was exciting to get that record.”

Carsten Vissering, 17, takes off at the start of the boys'€™ 100-meter breaststroke. Vissering broke Eric Friedland's 2008 record in the event. (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

Vissering is likely to miss next year’s all-star meet and much, if not all, of the dual meet season as he heads off to the University of Southern California where he has already committed to swim.

“I had good results at summer juniors last year and this meet kind of indicates how I do at my taper meet,” Vissering said. “I think I was a 1:02 last year at this [meet], so to get a double-oh here has me pretty pumped.”

Carsten Vissering, 17, swims to a new league record in the 15-18 boys'€™ 100-meter breaststroke. (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

Vissering is the ninth-ranked breaststroker in the country heading into U.S. Nationals, which begin Aug. 3 in Irvine, Calif.

There he’ll attempt to place in the top two and earn himself a spot on the national team delegation heading to Australia for the Pan Pacific Championships in late August and next year’s FINA world championships in Kazan Russia.

He’ll need a swim like he had on Sunday if he has any chance of earning a national team berth.

Replicating his performance at Rockville in the long-course pool may prove difficult without the assistance of two extra walls, however. If he falls short of the podium, he’ll likely be headed to Honolulu with the junior national team to compete at Junior Pan Pacs, which has historically been a proving ground for future Olympians.

Vissering also finished third in the 50 butterfly (26.68) behind Palisades’ Grant Goddard (25.67) and Cedarbrook’s Johnny Mooers (26.05).

Goddard also won the 100 backstroke in 57.13. Mooers, who will swim for Boston College in the fall, picked up a second silver in the 100 IM behind Northwest Branch’s Michael Thomas, 59.22 to 59.30. Thomas is heading to UNC-Wilmington to swim next year.

Phoebe Bacon (right) shakes hands after setting the league record in the 11-12 girls' 50-meter butterfly. (Photo by Bryan Flaherty)

Phoebe Bacon of Tallyho also set two league records in the 11-12 age group. Entering the meet, Bacon had already set the girls’ record in the 50 backstroke in Week 5 with a time of 31.56 and was expected to challenge the records in the 50 butterfly and 100 IM at all-stars.

She did better than challenge the records.

Bacon shaved a collective .62 seconds off the old marks in the two events. In the second event of the morning, the 100 IM, Bacon cruised to victory in a time of 1:09.04 to break Poolesville’s Lauren James’s record of 1:09.45, set in 2009.

Later, Bacon added the butterfly record by registering a time of 30.20 that broke a 14-year-old record previously held by Laura Eull of Country Glen.

As an 11-year-old, Bacon has another year to continue lowering the records in all three events.

Behind Bacon waits a strong last of 9-10 girls. Giulia Baroldi, 10, set the league record in the 50 freestyle with a time of 29.58. She broke Morgan Ribar’s record of 30.12, set in 2000. In second, also breaking the record, was Jillian Berger of Little Falls, who touched in 29.93.

Baroldi also missed setting a second league record when she finished first in the 25 butterfly in 14.98 – .02 off.

David Fitch, 10, swimming freestyle at all-stars. He missed the record by .01 seconds. (Photo by Ginny Maycock)

David Fitch, 10, of Potomac provided the seventh record-breaking swim of the morning when he clipped .19 seconds off a 20-year-old record int he 9-10 boys’ 25 breaststroke. His time of 17.18 bested Justin Pratt of Old Farm’s record of 17.37, set in 1994.

Fitch also won the 50 freestyle in 29.59 and just missing the Timmy Ellett’s record in the event by a hundredth of a second.

Other big winners include: Samir Elkassem, 8, of Country Glen (25 free and 25 fly); Brady Ott, 14, of Stonegate (50 free and 50 fly); Celine Nugent, 14, of Tilden Woods (50 free and 100 IM); Brett Feyerick, 11, Tallyho (50 free and 50 back); Emily Wang, 14, of Upper County (50 back and 50 fly); and Anna Wei Li, 8, of Woodcliffe (25 breast and 25 fly).

Eli Fouts, 14, had a career day at Sunday’s MCSL all-stars. He broke a Jack Conger record in the 50-meter backstroke and re-set his own breaststroke record – previously held by Carsten Vissering (2009) and Olympic gold medalist Mike Barrowman (1983). 

The times stand as area-records but with NVSL all-stars on Saturday those swims are in jeopardy of being eclipsed by a pair of Chesterbrook swimmers – Jaya Kambhampaty and Sam Gollob – and Virginia Run’s Leo Wang.

