CHESTERTOWN — With the graduation of four-time team MVPs Henry Martinez, who was crowned the program’s first state champion in February, and Izzy Anderson, a new chapter in Kent County High School’s swim story will be written this season.
Fortunately, there are as many returnees as there are first-timers, so the atmosphere is upbeat.
“The newcomers are looking strong, especially those who swam for Sho’men [Aquatics age-group program] over the summer. Nate Sutton and Brenna Thorpe are showing great progress and looking stronger in the water,” Grayson Wise, who returns for a fifth year as head coach at alma mater KCHS, told The Evening Enterprise in an email.
“Overall, our times look solid and consistent with where we left off last season,” she added.
Wise acknowledged that things are “a bit different” without Anderson and Martinez, but seniors Mary Jane Joiner and Lynden Saunders, whom she described as “strong lead swimmers,” are stepping up.
In the season opener Dec. 9 against Kent Island, Joiner won the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle and Saunders took first in the 200 free.
Joiner and Saunders head the list of returnees who include senior co-captain Andy Messick; juniors Tucker Ervin and Nate Sutton; and sophomores Brenna Thorpe and Lyric Frase.
Joiner, Saunders and Ervin were state qualifiers last year in individual and relay events, while Frase and Messick were state qualifiers in relays.
Joiner holds school records in the 100 fly and 200 free.
The newcomers are sophomores Emi Karlik, Rachel Strong and Jake Wade; junior Colin Fry; senior Jonathan Tedrow; and international student Alex Kukhianidze, who is attending KCHS for the 2025-26 academic year.
Printed here are the Trojans’ individual results for their first meet, which was held at Club One fitness and health center in Chester. It was a home meet for Kent Island. KCHS’ home pool is the Kent County Family YMCA in Chestertown.
GIRLS
Brenna Thorpe: 100 freestyle, 1:18.31, fourth; and 100 backstroke, 1:34.56, third.
Emi Karlick: 50 free, 35.3, fifth; and 100 breaststroke, 1:44.42, third.
Lyric Frase: 50 free, 34.48, fourth; and 100 free, 1:18.74, fifth.
Mary Jane Joiner: 200 free, 2:15.33, first; and 100 butterfly, 1:12.35, first.
BOYS
Alex Kukhianidze: 50 freestyle, 35.33, sixth.
Andy Messick: 200 free, 2:32.8, fifth; and 100 backstroke, 1:18.61, third.
Colin Fry: 50 free, 29.97, fifth; and 100 free, 1:13.75, fifth.
Jonathan Tedrow: 50 free, 29.66, fourth; and 100 free, 1:20.19, sixth.
Lynden Saunders: 200 free, 2:07.20, first; and 500 free, 5:53.39, third.
Nate Sutton: 100 free, 1:11.47, fourth.
Tucker Ervin: 200 individual medley, 2:30.79, third; and 100 breaststroke, 1:13.98, second.
