Alex Walsh Breaks Gretchen Walsh’s State Record; Boys’ TISCA Ends in a Tie

2020 TISCA TENNESSEE HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Friday, February 7 – Saturday, February 8
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
• Prelims 9:30 AM / Finals 6:00 PM (U.S. Eastern Time)
• Live Stream links
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

FINAL TOP 5 TEAM SCORES – GIRLS

1. Baylor- 295
2. Harpeth Hall- 220
3. Maryville High- 196
4. Ensworth- 121
5. Brentwood High- 120

FINAL TOP 5 TEAM SCORES – BOYS

1. (TIE- CHAMPIONS) McCallie- 248
2. (TIE- CHAMPIONS) Baylor- 248
3. Montgomery Bell- 172.5
4. Ensworth- 138
5. Science Hill- 114

The 2020 TISCA Championships concluded Saturday night. Harpeth Hall sisters Alex Walsh and Gretchen Walsh continued to impress. On day 1, both sisters swam medley relay splits that would have been the 3rd fastest in last year’s NCAA final. Alex Walsh was just a nail off her own State Record, while Gretchen Walsh took down Abbey Weitzeil’s National High School Record in the 50 free.

Tonight, Gretchen Walsh started things off with a new National High School Record in the 100 free. Her 46.98 took down Weitzeil’s former record from 2015. She’s now the 3rd fastest 17-18 year old girl ever behind only Olympic gold medalists Simone Manuel and Weitzeil.

Alex Walsh, who was just off her own State Record in the 200 free last night, picked up her 2nd individual title of the meet in the 100 back. Her 51.35 was about half a second shy of her lifetime best from 2018. It was just 3 hundredths shy of the National High School Record before tonight, but around the same time tonight Phoebe Bacon broke that record at DC Metros with a 50.89. Interestingly, it was a new State Record, breaking the former mark held by her younger sister. Gretchen’s old record was a 51.57 from last season’s TISCA.

Both Walsh sisters swam on the winning 400 free relay. Lexi Stewart led them off in 55.00, followed by Alex Massey (49.76). AW took on the 3rd leg with the fastest split of the field, a 47.91. GW then anchored them to victory with a 48.14 anchor split. With that, Harpeth Hall set a new State Record in 3:20.81.

McCallie’s Will Jackson, who won the 200 free on day 1, was dominant in the 500 free tonight. Jackson, who broke 4:30 for the first time back in December, dropped 4 seconds from his best. He won in 4:24.29. Teammate Sam Powe was also a winner for McCallie. After breaking 50 for the first time with a lifetime best 48.94 in the 100 back prelims, he won the final in 49.86.

In addition to his individual swims this weekend, Jackson split a 19.90 on the anchor leg of the winning 200 free relay and led off the winning 400 free relay in 44.80. McCallie was slightly behind in the team battle, but with that relay victory, they ended the meet in a tie. McCallie and Baylor are both the 2020 Tennessee State Champions. Baylor won both team titles, as the girls defeated Harpeth Hall. Montgomery Bell’s 3rd place finish for the boys was their highest finish since 2014.

YOUR MONTGOMERY BELL ACADEMY SEADOGS ARE 3rd IN THE STATE WITH THE HIGHEST FINISH SINCE 2014 #webackbabybackbabyback pic.twitter.com/7R9YpDWsao

— MBA Swim & Dive (@MBASwim) February 9, 2020

Additional Event Winners

• Boys 100 Free: Joseph Jordan, Oakland, 44.73
• Girls 500 Free: Kallie Chelsvig, Ensworth, 4:49.98
• Girls 200 Free Relay: Baylor, 1:34.37
• Boys 200 Free Relay: McCallie, 1:24.31
• Girls 100 Breast: Ella Platek, John Paul II, 1:03.99
• Boys 100 Breast: Daniel West, Houston, 55.52
• Boys 400 Free Relay: McCallie, 3:05.87