If you weren’t able to make it to Rockville Swim Center on Sunday, you can watch both races here, including an interview with Fouts following the record-breaking swims. And if you want to skip around, here are the cue times for each segment: 0:00 (backstroke race), 0:38 (backstroke interview), 1:20 (breaststroke race) and 1:57 (breaststroke interview).

Read more: Eli Fouts makes statement at MCSL all-stars

As schools begin to let out, biting water temperatures and progressively worse tan lines mark the start of the summer league season in southern Maryland. In the Montgomery County Swim League’s 56th season, swimmers, coaches parents and teams find themselves in new divisions facing new competition, with every division except for the county’s premier division experiencing shake-ups. But among the movers are those traversing up and down the divisional alphabet in leaps and bounds.

Here are three teams making significant divisional jumps in 2015.

Wildwood Manor — Division F to B: A family affair

After an undefeated season in Division F last season, the Wombats moved up four divisions and will be competing in Division B in 2015. They are one of four new teams in the penultimate division, along with Potomac Woods, Mill Creek Towne and Quince Orchard.

The team is led by first year head coach Andrew Tollefson, who recently graduated from North Carolina State and was a member of the Wolfpacks’ varsity men’s team. He replaces his father, John, who coached Wildwood Manor from 2009-14 and helped it move from Division I to Division B. The elder Tollefson retired at the conclusion of last season. Andrew previously coached at Fallsmead and Garrett Park and is a full-time coach for Team Tollefson, a local club run by the family.

At last year’s Division F championship, Wildwood Manor won 15 of the 50 events and won by 101 points. The Wombats also swept to a 5-0 record in dual meets, winning by an average of 166 points.

This season offers a new challenge for the Wombats, with many of their top swimmers aging up from last year. Four nine-year-olds lead a strong 9-10 group that includes Lauren Connelly, Felicitiy Yetter, Joe Flynn and Joe Umhofer. They will be joined by Asher Good, age 10.

Among the 15-18s, Matthew Daza and Haley Nugent add senior leadership to the team and the ability to score big points for the Wombats.

The team is expected to finish fifth in the division this season, five points behind the expected first-place finisher Potomac Woods.

Regency Estates — Division F to C: Return to roots

A year after finishing second behind Wildwood Manor in Division F, Regency Estates will be competing three divisions higher this season in C.

The team relies on strong performances from two of its top athletes, Malia Bush, 12, and rising senior Hannah Lindsey — one of the few U.S. Olympic trials qualifiers in the league. Last season, Bush was undefeated in the division in the 50-meter freestyle and placed sixth in the event at all-stars. Lindsey was undefeated in all of the events she competed in but did not compete at the all-star meet.

The talent doesn’t stop there for the Sailfish. Noah Rutberg, 12, finished fourth in the 50 backstroke and eighth in the 50 butterfly at all-stars last season. The Wright sisters, 14-year-old Beth and 16-year-old Katie, are also slated to have strong seasons.

First-year head coach Laurence Bloch grew up swimming for the team and is also the head coach of Best Times Swim Club. She is joined by assistant head coach Erin O’Connor, who also grew up swimming at Regency Estates and coaches with FINS Swimming in the winter.

“It’s amazing to be able to coach Regency and it feels like things have come full circle,” Bloch said. “It was a little weird at first being on the other side of things, but I love being able to provide the spirit and coaching my coaches provided me.”

In C, the Sailfish will contend against Cedarbrook and Darnestown, teams they have swam against regularly in both ‘A’ and ‘B’ meets in previous years.

“Realizing we’re in Division C, there will be bigger competitors on every team so it will be fun to watch,” Bloch said.

The team relies on infectious spirit from a strong group of older swimmers, according to Bloch, led by four seniors who have come back year after year who epitomize “Regency spirit” — the only thing that will not be a challenge to keep up with in their new division.

“Our chances of winning our division are small, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to come out and compete,” said Bloch. “Everyone loves a good underdog story.”

Eldwick — Division I to M: Bigger isn’t better

For Eldwick, which finds itself four divisions lower than they were a year ago, the size of its team is its most important characteristic. Despite the fact that the Sharks lost every meet last season, Eldwick still has high hopes for a successful campaign this year in Division M.

Under Coach Theresa Bajorek, the Sharks enter the season ranked second in the pre-season standings — one point behind James Creek. Last season, they had only one all-star qualifier, Dolan Plummer, 12, who finished 14th in the 11-12 boys’ 50 backstroke.

The team’s top 15-18 swimmer, Nicholas Barpoulis, graduated last year leaving another hole for Eldwick to fill. His sister Megan Barpoulis, 18, and Kelsey Ridge, 16, lead the Sharks’ senior girls and both finished well at last year’s divisionals meet.

