The Brophy Varsity Swim and Dive Team won the AIA State Championship on Saturday Nov. 9 at Skyline High School after previously being tied for the highest ranked team in the state. This accomplishment marks a hiatus from Brophy being a third place team for the past three years
Winning the state championship was the pinnacle of a remarkable season, marked by an undefeated record in all four invites and six dual-meets. This success was not just the result of individual talent but a testament to the collective effort and camaraderie within the team. As varsity swimmer Markus Crawford ’25 noted, “everyone contributed to the team,” highlighting the unity and shared commitment that propelled them to victory.
With their shared commitment, there were some overperformers that propelled the team to winning the championship. Joe Jarrett-Torres ’26 jumped from 35th place to 14th in 100m breaststroke. Moreover, Frank Sunderhaus ’25 made the finals in 50m freestyle coming from ranked 26th. “Everyone just did their job,” said Head Coach Mr. Daren Brubaker.
Aside from practicing six times a week, their success was fueled in part by the team camaraderie that was sustained by all of the swimmers. Crawford mentioned how only 20 of the 45 members of the team were able to compete in the state championship; however, Mr. Brubaker said, “the people [that] did not make the state team pushed those guys to compete.”
Moreover, with the team “brotherhood,” Mr. Brubaker highlighted that Brophy holds a competitive edge over top programs such as Hamilton and Chaparral about which he said, “we come from different places around the valley. I think that’s what makes us unique. We are all [different] parts of blocks of life.” Being a melting pot of differing personalities from across the valley, the team had a uniqueness that other schools are unable to provide.
Leadership played a crucial role in the team’s success, with both captains and underclassmen leaders contributing significantly. With the team of 45, both Mr. Brubaker and Crawford stressed the importance of leadership for a championship winning team. Both mentioned that captains Frank Saunderhaus ’25 and Jack Huebner ’25 played pivotal roles in leading the team towards success. However, both Coach Brubaker and Crawford mentioned the significance of their underclassmen leaders, denoted as “juggernauts.” The team’s juggernauts for the year were Kevin Saunderhaus ’27 and Ben Kar ’27. Mr. Brubaker said that “they built a bridge from the lower class to the upper class,” and Crawford mentioned how they brought the team spirits up.
Finally, when asked about the future of the team going forward, especially in the ’25-’26 season, Brubaker stressed about the importance of staying in the present and enjoying what was just accomplished; he said, “We will think about the future [on] the first day of tryouts.”
Examining the team’s culmination of their season by winning state and their strong sense of fraternity within, Brophy’s swim team is poised for continued success in future seasons.
