JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Carter Lancaster didn’t know what to expect when he arrived at Bolles. The aura of the most successful swimming program in the country is something unexplainable. Dozens and dozens of future Olympians swam for Bolles. Athletes come from all over the world to board and compete for the Bulldogs.
Lancaster, the All-News4JAX boys swimmer of the year, wasn’t quite sure what he was envisioning when stepped on campus and walked into the swimming facility for the first time. The Carmel, Indiana native had thoughts of maybe something majestic or a facility from straight out of the movies.
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It wasn’t quite like that. The pool was just a pool.
“You know those buildings that are like huge and you’re like, ‘Whoa.’ Bolles is a nice place and everything, love Bolles. But the pool isn’t like anything special. It’s just another pool,” Lancaster said. “So, it’s like the [notable] people who have trained here, they’ve done everything here. If they can do it, I can do it as well. It’s nothing any different.”
For Lancaster, that was a pivotal moment. The same pool that Olympians such as Ryan Murphy and Joseph Schooling and Clay High grad and Bolles Sharks swimmer Caeleb Dressel competed in was now one he’d try and make his mark in.
Lancaster arrived at Bolles as a sophomore, along with his brother, Kayden, back when the Bulldogs had stacked 33 consecutive team state championships. He fit in immediately, the product of good genes (his mother swam at Michigan State and his father at Michigan) and a voracious work ethic.
Number 34 came during his sophomore season where Lancaster finished as state runner-up in the 100 back and 200 IM.
The 35th straight came in 2022 when Lancaster turned in a state record 1:45.02 in the 200 IM to win his first individual championship. That record still stands a year later.
And No. 36 came in his senior season where the Bulldogs posted their most dominant margin of victory in any of their title seasons. Bolles amassed a state-record 628 points and won by a staggering margin of 471 points. Lancaster repeated his championship in the 200 IM and finished sixth in the 100 fly. He swam the anchor leg of both the state champ 200 free relay and 400 free relay team.
“It kind of just happened, pretty much,” he said. “There’s a lot of … out of the blue swimmers that came out and that’s great to see. A lot of people stepped up. Everyone worked hard for this. Everyone that was there deserved to be there.”
Lancaster said that he was grateful for the early time at Bolles where veteran swimmers set an example for all the younger athletes.
“Even the seniors before me when I was like a sophomore when I first came, they set a great foundation for us, for the juniors,” he said. “They did a fantastic job setting us up, showing us the ropes and showing us like where our team needs to go, the work ethic behind it and everything. I got to give all praise to the people before me. ... They showed me the way and I’m here to continue on pass the torch.”
All-News4JAX boys swimming first team
Athlete, school, class
Thomas Frost, Bartram Trail, Sr.
Posted an automatic All-American time of 1:48.96 in the 200 IM to finish state runner-up in Class 4A.
Andrew Kravchenko, Bolles, Jr.
Back-to-back state championships in the 50 free. He went 19.9 to win Class 1A meet this year, a number that ranks second in the state. Anchor leg of state champ 200 medley relay team. Lead leg of the state champ 200 free relay team and the 400 free relay team. His individual times all earned automatic All-American honors.
Landon Kyser, Bolles, Sr.
Wisconsin signee had the state’s fastest time in the 50 back (22.48), which came on the lead leg of the state champ 200 medley relay team that flirted with the state record. State champ in the 100 back (48.21) in another time that leads Florida.
Carter Lancaster, Bolles, Sr.
Cal-Berkeley signee had a 1:45.8 in the 200 IM. Set the state record in that event last year (1:45.02). Added a sixth in the 100 fly with his best time (48.34) coming in the prelims. Anchor leg of the state champ 200 free relay team. All of his times earned automatic All-American honors.
Sascha Macht, Bolles, Jr.
Runner-up to teammate at state recordholder Carter Lancaster in the 200 IM in 1:46.32. Third in the 100 fly (47.71). Third leg of the state champ 200 free relay team. All of his times were automatic All-American numbers.
Maxwell Shaver, Fletcher, Jr.
Had a 502.5 to win the Class 3A diving championship.
Brody Singley, West Nassau, Jr.
Auburn commit was a double state champ in Class 2A meet. Won the 500 free with a 4:29.74 and the 200 free (1:38.59). Class 2A swimmer of the year by the Florida Dairy Farmers.