“Teams that I have worked with in the past have always been on the bigger side, but what I am hands-on learning is that bigger does not always equal better,” Bajorek said.

Although the coaches have embraced the team’s small size, when it comes to putting together a lineup it becomes their biggest challenge. Like other teams in lower divisions, finding enough swimmers to fill lineups, especially six swimmers to swim the freestyle events or enough younger kids who are legally capable of swimming breaststroke and butterfly, is a rarity.

“It is more difficult to win meets when you are outnumbered, so to speak,” Bajorek said. “However, I still believe that the quality of the Sharks’ swimming can overshadow big numbers.”

As part of our on-going efforts to provide the best coverage of summer league swimming, Reach for the Wall has created an all-area record board to recognize the historic performances by swimmers across the region.

This new record board, which can be found under Rankings at the top of your page, will be updated throughout the summer season with the latest records posted by area swimmers from the CSL, DCCL, NVSL, MCSl, PMSL and PWSL. If a swimmer from your team breaks a league or all-area record, please e-mail us or connect with us on Twitter.

The records list was compiled by Bradley Phillips.

Notes:

• Ed Moses’s 1998 record in the boys’ 50-meter breaststroke of 28.81 has a special place in NVSL mythology. For years, the record has persisted despite challenges from the area’s (and nation’s) elite breaststrokers, including Rick Eddy, Chuck Katis, Andrew Seliskar, Brandon Fiala and others. However, Carsten Vissering (Old Georgetown) opened his record-breaking 100 breaststroke at last summer’s MCSL individual all-star meet with a 28.7-second split at the 50-meter mark, which would have broken Moses Record.

• Moses is one of two Olympic gold medalists on the list. Katie Ledecky of Palisades (MCSL) is the other.

• Another mythical record by area standards is Roger McLeod’s 8&under boys’ 25 freestyle NVSL record of 15.10 that has stood since 1965. Every so often, a swimmer begins approaching the mark — most notably, Tim Ellett of the MCSL’s Tilden Woods in 2009 (15.16), Will Koeppen of the DCCL’s River Bend in 2010 (15.44) and David Fitch of the MCSL’s Potomac (15.46). The closest an NCSL swimmer has come is J.T. Ewing of Tuckahoe when he posted a 15.50 midseason in 2013. Stunningly enough, McLeod isn’t the fastest all-time from the D.C. metro area. That honor belongs to Johnny Bradshaw, formerly of Mount Vernon County Club (DCCL) and currently competing for Hamlet (NVSL). He broke the mark in at the 2012 DCCL all-star meet during prelims, which is why the time was not recorded in our database. Bradshaw, who will compete as an 11-year-old this summer, has six records between the 8&under and 9-10 age groups, most coming as a Hamlet swimmer.

• Bradshaw isn’t the only swimmer appearing multiple times on the list with more than one team. Lindsey Ertter holds the 50 breaststroke records for the 11-12 and 13-14 age groups in the NVSL. She broke the former as a member of the Great Falls team and the latter with Tuckahoe, making her the only swimmer on the all-area record board appearing for two different teams in the same league.

• The NVSL’s Janet Hu (Mosby Woods) tops the record board with an astounding eight all-area marks, coming in every stroke except for breast but including IM. She’s followed by Cassidy Bayer‘s six — tied with Bradshaw, Seliskar’s four and Darius Truong‘s three. Of note, Ledecky and American record holder Jack Conger only have one apiece.

If you have an interesting factoid about the record board, please leave it in the comments section below.

8&unders

9-10s

11-12s

13-14s

15-18s

*achieved prior to Reach for the Walls records
**historical team

Brett Feyerick went record-less last season in the Montgomery County Swim League. After setting the league’s 9-10 boys’ 25-meter backstroke record at individual all-stars in 2013, and then blazing through the Potomac Valley records during the club season, the Tallyho swimmer missed the mark in the 50 backstroke by a mere five-hundredths of a second as an 11-year-old.

Feyerick wasted no time in remedying last season’s near-miss in the Foxes’ first dual meet of the season against Quince Orchard, shattering the league record in the 11-12 boys’ 50 backstroke by nearly a second to become the first 12&under below the 30-second barrier. He finished in 29.51 seconds, winning by more than four seconds and breaking Devin Truong‘s 2011 mark of 30.42.

Moments later, teammate Phoebe Bacon laid waste to the girls’ 11-12 record with a time of 30.58, bettering her own league mark from last season by .98 seconds.

