Cape girls’ relay wins two state championships
The Cape girls’ swim relay team took top honors in the 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay Feb. 25 at the DIAA State Swim Championships at the University of Delaware.
The senior Fab Four of Molly Weeks, Sarah Rambo, Amelia Nigh-Johnson and Sarah Hyde set a new school record and won the 200 medley relay in 1:48.46. They also swam together for the last time in their high school careers to win the 200 freestyle relay with a 1:39.64.
Hyde, on her 18th birthday, took second place in the 50 freestyle with a time of 25.03. Sussex Tech’s Hannah Venables took third in 25.07, while Delaware Military Academy’s Kelly Blake stood on the first-place podium with a time of 24.13. Hyde also took the fourth spot in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:08.01.
“I’m glad we ended our season on the best note possible,” said Hyde. “I’m proud of my accomplishments, but I’m more proud of our relays.”
Ursuline Academy placed first in the team competition with 276 points, Newark Charter placed second with 229 and Wilmington Charter placed third with 215. The Henlopen Conference-champion Vikings ended in fourth place with 172 points. Sussex Tech finished ninth with 95.5 points.
“I’m sad that it was our last states,” said Weeks, who also took fourth in the 100 backstroke in 59.08 and sixth in the 100 butterfly in 59.52. “We’ve progressed so much over the last four years.”
“It’s hard to believe that it was my last time swimming with the girls,” said Nigh-Johnson. “We’ve been together since the beginning. It’s bittersweet because some of the best memories I have are from swimming. Swimming has brought me my best friends, and there’s nothing better than that.”
“Ending my career with those two state championships was the best way it could have ended,” said Rambo. “It’s always been the four of us, and I think it makes it extra special to win together.”
Hyde and Weeks were named first-team all-state, while Rambo was voted honorable mention for the girls.
The Cape boys’ team placed 14th overall in the championships.
In the boys’ final, Alec Hochrein placed fourth in the 50 freestyle just .06 seconds behind the No. 3 finisher in 22.39. He also finished in seventh place in the 100 freestyle in 49.52.
The 200 medley relay team of Josh Toback, Michael Schrock, Ryan Bixler and Will Geppert placed 14th with a time of 1:50.91. The 200 feestyle relay of Geppert, Erik-Stephane Stancofski, Brent Hochrein and Alec Hochrein placed 14th with a time of 1:36.62. The 400 freestyle relay of Bixler, Toback and the Hochrein brothers placed 12th with a time of 3:30.75.
“We did really well in the states,” said senior Alec Hochrein. “We improved our times in every event. Our 400 relay dropped three seconds off our best time.”
“The kids stepped up on the big stage and swam awesome,” said cape coach Bill Geppert. “You couldn’t ask any more of them as their coach. They represented their school, southern Delaware and themselves well. What they have accomplished they will remember for the rest of their lives, and so will everyone else.”
St. Andrew’s swimmer Keegan Pando of Lewes took fourth place in the 100 freestyle in 48.86. He also teamed with Colin Campbell, William Cammerzell and Dylan Torrance in the 400 free relay, where they placed second with a time of 3:20.37.
Alec Hochrein was named as second-team all-state for the boys.
