JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Lila Higgo had modest expectations as a freshman swimmer in a new country.
She wanted to get better as a swimmer but didn’t hold any outlandish expectations when she arrived at Bolles from the Cayman Islands. Bolles is Bolles after all, a swimming institution so storied that swimmers from across the world know about it by the time they’re in elementary school.
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“Freshman year coming in, I made the state team. And I was not expecting to at all,” said Higgo, the All-News4JAX girls swimmer of the year. “When I got to Bolles, like that’s what I really wanted to do. And I just put my head down and worked.”
That work delivered Higgo a state championship in her junior season in the 200 IM, breaking a 20-year-old Bolles record in the process with a 1:59.52. She added a state runner-up finish in the 100 back and swam the third leg of the state record-setting 200 free relay team, which missed beating the national record by a sliver. That group also included Katherine Meyers-Labenz, Julia Murphy and Simany Lee.
Rattling off those list of achievements to Higgo, a Michigan commit, takes her back to when she first arrived in Jacksonville. The tradition and prestige at Bolles can swallow up less determined swimmers. Higgo knew that the moment she walked on the deck for the first time that only hard work would help her earn her spot.
“No one knew who I was [when she got to Bolles]. And I feel like I worked so hard that I earned a spot on the team. And so many people do it and it is a really hard thing to do,” Higgo said. “But once you’ve achieved that and put yourself out there and just like work really hard for it, it’s definitely something that is super special.”
Higgo was turning in a best of 2:22.77 in her signature event the year before she arrived at Bolles. She sliced 17 seconds off that time as a freshman and another 3 from it as a sophomore before cracking the 2-minute barrier in high school this season. Asked to go back to the first time she set foot at Bolles and where she is now, Higgo said that it’s remarkable how much she’s evolved with her strokes.
“I thought it was pretty cool. I don’t think like I wasn’t super intimidated by it. I just thought it was something amazing to be a part of. And I’m hoping that one day I’ll be able to come back and see my name on the wall,” she said. “That’s my ultimate goal.”
All-News4JAX girls swimming first team
Athlete, school, class
Ava Brinkman, Fleming Island, So.
So close to a state championship. Finished Class 3A runner-up in diving by .95 with a score of 482.65, the highest score among area divers.
Lily Doyle, Ponte Vedra, So.
State champ in the 500 free (4:54.27). Second leg of the state champ 400 free relay team.
Charlotte Driesse, Nease, Jr.
Class 3A state champ in the 200 IM (2:03.13) Runner-up in the 200 free (1:50.17). Swam lead leg of the third-place 200 free relay team and lead leg of the third-place 400 free relay team. Her individual times earned All-American consideration.
Lila Higgo, Bolles, Jr.
Michigan commit is two-time All-News4JAX selection and the All-News4JAX swimmer of the year. State champ in the 200 IM with a 1:59.52. Swam third leg of the 200 free relay team, which set a state record in 1:31.22 and was .51 away from breaking the national record in the event. Second in the 100 back (54.02). Anchor leg of the state runner-up 400 free relay team. All of her times were automatic All-American numbers.
Kate Meyers-Labenz, Bolles, Sr.
Duke signee. Anchor leg of state-record setting 200 medley relay team (1:40.93). Lead leg of 200 free relay team, which set a state record (1:31.22). Fourth in 50 free with her top time an All-American consideration (23.22) in the prelims. Third in the 100 back (55.48) to earn All-American consideration.
Simany Lee, Bolles, Sr.
Georgia signee. Anchor leg of the state-record 200 free relay team (1:31.22). Second leg of the state runner-up 400 free relay team. Fourth in the 200 free (1:49.52) and third in the 100 free (50.29). Both individual times earned All-American consideration.
Annabelle MacAdams, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
South Dakota State signee. State champ in the 100 breast (1:04.22). Second leg of the state champ 200 medley relay team. Fourth in the 200 IM.