Congratulations to Brett & Phoebe!! Meet the new MCSL record holders in 50 Back! GO HO! @reachforthewall #MCSL pic.twitter.com/XN60BuJ6lU

— Tallyho Swim Team (@TallyhoFoxes) June 13, 2015

With the new league marks, Feyerick and Bacon approach the all-area records held by another set of former teammates. Siblings Philip and Janet Hu of Mosby Woods (NVSL) own the all-time best times by D.C. area summer leaguers with times of 29.09 and 30.06.

Feyerick and Bacon together own the 9-10 25 backstroke all-area records.

Both swimmers also challenged the 12&under league marks in the 100 individual medley and 50 butterfly events. Feyerick won the 100 IM in 1 minute 6.69 seconds, falling short of Truong’s record by less than a second and a half; Bacon missed her own record by a 1.31 seconds (1:10.35), cruising to a 10-second victory in the race. Feyerick then posted a 29.58 in butterfly, just behind Danny Calder’s 2013 record of 29.1; Bacon again missed her own mark, splitting 30.32 — her best from last season was 30.20.

Feyerick also inched closer to breaking a 17-year-old record in the 50 freestyle, registering a 27.10. The record, set in 1998 by Jason Blanken, current head coach at River Falls, stands at 26.68.

Caroline McTaggart of Chevy Chase Rec. broke the Montgomery County Swim League’s 15-18 girls’ butterfly record Saturday, reclaiming a record she first broke nearly three years ago — and she almost took back another.

McTaggart, 18, scorched a time of 28.14 in the 50-meter butterfly event during the Stingrays’ season opener against Calverton, breaking the league record set by Mill Town Creeke’s Catherine Mulquin in 2013 by .39 seconds. The time ranks third all-time among D.C. area summer league swimmers, a hundredth of a second back from second but .84 behind Janet Hu‘s stunning all-area record of 27.30.

That makes three records broken on the opening weekend of competition in Montgomery County, with Tallyho swimmers Bretty Feyerick and Phoebe Bacon breaking a pair of 11-12 marks as well.

McTaggart also nearly added back the 100 freestyle league mark, which was broken by Katie Ledecky in her only appearance for Palisades last summer. McTaggart posted a 56.08 — just over three-tenths of a second off the mark. Ledecky’s time of 55.75 was the first swim under 57 seconds, leap-frogging 56 altogether. McTaggart split a 56.87 later in 2014.

Ledecky competed only once as a 15-18. She will not be participating in the league during her final year of eligibility, with a trip to the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, in late July drawing the four-time world champion’s attention.

To date, the top five fastest swims are as follows:

• Katie Ledecky, Palisades, 55.75 (2014)
• Caroline McTaggart, Chevy Chase Rec., 56.08 (2015)
• Caroline McTaggart, Chevy Chase Rec., 56.87 (2014)
• Caroline McTaggart, Chevy Chase Rec., 57.12 (2013)
• Caroline McTaggart, Chevy Chase Rec., 57.15 (2013)

McTaggart broke the record first in 2012, when she downed a 24-year-old mark with a 58.02.

Summer league swimming is known for its atmosphere, manufactured each Saturday morning by dedicated coaches, parents and swimmers that transform community pools into the sites of Herculean feats that inspire and live on in the memories of aspiring young athletes. Part of what makes those mornings so vivid and enduring are themes, ideas sprung forth from the minds of coaches and senior swimmers to inspire and, more importantly, make meets fun.

But there are themes, and then there are themes.

“America” or “Independence Day” or whatever you want to call it is a theme, played out nearly every July 4 by team’s across the area. It’s a good theme, easy for parents, but hardly memorable. Body painting in team colors is another common, quickie “theme,” that is only recalled in Instagram’s annals.

Then there are the more elaborate and fantastical.

“Harry Potter”: a good theme if executed well, with robe-clad swizards (swimmer wizards) flying about the pool deck on broom sticks with make-shift wands and defeating the Piranhas or Dolphins in a quidditch match in a five-minute skit before the national anthem is played. “Pirates of the Caribbean”: highlighted by sword fights on a diving board, this is another high-potential theme.

But then there are great themes, the ones that senior swimmers will regale 10&unders with for years to come — and will persist past the last graduate as lore.

This Saturday, during Montgomery County’s opening weekend, Country Glen’s “Party like its 1996″ / “Let me take a selfie” theme from the Sun Devils’ meet against Stonebridge has the ingredients to achieve such status.

The brainchild of Coach Geoff Schaefer, the 16-year Country Glen coach came up with the theme when he heard “#SELFIE” by The Chainsmokers on the radio.

“I heard the song and thought, ‘We could take hundreds of selfies and upload them to Facebook and break the Internet.’ And we decided to pair it with a funky 90’s theme to give the kids something to dress up as,” said Schaefer, who sported a shiny metallic shirt and white-rimmed sunglasses for the skit.

