COLLEGE PARK — Kent County seniors Mary Jane Joiner, Lynden Saunders and Andy Messick were at their very best in their final high school swim meet.
Adding to the significance of the occasion was that this was the Class 1A/2A/3A state championships Feb. 21 at the University of Maryland.
Junior Tucker Ervin and a pair of relays also had their best times.
In Joiner’s case, her best also was a school record.
She placed 11th [of 24 entries] in the 100-yard butterfly in 1 minute, 4.92 seconds, eclipsing the record of 1:05.68 she set as a freshman at the state-qualifying region meet in February 2023. This also was more than three full seconds faster than her second-place time a week earlier at the 1A/2A/3A East Region meet held at the Arundel Swim Center.
Joiner also led off for the 400 freestyle relay that posted its fastest time of the season, collaborating with sophomores Brenna Thorpe, Emi Karlik and Lyric Frase for a finish of 4:37.60 — a huge improvement over its qualifying time of 4:43.92 at the East Region meet on Feb. 14.
Ervin, Messick, junior Nate Sutton and Saunders as the 200 free relay clocked a season best of 1:42.83, just one spot and four one-hundredths of a second behind border rival Queen Anne’s.
Ervin PR’d in the 100 free [51.52, 12th] and Saunders PR’d in the 500 free [5:34.30, 15th].
Also competing for the Trojans at states were the 200 medley relay of Ervin, Messick, Saunders and Sutton, 1:58.66; Saunders in the 100 fly, 1:04.27; Ervin in the 100 breaststroke, 1:07.62; and Joiner in the 200 free, 2:08.87.
Joiner set the school record of 2:08.06 in the 200 free in 2023.