Xavier Sohovich, Bolles, Jr.
Navy commit won the 100 free (44.53) and took third in Class 1A state meet in the 200 free (1:37.43). Third leg of state champ 400 free relay team. All of his times were automatic All-American honors.
Seth Tolentino, Bolles, Sr.
Texas A&M signee. Posted a 44.59 in the 100 free for state runner-up behind teammate Xavier Sohovich. State runner-up in the 50 free (20.42) whose best time came in the prelims. Finished behind teammate Andrew Kravchenko. Second leg of the state champ 200 free relay team. All his times earned automatic All-American honors.
Carter Wright, Bishop Kenny, So.
State champ in the 100 back in 49.17 to earn All-American consideration. Swam lead leg of Class 2A state champ 400 free relay team. State runner-up in the 50 free.
Eldad Zamir, Bolles, Jr.
State champ in the 100 breast in automatic All-American time of 54.31.
Second team
Athlete, school, class
Dillon Brigman, Bolles, So.
State champ in the 500 free in 4:30 to earn All-American consideration.
Cohen Barron Chiam, Bolles, Jr.
Third place in 100 breast with 55.17 and third in the 200 IM (1:50.18). Both times earned automatic All-American recognition.
Antoine Destang, Bolles, Jr.
Fourth in the 100 fly (47.72) and fifth place in 200 free (1:39.33), both earning automatic All-American recognition.
Brandon Gear, Nease, Jr.
Fourth in 200 free in 1:39.34, earning All-American consideration. Third in 500 free. Second leg of state runner-up 200 free relay team (1:23.57) and lead-off of state champ 400 free relay team (3:03.62), both earning automatic All-American honors.
Owen Kerkezi, Bishop Kenny, Jr.
Class 2A state runner-up in the 200 free (1:40.64) and the 100 free, with his best time (46.19) coming in the prelims. Anchor leg of the state champ 200 free relay team and 400 free relay team.
Jack Mainville, Nease, Jr.
State runner-up in 100 free (45.38) and 50 free (20.56) in All-American consideration times. Anchor of runner-up 200 free relay team (1:23.57).
Alexander Meyers-Labenz, Bolles, Sr.
Fourth place in the 50 free (20.66) and seventh in the 100 fly (49.56), both teams earning All-American consideration.
Wyatt Porch, Bolles, Jr.
Georgia commit was fourth in the 200 IM whose best time (1:50.2) came in the prelims to earn All-American consideration. Second leg of state champ 200 medley relay team. State champ in the 100 breast (54.71) to earn automatic All-American honors.
Luke VanDeusen, Bartram Trail, Sr.
State runner-up in 100 free (45.79). Anchor leg of third-place 400 free relay team which earned automatic All-American honors. Lead leg of 200 free relay team, which earned All-American consideration.
Cameron Watson, Paxon, Sr.
State champ in the 100 fly in 49.58, a time earning All-American consideration. Third in the 100 back with best time (51.47) coming in the prelims.
Anthony Whittall, Bolles, Sr.
South Carolina signee was third in the 100 free (44.62) and 50 free (20.56), numbers that earned automatic and consideration All-American honors, respectively. Third leg of the 200 free relay team which won state.
Luke Zardavets, Nease, Fr.
State runner-up in the 200 IM (1:49.48) and 100 breast (55.45), the latter earning automatic All-American honors. Second leg of state runner-up 200 medley relay team (1:35.88) and anchor of state champ 400 free relay team (3:03.62).
Honorable mention
Athlete, school, class
Liam Carrington, Bolles, So.
Nate Caswell, Nease, So.
Declan Costello, Nease, So.
Tristan Dorville, Bolles, Jr.
Graham Evans, Kenny, Sr.
Evan Gardner, Kenny, Sr.
Trevor Haskins, Bartram Trail, Jr.
Nicholas Kwan, Bolles, So.
Walker Lanoue, Nease, Jr.
Peter Manelis, Beachside, Sr.
Dylan Matthews, Tocoi Creek, Sr.
Thomas Matheson, Bartram Trail, Jr.
John McNamara, Wolfson, Sr.
Alexander Primavera, Bolles, So.
Bingxiang Qin, Bolles, Jr.
Aaron Storlie, Nease, Sr.