The team posted more than 300 photos to the Facebook group “CG Selfie” between 8:40 and 9 a.m., the meet’s start time, while strutting around the pool deck dressed in their best imaginings of what people wore in 1996. (If you question whether any of these outfits were ever worn in the 90’s, remember that none of the swimmers were probably alive in ’96.)

The absence of jean jackets and flannel aside, here are a few of our favorite photos from the day:

1 of 7

If you have a favorite theme or skit from your team, share in the comments!

And if you’re unclear as to the inspiration for the Sun Devils’ theme, here is the viral sensation in all its, umm, glory:

Week 1 of the summer league season is in the books, and while only three league records went down across the area — all in the Montgomery County Swim League — that doesn’t mean the record books weren’t scared just a bit by 2015’s elite early.

The MCSL, PWSL and DCCL got underway on Saturday, posting a strong set of times in their openers. (The NVSL, Prince-Mont and CSL begin this weekend.) From the early season rankings, here are notes on the top times across the region:

8&unders

Rockville (MCSL) looks like it has produced another potential all-star medalist in Adriano Arioti. The 8-year-old posted the area’s top time in each of the three events he swam, including a blistering 15.38 in the 25 freestyle. That time ranks him fourth all-time in the area and makes him the second fastest ever in the MCSL behind league record holder Timothy Ellett, according to our records. That’s not just fast, that’s blazing. With plenty of chances at the league record (and the all-area mark of 15.06), Arioti will be among the best story lines to follow this summer.

(In red, we have noted the time in seconds from the current all-area record and bolded times within a second of the all-area record.)

9-10s

Carly Sebring of Damascus (MCSL) posted a 15.22 in the 9-10 girls’ 25 butterfly, making her the ninth fastest performer all-time. And the 10-year-old has less than half-second to get under U.S. junior national team member Cassidy Bayer‘s all-area record of 14.74 and less than a quarter-second to nab the league mark, set by Giulia Baroldi last season. Sebring also posted the week’s top 100 IM and 25 backstroke times; she’s a bit off the mark in backstroke and well back from the record in IM, but still the best of the young season.

11-12s

MCSL’s Tallyho nearly swept the top times in the 11-12 age group this week with 9 of 10 belonging to Foxes. Four of five boys’ events were claimed by rising star Brett Feyerick and another four were earned by Phoebe Bacon in the girls’ events. The Foxes duo broke MCSL records in backstroke, and challenged the all-area records in three events while doing so. Tallyho’s ninth top time came from Ben Long Zuo, who not only ranks as the top breaststroker in the age group but also has three top-six times in other events.

13-14s

The 13-14s are the only age group to not possess a three-event leader. In fact, Maya Fischer of East Gate is the only swimmer from the group that has more than one top time — posting area bests in free and fly. Also, none of the current leaders have records in previous age groups.

15-18s

Carsten Vissering of Old Georgetown is the only swimmer who holds a weekly top time and the all-area record in their event, topping the 15-18 boys’ 100 breaststroke in Week 1. He may not be overly pleased with that performance, however, as that time is more than six seconds back from his blazing mark from last season’s all-stars.

Week 1 of the Montgomery County Swim League did not disappoint, with upsets and close meets coming out of every division. There were a total of six meets decided by ten points or fewer, topped by a one-point, upset victory by Somerset in Division K. Three league records were broken — two by Tallyho swimmers and a third by senior Caroline McTaggart of Chevy Chase Rec.

Take a look back at some of the closest finishes and best upsets from the county’s opening weekend:

Daleview takes a big step forward with upset of King Farm

Daleview‘s 11-12 boys’ swept four events and took first place points in five to help lift the Feet to a 396.5-385.5 victory over top-seeded King Farm in a Division E opener.

Collin McKenzie, 11, won all four of his events for Daleview, leading sweeps in the 50-meter freestyle, 50 backstroke, 50 butterfly and 100 individual medley.

King Farm, one of two teams remaining in the division after finishing third in 2014, was unable to fill its lineup, leaving empty lanes in ten events. In the boys’ 200 medley relay, the Screamin’ Geese only had one relay entered and handed Daleview easy points — and the eventual win.

Daleview moved up two divisions after dominating Division G last season. In their highest division in since 2004, the Feet relied on depth to pull out a victory after only winning 20 of 50 events.

For King Farm, Joyce and Grace Wu shined in the backstroke events, both winning by four seconds. Joyce, age 10, won the 25 breast, finishing in 19.07 while sister Grace, 14, won the 50 breast in 37.78. Joyce’s time ranks her the top 9-10 breastroker in the league, .25 of a second clear of her next closest competitor.

