Midtown High School Swim and Dive Team Breaks School Records at 2026 GHSA 4A State Championship Meet

Written and submitted by: Michael Vinciquerra, Midtown High School parent

The Swim and Dive season for Midtown has officially closed, but not before some impressive performances for both the women’s and men’s teams at the GHSA 4A State Championships held at Georgia Tech on February 4-5. 

The Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Athletics department will find itself very busy updating the record board in the coming weeks, as both individual and relay team records have been crushed by the 2025-26 team.

Among the ladies, the Midtown Knights set two relay records and three individual records on their way to a second-place team finish (out of 25 teams).  The boys also set two relay records and three individual records en route to an eighth-place overall finish (out of 29 teams).

Both 200 medley relay teams set Midtown records during prelims and one-upped themselves a day later in finals with the girls finishing as state champions (1:45.50) and the boys finishing in fourth (1:38.82) on Thursday afternoon.

The 200 medley relay teams were composed of senior Aerin Jones, juniors Sarah Paisley Owen and Rhea El-Deiry, freshman Avery Wells, seniors Gabe Fisher and Alex Vinciquerra, and sophomores Jayce Richardson and Ben Lisbon.

Following the opening relay, Jayce Richardson (200 freestyle – 1:48.71) and Ben Lisbon (200 individual medley – 2:01.18) posted the second fastest Midtown times ever in their events, finishing in 12th and ninth places in their respective races.

On the women’s side, Sarah Paisley Owen was the 200 freestyle ladies champion in a team record time of 1:46.19. Rhea El-Deiry finished fourth in another team record time of 2:08.72 in the 200 individual medley.  Owen later won her second individual 4A State Championship by smashing the Midtown women’s 100 butterfly record in an incredible 53.30, nearly three full seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.

Senior Alex Vinciquerra joined his teammates in the record parade, placing third in both the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. Both were Midtown record times, as Vinciquerra broke his own 100 freestyle record in 47.31, while also becoming the first Knight to crack 21 seconds in the 50 freestyle (20.94). 

Ben Lisbon then finished the individual record-setting day by posting the 100 breaststroke Midtown record in the prelims and again in the finals, finishing sixth overall with a time of 58.10.

Wrapping up the meet in the 400 freestyle relay, the men’s team (Richardson, Lisbon, Fisher and Vinciquerra) placed sixth with a team record of 3:18.99, while the women (Wells, junior Dabney Bond, El-Deiry, and Owen) were state champions with another record time of 3:29.75. 

A total of 18 swimmers represented Midtown at the GHSA 4A state championship meet, including seniors Adam Carr and Jimmy Carrico, juniors Lela Hart, Lily Neff, and Alex Silvis, sophomores Vega Tarkington and Harper Wagner, and freshmen Ryan Cortez-Alexander and Cole El-Deiry. 

Midtown Swimmers with Individual Top 20 finishes and Scoring Points:

• Dabney Bond – 200 IM (5^th) and 500 Free (11^th) – 29 team points
• Rhea El-Deiry – 200 IM (4^th) and 100 Breast (2^nd) – 40 points
• Lela Hart – 200 IM (12th) and 100 Breast (12th) – 18 points
• Aerin Jones – 200 Free (17^th) – 4 points
• Sarah Paisley Owen – 200 Free (1^st) and 100 Fly (1^st) – 48 points
• Harper Wagner – 500 Free (16^th) and 100 Breast (7^th) – 21 points
• Avery Wells – 100 Free (5^th) and 100 Back (7^th) – 34 points
• Gabe Fisher – 100 Free (15^th) – 6 points
• Ben Lisbon – 200 IM (9^th) and 100 Breast (6^th) – 31 points
• Jayce Richardson – 200 Free (12^th) and 100 Free (10^th) – 22 points
• Alex Vinciquerra – 50 Free (3^rd) and 100 Free (3^rd) – 40 points

The 2025-26 Midtown Swim and Dive team success and fun were led by coach Emily Dohogne and assisted by coaches Ginny Palmich, George and Zeke Alejandro (Diving). Hats off to the coaches for setting up the best practice schedule the team has had in some time along with committing the team to a more challenging meet schedule that created both excitement and improved overall performance by the team. Special thanks to team manager Evie Fisher for helping keep everything organized and just a little more fun throughout the four-month season!

Best of luck to the seniors as they prepare to head off on their next adventures. With a ton of talent returning to the team next year, it should be another exciting season in the water!