HAMPSTEAD — Mia Mesceda's confidence was high as she stepped onto the starting block for the 50-meter breaststroke at Wednesday's Straehle Invitational.
And for good reason. Just one week before, the 11-year-old from South Carroll Swim Club shattered the Carroll County Invitational meet record in the 11-12 division and nearly the Central Maryland Swim League record, too.
Although Mesceda didn't break the league record Wednesday at the Four Seasons Sports Complex, she once again handily defeated her competition, finishing the breaststroke in 35.62 seconds.
"I kind of expected that I would at least do well and get best times because I've been working really hard at practices," Mesceda said. "When I try and swim my best, it's easier because I'm not nervous about things."
Mesceda, who is entering sixth grade at Oklahoma Road Middle School this fall, swam out to an early lead in the 50 breaststroke. Last week, she finished in 35.19 seconds, falling just short of the previous CMSL record set by Brileigh Pinkney (35.00) in 2004.
South Carroll coach Ashley Towle said she's been impressed by Mesceda's marks this season and that it's a result of a lot of practice.
"She's built like a breaststroker," Towle said. "She just is an amazing little swimmer and she just puts it all out there."
It was the ninth straight year the Straehle Invitational was held at Four Seasons. Top swimmers compete in the meet every year, and elite swimmers, such as 18-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps, have competed in it in the past. Swimmers who perform well qualify for the CMSL Divisional Championships
Mesceda also won the 100-meter individual medley earlier in the day, finishing in 1 minute, 11.42 seconds. But the goal for Mesceda on Wednesday was to break that CMSL record in the breaststroke.
Fortunately for her, however, she'll get another shot at it on Saturday at the Divisional Championships, hosted by South Carroll.
"I still have divisionals, so it's not over yet," Mesceda said. "I've just got to go out there and swim like there's no tomorrow."
Mesceda had several teammates who put up impressive times at Straehle as well. Allison Tomsuden won both the 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter butterfly in the 11-12 girls division.
Her brother, Christopher Tomsuden, took first in the 25-meter backstroke in the 9-10 boys division. And Luke Isayiw took the 50-meter breaststroke in the 11-12 boys division.
"Our whole team this year has just come so far in just a few weeks," Towle said. "To have a couple of our swimmers win events is amazing."
But South Carroll wasn't the only local team that had numerous first-place finishers. Carroll Aquatics Swim Club, which hosted the meet, also had some top performances.
Dan Moreno, who won four events at the county swim meet, took first in the 15-and-older division 100-meter individual medley and was again the only swimmer to finish in under a minute (59.45 seconds). He also finished second in 100-meter freestyle and 50-meter butterfly.
"I didn't meet my expectations, but I dropped half a second so that was good," Moreno said. "It felt better than last week."
Moreno added that he was able to stay straight during his backstroke, unlike a week ago when he brushed one of the dividers.
His teammate, 16-year-old Emily Vance, followed up her three-win performance at the county meet with wins in the 100-meter individual medley and 50-meter backstroke.
"In the IM, I wasn't sure I was going to win or not, so I was really, really happy with that," said Vance, a Westminster High School student.
Carroll Aquatics' Jared Vance set the CMSL record in the 100-meter breaststroke at the county meet and was looking to break his own mark Wednesday. He did, but he also now shares the record with Taylor Village's Connor Ganley.
Both Vance and Ganley finished in 30.37 seconds, breaking Vance's previous record of 30.54.
"I know I've got a little more in me, but I can't complain with that," Vance said. "That was a great swim and I think all the help I received from my coaches and my team and all the support helped me through that a lot."
Sarah Ritter became the fourth Carroll Aquatics swimmer to win Wednesday, coming in first in the 50-meter breaststroke in the 15-and-over girls division.
"We've had an awesome day," Jared Vance said. "It's been great to show up this way for the home team."
CARROLL'S SCORERS (Top 8 finishers)
BOYS
11-12 100-meter individual medley: 4. Colin Bitz (Freedom) 1:15.53.
15-O 100-meter individual medley: 1. Dan Moreno (Carroll Aquatics) 59.45; 3. Jared Vance (Carroll Aquatics) 1:00.65; 6. Matthew McGoey (South Carroll) 1:05.66; 8. Andrew Sears (Carroll Aquatics) 1:06.05.
8-U 25-meter freestyle: 8. Gabriel Erb (Carroll Aquatics) 17.58.
9-10 50-meter freestyle: 4. Christopher Tomsuden (South Carroll) 32.41.
15-O 100-meter freestyle: 2. Dan Moreno (Carroll Aquatics) 52.88; 3. Jared Vance (Carroll Aquatics) 53.66; 8. Christian March (Westminster Riding Club) 56.38.
8-U 25-meter backstroke: 6. Gabriel Erb (Carroll Aquatics) 21.50.