Somerset hangs on late against Whetstone

After finishing in a tie in the divisional standings last year, Somerset and Whetstone resumed their series in Division K, with the Dolphins coming out on top of the top-seeded Whales, 381-380, in the closest victory of the week.

But the Whales kept it close late. Heading into the graduated relay, Somerset led by 17 points. Whetstone swept the top two places in the boys’ event, with the second place Whetstone relay finishing 27 seconds ahead of the third place Somerset relay — cutting the deficit to 12.

Needing a first-second finish to claim the win, the Whales’ “A” relay eased to the front and finished first by five and a half seconds. But it was Somerset that finished next, 18.5 seconds clear of the Whales’ “B” relay, securing the Dolphins the victory.

The result was a reversal of last season’s matchup when Whetstone pulled out a 15-point win.

Somerset leaned on their 11-12 and 13-14 girls for points throughout the meet. A Dolphin won every event in the age groups except for the 11-12 girls’ 50 breaststroke, where one of their top swimmers was disqualified. Jessica Khanna, 15, won every event she competed in for Somerset, finishing first by at least two seconds in each.

Whetstone’s boys had a strong meet in the loss and as a whole they won all but five boys’ events. The O’Donnell family, consisting of 8-year-old Erin, 12-year-old Tommy and 14-year-old Bobby swept 11 events for Whetstone.

Potomac Woods scores huge early-season victory

After starting the meet with a dominating performance in the boys and girls 12&under 100 individual medley, Wildwood Manor fell short to Potomac Woods, 397-392.

Both the boys’ and girls’ graduated relays were decided by less than a second, with Potomac Woods staving off Wildwood Manor in the boys’ event to help secure the victory. The Wombats won the girls, but the meet was decided by then.

The Demons entered this season as the expected Division B champion after winning all of their five dual meets, relay carnival and divisionals in C last summer. The Wombats won everything but the relay carnival in Division F last season and jumped up four divisions.

A pint-sized battle in the 9-10 age group between 10-year-olds Erin Gemmell of Potomac Woods and Nora Pottker of Wildwood Manor highlighted the close contest. Pottker out touched Gemmell in the 50 freestyle by .09. Gemmell and teammate Audrey Csokmay, also 10, swept the other events in the age group for Potomac Woods.

Aaron Lazar won the 13-14 boys’ 50 freestyle in 26.31 and ranks tied for first in the league. Lazar won all four of his events for Potomac Woods. Megan Sharkey and Caroline Howley made their debuts as 13-14s, placing first or second for the Demons in all of the events they competed in.

For Wildwood Manor, Jackson Van Wagener, 11, won all of his events while his brother Tyler, 15, won the 50 fly in commanding fashion, placing him eleventh in the league.

River Falls shows off depth against Hallowell

River Falls squeaked into Division D this year, despite finishing second last season in the division. They were expected to finish last this year, but they were able to defeat Division D newcomer Hallowell by 28 points, 408.5-380.5.

Using their depth, Riverfalls picked up second and third places throughout to overcome a top-heavy Hallowell team that won 32 events.

Elena Harrison, 10, dominated her events and ranks sixth in the 25 butterfly and tenth in the 50 freestyle and 25 backstroke in the league.

Drew Munson, 14, of Hallowell and Thatcher Smith, 14, of River Falls went back and forth throughout the meet. Munson won the 50 freestyle and 50 butterfly while Smith took first in the 50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke and 100 IM. For Hallowell, the duo of Kelly Kolanowski, 15, and Katie Athey, 15, finished first and second in all of their events.

New Mark Commons, Tanglewood tie

Trailing by four and needing a big finish in the final relays, Tanglewood boys’ secured a first and third finish after a DQ by New Mark Commons‘ “A” relay to give the Tigers life heading into the girls’ event. Tanglewood finished second-third, earning enough to force a tie in its season opener in Division O with the Barracudas, 384-384.

— Bryan Flaherty

Tallyho‘s Phoebe Bacon and Brett Feyerick have begun the 2015 summer league season on a record-breaking tear. In two weeks of competition in Montgomery County, the pair of Foxes have broken six records, capped by a four-record haul on Saturday morning during Tallyho’s meet vs. Potomac Woods.

Bacon re-set her own league record in the 11-12 girls’ 50-meter butterfly with a time of 30.08. The swim breaks her mark from last year’s all-star meet by .12 seconds and inched closer to Cassidy Bayer‘s stunning all-area record of 28.49 from 2012.

[Tallyho! Brett Feyerick, Phoebe Bacon blast MCSL records in opener]

Bacon also lowered her own mark in the 50 backstroke, finishing in 30.37 to tick two-tenths of a second off her record from last week.

