Martinez takes silver and gold at states; Joiner lowers school record in 100 fly

COLLEGE PARK — Minimizing his own ability, Kent County High School’s record-setting senior Henry Martinez modestly attributed his medal-winning accomplishments at last month’s Class 1A-2A-3A state swimming championships to a good night’s sleep and healthy food.

He told The Evening Enterprise that after placing second in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events at the state-qualifying East Region meet on Feb. 15, the only notable change to his training for the state championships a week later was “that I was very strict on myself about my sleep and my nutrition.”

“I made sure to get 8 hours of sleep and not eat bad food,” Martinez said in a text message.

We’re sure there is more to it than that — for example, the grind of countless workouts and Martinez’s natural talent — but it’s Martinez’s story to tell.

He became KCHS’ first state champion swimmer on Feb. 22 when he took gold in the 100 free in a school record of 47.37 seconds — about 1.5 seconds faster than his nearest challenger.

Three events earlier in the state meet at the University of Maryland, Martinez was the silver medalist in the 50 free in another school record, sprinting to the wall in 21.13. The only one faster was LaPlata senior Clinton Cupples (20.71).

Cupples and Martinez also went one-two on Feb. 15 in the East Region championships, when Cupples’ margin of victory was a nanosecond.

“This year I went into states with a lot of confidence as I got a close second in both the 50 and 100 at regionals,” Martinez wrote in a text message. 

“I think it was the first time at states when I really felt confident and fully prepared to race,” he said. “The other times I was always so nervous and almost scared to see what happens in the race.”

He said he was “more expecting” to win the 50, and not the 100, “so when I got second there was a lot of pressure that was laid off of me which allowed me to focus more on the 100.”

Martinez said he remembered being “super focused” during the 100 because “I knew in a race that short anything can happen.”

“Henry was unbelievable,” head coach Grayson Wise said of the Trojans’ four-time team MVP.

“I’ll just never forget the look and smile he had on his face when I finally got to see him after the 50 at the podium,” she said. “It was hard to hold back tears.”

Wise recalled that she asked Martinez if he was ready for the 100, and he confidently replied in the affirmative.

“Then he went out and wiped over a second off his time and won a state championship,” Wise said, adding that she did not hold back tears this time either.

In separate interviews, Martinez and Wise both reflected on the 2024 state championships when Martinez placed fourth in the 50 free after being seeded second.

Martinez acknowledged being “especially upset” and disappointed then because while he dropped time to re-establish his own school record, he did not medal.

“I think that all had to happen for a reason,” Wise told The Evening Enterprise. 

She said Martinez was calm and laser-focused throughout this season — which included repeating as the Bayside Conference champion in the 50 free (22.47) and 100 free (49.48), both times are meet records — and knew what was required to medal or win a state championship.

So, what’s it feel like to be the best, we asked Martinez.

“Really great” and “surreal,” he said.

“I had never seen the 1 next to my name on that scoreboard [at the UMD Natatorium] and it felt really cool to see it for the first time,” he wrote in a text message.

Martinez is only the second KCHS swimmer to medal at states, joining Maggie Jones who as a sophomore in 2015 tied for second-place silver in the 50 free. 

The first year for a state championship meet was 2007.

While Martinez was the big story for KCHS at the Feb. 22 state meet, his wasn’t the only story worth celebrating

Junior Mary Jane Joiner lowered her own school record in the 100 butterfly.

Also, sophomore Tucker Ervin had his best times ever in the 100 breaststroke and 100 free, and junior Lynden Sauders PR’d in the 500 free.

“Overall, everyone did a great job at states,” coach Wise told The Evening Enterprise.

Printed here are complete results for KCHS.

GIRLS

200 freestyle: Mary Jane Joiner, 2:08.64, 11th.

200 individual medley: Izzy Anderson, 2:32.72, 20th.

100 butterfly: Joiner, school record of 1:05.42, 11th.

100 backstroke: Anderson, season best of 1:06.24, 14th.

400 free relay of Joiner, Allee Hall, Lyric Frase and Anderson, season best of 4:31.37, 21st. 

BOYS

200 medley relay of Tucker Ervin, Andy Messick, Henry Martinez and Lynden Saunders, 1:54.56, 13th.

50 freestyle: Martinez, school record of 21.13, second.

100 free: Martinez, school record of 47.37, first; and Ervin, personal best of 53.14, 14th.

500 free: Saunders, personal best of 5:45.43, 23rd

200 free relay of Ervin, Messick, Saunders and Martinez, season best of 1:38.68, 10th.

100 breaststroke: Ervin, personal best of 1:08.23, 15th.