9-10 25-meter backstroke: 1. Christopher Tomsuden (South Carroll) 17.23.
11-12 50-meter backstroke: 4. Evan Frick (Nottingham) 35.07; 8. Adam Long (Westminster Riding Club) 36.98.
13-14 50-meter backstroke: 7. Justin Sabo (Westminster Riding Club) 33.16.
15-O 50-meter backstroke: 5. Matthew McGoey (South Carroll) 30.75.
9-10 25-meter butterfly: 4. Christopher Tomsuden (South Carroll) 15.94.
11-12 50-meter butterfly: 7. Evan Frick (Nottingham) 33.76.
13-14 50-meter butterfly: 6. Noah Black (Nottingham) 30.24; 7. Justin Sabo (Westminster Riding Club) 30.25.
15-O 50-meter butterfly: 2. Dan Moreno (Carroll Aquatics) 26.34; 4. Christian March (Westminster Riding Club) 28.35.
8-U 25-meter breaststroke: 3. Gabriel Erb (Carroll Aquatics) 23.43; 7. Will Litz (Westminster Swim Team) 25.21.
11-12 50-meter breaststroke: 1. Luke Isayiw (South Carroll) 36.62; 3. Evan Frick (Nottingham) 36.84; 5. Connor Stewart (Freedom) 38.48; 8. Aaron Sorkin (Westminster Swim Team) 42.98.
13-14 50-meter breaststroke: 8. Luke Smist (Carroll Aquatics) 37.25.
15-O 50-meter breaststroke: T-1. Jared Vance (Carroll Aquatics) 30.37; 4. Christian March (Westminster Riding Club) 31.30; 6. Timothy Tomsuden (South Carroll) 32.60; 7. Matthew McGoey (South Carroll) 32.83.
GIRLS
11-12 100-meter individual medley: 1. Mia Mesceda (South Carroll) 1:11.42.
15-O 100-meter individual medley: 1. Emily Vance (Carroll Aquatics) 1:10.05; 2. Megan Fields (South Carroll) 1:10.34; 3. Sarah Ritter (Carroll Aquatics) 1:10.49; 5. Karly Hursey (Carroll Aquatics) 1:11.86.
11-12 50-meter freestyle: 1. Allison Tomsuden (South Carroll) 29.47; 4. Mia Mesceda (South Carroll) 30.00; 6. Victoria Kaufman (Westminster Swim Team) 30.63.
15-O 100-meter freestyle: 2. Megan Fields (South Carroll) 1:00.93; 3. Karly Hursey (Carroll Aquatics) 1:01.37; 8. Sarah Ritter (Carroll Aquatics) 1:03.81.
8-U 25-meter backstroke: 5. Lillian Griffin (Westminster Swim Team) 21.03.
11-12 50-meter backstroke: 4. Allison Tomsuden (South Carroll) 34.81; 5. Victoria Kaufman (Westminster Swim Team) 34.97.
13-14 50-meter backstroke: 5. Isabella Mawry (Westminster Riding Club) 35.66; 6. Elizabeth Firlie (Nottingham) 35.71.
15-O 50-meter backstroke: 1. Emily Vance (Carroll Aquatics) 31.63; 4. Brooke St. Martin (Nottingham) 33.08; 5. Karly Hursey (Carroll Aquatics) 33.87; 6. Megan Fields (South Carroll) 34.28; 8. Allison Crim (Carroll Aquatics) 34.65.
8-U 25-meter butterfly: 2. Lillian Griffin (Westminster Swim Team) 18.60; 6. Rebecca Long (Westminster Riding Club) 20.00.
11-12 50-meter butterfly: 1. Allison Tomsuden (South Carroll) 31.53.
13-14 50-meter butterfly: T-4. Abby Dvorak (Westminster Swim Team) 32.84.
15-O 50-meter butterfly: 2. Brooke St. Martin (Nottingham) 31.04; 5. Emily Vance (Carroll Aquatics) 31.78.
8-U 25-meter breaststroke: 7. Julia Lucas (Freedom) 25.15; 8. Jillian Hawkins (Westminster Swim Team) 25.21.
9-10 25-meter breaststroke: T-7. Sydney Thornton (Freedom) 20.88.
11-12 50-meter breaststroke: 1. Mia Mesceda (South Carroll) 35.62; 8. Mackenna Krouse (Nottingham) 41.07.
Latest Sports
15-O 50-meter breaststroke: 1. Sarah Ritter (Carroll Aquatics) 35.29; 2. Julianna Burnett (Nottingham) 36.71; 3. Cameron Ducey (Freedom) 37.08; 5. Rachel Skowron (Nottingham) 38.56; 6. Hailey Baughman (Westminster Riding Club) 38.82.