Feyerick, who broke the boys’ backstroke last week, hacked more than half a second off the league this week with a blistering 28.90. The time also claims the all-area record. The old mark was held by the NVSL’s Philip Hu — a 29.09 set in 2007. Feyerick is the first swimmer in any area league under the 29-second barrier.

It was the first all-area record broken this swimmer.

The 12-year-old returned later to ink his second record of the day, breaking Danny Calder‘s league record from 2013 of 29.17 by a slim two-hundredths of a second. He trails Max Cruz‘s all-area record set at last year’s NVSL all-star meet by .62 seconds.

With results still rolling in, the latest set of records from Bacon and Feyerick make seven total record-breaking performances in the league when added to Caroline McTaggart’s 50 butterfly record from last week.

With the start of Saturday’s meets, all leagues are underway in D.C. metro area summer league competition, and the Northern Virginia Swim League made its presence felt quickly grabbing up 23 top times in Week 2.

The Montgomery County Swim League still dominates with 32 total top rankings, unsurprising since they are the only league to contest 100-meter stroke events in the 15-18 age group and the NVSL doesn’t contest individual medley events at dual meets. However, take away IM events, MCSL still leads with 24 top times — helped greatly by the Tallyho Foxes, which accounted for seven of those rankings.

Read quick analysis of this week’s top times list and see who is the best in the area in their event in  Week 2:

8&unders

Rockville‘s Adriano Arioti was slightly slower in Week 2 at Tilden Woods, but remained at the top of the age group’s rankings in freestyle and backstroke — even with the addition of NVSL swimmers.

Overlee’s Evan Ingraham scorched a sub-21-second split in the 25-meter breaststroke at McLean, nearly clipping a 35-year-old league record in the process. His time sits .21 seconds off the NVSL mark and just more than a second off the all-area record held by Darius Truong (Rockville). Since 2009, there have only been five swimmers to break the 21-second barrier. Ingraham ranks third behind a pair of MCSL swimmers and is the first NVSL swimmer under in that period. The NVSL record stands at 20.50, set in 1980.

Highlands’ Maggie O’Shaughnessy roared into the 8&under spotlight with two huge swims in breast and butterfly, topping the rankings in both by wide margins. Holmes Run Acres’ Zoe Dunn also posted an impressive opening-day time in the 25 freestyle, but its hard to place where she ranks all-time as the time came in yards. The time converts to about a 17.17 in short-course meters, which trails the all-area mark of 15.48 by quite a bit.

(In red, we have noted the time in seconds from the current all-area record and bolded times within a second of the all-area record.)

*Time performed in yards

9-10s

J.T. Ewing, who made a bid as an 8&under at Roger McLeod’s 50-year-old record in the 25 free, posted a low-30 in his first swim of the season to challenge Johnny Bradshaw’s league and all-area mark in the 50 free. He is joined by Highlands’ Courtney Watts, King Farm’s Joyce Wu and Damascus’ Carly Sebring as potential all-area record-breakers this summer, all dipping to within a second of their respective marks.

Sebring also hung on to her top spots for a second straight week in the 25 butterfly and 100 IM. Nina Allen of Stonegate is the only other 9-10 to claim two top times in the age group.

John Paul Gonsalves of Kent Gardens is another yards time tucked in with the meters times. Kent Gardens and Holmes Run Acres, two yards pools in the NVSL, are both in the same division this year, a first in a long time.

McGrath Marsh of Arlington Knights of Columbus is the only Colonial Swim League athlete to appear in the rankings this week.

11-12s

Tallyho. Tallyho. Tallyho. Need we say more?

Only two swimmers make appearances this week in the 11-12 rankings that aren’t Foxes swimmers, or more accurately, not Brett Feyerick or Phoebe Bacon.

The Tallyho duo have been impressive so far this season, breaking six league records in the first two weeks of the season. Feyerick also eclipsed the first all-area mark, dipping under Philip Hu’s NVSL record time of 29.09 this week with a huge swim in the 50 backstroke. Before the summer is done, there will likely be others from the pair.

13-14s

A cross-league duel between Danny Calder and Max Cruz in the 50 butterfly seems to be brewing, similar to that between Sam Gollob and Leo Wang (NVSL) and Eli Fouts (MVSL) last summer in breaststroke. Calder improved his time from last week by half a second to retain the top spot, but Cruz is close with a sizzling 25.12 in yards — and he’s only 13.

With the addition of the NVSL, the 13-14s have no names repeated across the 10 events and only the NVSL and MCSL appear on the list.

15-18s

Unlike the 13-14s, the senior swimmers do have repeat names in Week 2. But neither were U.S. national team member Andrew Seliskar, who swam a dual meet for the McLean Marlins Saturday.