Maryn McDade, Fleming Island, Sr.
Three-time state champ in the 50 free whose best time (22.99) earned automatic All-American honors. Back-to-back state champ in the 100 free with her best time (50.48) coming in the prelims.
Julia Murphy, Bolles, Sr.
Virginia Tech signee. State champ in the 100 fly (53.96). Third leg of the state-record 200 medley relay team (1:40.93). Second leg of the state-record 200-free relay team (1:31.22). Third leg of the state runner-up 400 free relay team (3:20.96). All of her times were automatic All-American numbers.
Kate Pelot, Ponte Vedra, So.
State champ in the 100 back (55.99). Swam third leg of state champ 200 free relay team and lead leg of the 200 medley relay team.
Penny Zarczynski, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Yale commit. Class 3A state runner-up in the 100 fly (55.41). Second leg of the 200 free relay team, which won state title in automatic All-American time (1:34.88). Anchor leg of the state champ 400 free relay team (3:28.96). Fourth in the 200 free (1:50.44). Her individual times earned All-American consideration.
Second team
Athlete, school, class
Rylie Darkatsh, Stanton, Sr.
Three-time state champion finished second for the first time in her career with a 453.10 in Class 2A diving.
Victoria Edgar, Bolles, So.
Fourth in the 100 breast (1:02.41), whose best time came in the prelims and earned automatic All-American honors. Second leg of state record 200 medley relay team (1:40.93).
Elisabeth Erlendsdottir, Bolles, So.
Fourth in the 100 back in 55.73, a time that earned All-American consideration. Fifth in 50 free (23.67).
Sophie Fox, Ponte Vedra, So.
Third in the 50 free (23.44) with All-American consideration. Third in the 100 fly (55.98). Lead leg of 3A state champ 200 free relay team, a squad that posted automatic All-American time of 1:34.88. Anchor leg of 3A state champ 200 medley relay team (1:45.41), earning All-American consideration.
Valentina Fraga, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
Fourth in 100 free (51.48). Anchor leg of state champ 200 free relay team, which earned automatic All-American honors. Lead leg of the state champ 400 free relay team.
Anna Gavin, Creekside, Sr.
Fourth in Class 4A state meet in the 50 free (23.47) to earn All-American consideration. Lead leg of the 200 free relay team that finished third with All-American consideration time of 1:36.63. Anchor leg of fourth-place 200 medley relay team.
Ella Gotham, Bolles, So.
Third in 1A state meet in the 200 IM but turned in her best time (2:03.22) in the regional meet. Seventh in the 500 free (5:01.56).
Rachel Howard, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
State runner-up in the 100 fly although her best time (55.41) that earned All-American consideration came in the prelims. Anchor leg of the state champ 200 free relay team.
Neala Klein, Bolles, Jr.
Fifth in 1A state meet in the 500 free with 4:53.25, a time earning All-American consideration.
Gracyn Lanning, Bolles, Jr.
Third in 100 fly (54.92), a time that earned All-American consideration. Sixth in 100 breast (1:03.77).
Olivia Moore, Nease, Jr.
Third in Class 3A state meet in both the 200 free (1:50.28) and the 100 free (50.93), both times that earned All-American consideration. Anchor leg of third-place 200 free relay and 400-free relay teams.
Honorable mention
Athlete, school, class
Haley Aschenbrenner, Providence, So.
Jayla Covington, Atlantic Coast, Jr.
Alexiya Downer, Bolles, Jr.
Savannah Branon, Episcopal, Jr.
Elle Fox, Bartram Trail, Sr.
Jenna Frost, Bartram Trail, Fr.
Neriah Giedrys, Fernandina Beach, So.
Haylee Hite, Beachside, Jr.
Gabriella Marim, Stanton, So.
Savannah Petrosevich, Nease, Fr.
Sydney Player, Ponte Vedra, So.
Gianna Vasto, Bolles, 8th
Ryland Zuniga, Fletcher, Sr.