Along with winning the team title, Park fifth-year coach Michael Cook was named the 2024-25 boys 5A Swimming Coach of the Year.

For the girls, John Marshall High School continued its 2024-25 dominance, topping the field through a strong showing from a handful of swimmers.

Boys

The Park boys had been chasing the 200 medley relay record all year. In the opening event Saturday, the foursome of Levi Parker, Brady Beihl, Brady Bowie and Malachi Smith hit a blistering 1:41.63, topping the prior record from 2019 by 2 seconds.

In the second event Parker, a senior, left the field behind in the 200 freestyle to win the individual crown. His 1:49.96 was 10 seconds faster than the runner-up.

Parker also finished second in the 100 backstroke at 55.19.

Park’s Smith finished second in the 100 free (50.87) and third in the 50 free (23.43). Bowie finished third in the 100 butterfly (58.73) while Beihl captured third in the 100 breast (1:08.82). The Park 200 free relay squad of Smith, Beihl, Bowie and Parker also finished first.

Cook offered praise for the hard work his swimmers have put in this year.

“I’m very proud of our guys, they knew coming in that if they swam well and did what they are capable of they could win the OVAC title. They did just that and delivered when the need to,” Cook said.

For John Marshall, junior Wyatt Jefferson won the 100 breaststroke going away at 1:03.74. He also finished third in the 200 Individual Medley at 2:12.95. Jefferson’s teammate, Evan Harrison, finished third in the 100 backstroke at 1:04.5.

Girls

Senior sprinter Maitlyn Miller continues to power through the water for John Marshall. On Saturday she earned two more individual wins — and a relay win — to help the Lady Monarchs run away from second-place Morgantown High.

John Marshall started with a win in the 200 medley relay, as the team of Adah Aubrey, Sarah Hess, Zoe Zervos and Savannah Potts posted a 2:02.20 to top the board.

Miller got started in the 50 free, posting a 25.14 for the win. She followed that in the 100 free with the win in 55.92. She then joined with Ella Finsley, Aubrey and Zervos in the 200 freestyle relay to post a 1:46.57 for first place.

Also posting big individual swims for John Marshall were Zervos in the 50 free (third, 26.62) and Aubrey (third in the 100 back, 1:08.63).

“I’m ecstatic, they haven’t done this since the 1990s,” John Marshall coach Timmi Snider said of her girls winning an OVAC title. “I’m overwhelmed right now.

“We got 24 out of our 28 swimmers here today. And I can’t say enough about all the kids, because our relays really stepped up. I mean, some of our B relays were in the top six. They’ve been working really hard. We put in a lot more time in the water this year than we ever have, and it’s paying off. We’re looking forward to regionals.”

Wheeling Park’s Molly George posted two strong individual swims. George, a junior, won the 100 backstroke in 1:03.53 and finished second in the 100 fly (1:07.02).

For Brooke, Faith Farrell was second to Miller in the 50 freestyle at 25.78 and also in the 100 free (58.14). Kiersten Harvath finished third in the 100 fly at 1:08.38; Harvath was second in the 100 back (1:06.55); the 200 freestyle relay team of Harvath, Lyla Horvath, Lindsey Kettler and Farrell finished second and the same foursome was second in the 400 freestyle relay.

Two OVAC meet and pool records also were broken Saturday by Vincent Warren standout sprinter Mason Francis. In the 50 free, Francis, who will swim next year at Ohio State, posted a 20.7 while in the 100 free he swam a 45.95.