Seliskar posted a quick 24.03 in the 50 freestyle to beat Ryan Baker in a great Week 1 showdown in the NVSL, but it was Grant Goddard who managed the top time in the league in the 50 butterfly with Seliskar coming in second for the week and fourth overall. Cassidy Bayer of Mount Vernon Park also nabbed two top times in breaststroke and butterfly.

The senior age group should be even stronger next week with many top-level swimmers opting to go for cut times at the U-Md. Black and Red Invitational over the weekend.

Someone must have been doing a rain dance Friday night, because the conditions for this week’s “A” meets were less than ideal to say the least. But that didn’t stop DMV swimmers from posting some blistering times, if only to warm up their shivering bodies for half a minute or so.

The Montgomery County Swim League continued to lead all leagues with 33 total top times this week. The Northern Virginia Swim League was second with 20; the Colonial Swim League had five. (Not all meets were completed, and the Prince William and Prince-Mont swim leagues did not have full reporting this week.)

Read quick analysis of this week’s top times list and see who is the best in the area in their event in  Week 3:

8&unders

Rockville‘s Adriano Arioti topped the 8&under boys’ leader board for a third straight week, this time matching his Week 2 time in the 25 free and gaining slightly in backstroke for the second week in a row.

However, despite the rain and chill, Arioti shaved another quarter-second off his season-best in butterfly and is nearly a second clear of Overlee’s Evan Ingraham, who is ranked second and is the top-ranked boy in breaststroke.

Countryside’s Micaela Perezous gained the top spot in the girls’ freestyle. She was second last week behind Zoe Dunn of Holmes Run Acres, who held the top spot with a yards time of 15.47. Manchester Farm‘s Ruqayyah Abouraya regained the top spot in the 25 breast, while last week’s top-ranked breaststroker Maggie O’Shaughnessy was swimming other events for Highlands. O’Shaughnessy finished first in the area in butterfly and was the second this week in backstroke.

(In red, we have noted the time in seconds from the current all-area record and bolded times within a second of the all-area record.)

*Time performed in yards

9-10s

Arlington Knight’s of Columbus’ McGrath Marsh picked up a second top weekly top time, adding the freestyle a week after making his first appearance in the rankings in breaststroke.

Germantown’s Konnor Chen slipped to within a second of the all-area and MCSL record in backstroke, held by Tallyho’s Brett Feyerick, and is less than half a second off the league mark in butterfly as well. Chen has been the most dominant boy swimmer in the age group this summer, with eight total appearances.

Topping the girls’ leader board this summer? Damascus’ Carly Sebring.

Sebring was a bit slower this week in the butterfly event, but still sits within second of Cassidy Bayer‘s all-area mark and half a second off the MCSL record set in 2006 by Lila Vera of Stonebridge.

11-12s

Phoebe Bacon relinquished the top spot in butterfly, but Tallyho picked up another in the boys’ events to maintain their hold on eight of the 10 events in the age group. Bacon and Brett Feyerick were unable to continue their record-breaking streak in Week 3, not surprising considering the conditions Saturday morning.

Ben Long Zuo also regained his top spot in breaststroke after losing it briefly in Week 2.

13-14s

Continuing a trend from last week, the 13-14s have no swimmers within a second of an all-area mark. But coming closest is one of the area’s brightest rising stars, Katie Mack. The 14-year-old Hunter Mill standout was 1.18 seconds back from Janet Hu’s all-area and NVSL record in freestyle last week and eased to within a second and a half of the Hu’s backstroke mark this week.

Also having an impressive Saturday, Alexa Cuomo of Manorgate was just over half a second off the Colonial Swim League record in butterfly. It was the fastest time of the season.

15-18s

Chevy Chase Rec.’s Caroline McTaggart seems intent on regaining her league record in the girls’ 100 freestyle in Palisades’ Katie Ledecky‘s absence. McTaggart came within four-tenths of a second of the Olympian’s league record in Week 1, and inched even closer this week with a sizzling sub-56-second swim. It’s just the second time in league history anyone has gone under the barrier.

Andrew Seliskar dipped under the 24-second barrier for the first time this season in the 50 free. The swim ranks as the 11th fastest time in the history of the league and bumps the California-bound graduate up to sixth on the all-time performers list, behind league record holder Paul O’Hara of Hollin Meadows, Regency Gardens’ Patrick Sullivan, former league record holder Stephen Scheren of Fairfax Station, Sully Station’s C.J. Fiala and Patrick’s younger brother Sean Sullivan.

Seliskar leaves for South Korea this week to compete at the World University Games, July 4-10.