JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The cliché about saving the best for last only partially applied to Penny Zarczynski.
Zarczynski, a Ponte Vedra senior and All-News4JAX girls swimmer of the year, had been excellent throughout her competitive career. But in a season stacked full of team and individual success, Zarczynski was at her peak in 2024.
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She won the 50 free and 100 fly events, both in automatic All-American times. Zarczynski also swam the third leg of the champion 200 medley relay team and led off the champ 200 free relay team.
Four events. Four titles.
The Sharks also won their fourth consecutive team state championship in Class 3A, something Zarczynski said meant so much to her.
“Just my senior year … I had probably the perfect season, more than I ever could have wished I could accomplish,” said the Yale commit. “Winning four titles and then also winning the relays in my individual events, I was just so proud of all that I was able to accomplish, and my team, and I was just so happy with everyone that I stood with on the podium. It was just a great way to end my season.”
Zarczynski has been an integral part of the area’s top budding public school dynasty since her freshman year. She was on championship relay teams in 2021, ‘22 and ‘23, and won the 50 free in 2022 for her first individual title.
“I think for all of us as a team, it’s just been a lot of training, putting our head down, doing the work,” Zarczynski said. “But also, we really act as a team like we are one big family. Our Shark family is very close. We’re all really good friends and I think just building that team environment … really high school swimming is nice because it’s swimming for your school and not just for yourself. So having that sort of environment and family feel I think has really helped us carry such success throughout the years.”
Recent swimmers of the year
2024: Penny Zarczynski, Ponte Vedra
2023: Lila Higgo, Bolles
2022: Annie Wohlgemuth, Ponte Vedra
2021: Manita Sathianchokwisan, Bolles
2020: Micayla Cronk, Flagler Palm Coast
2019: Micayla Cronk, Flagler Palm Coast
All-News4JAX Varsity 4 girls swimming first team
Athlete, school, class, notable
Lily Doyle, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Fourth in 500 free with automatic All-American time (4:52). Fifth in 200 free with All-American consideration time (1:50.43). Anchor leg of state runner-up 400 free relay team.
Charlotte Driesse, Nease, Sr.
Three-time All-News4JAX selection. Had individual titles in the 200 IM in 2022 and ‘23 and also this year (2:02.34). Also swam lead leg of 400-free relay team in 2022. State runner-up in the 100 free (50.97).
Victoria Edgar, Bolles, Jr.
Second leg of state champ 200 medley relay team for second straight year. State champ in 100 breast in automatic All-American time of 1:02.48.
Jenna Frost, Bartram Trail, So.
State runner-up (1:47.88) in 200 free. Third in 500 free (4:51.04). Both times are automatic All-American times. Lead leg of third-place 200 free relay team and 400-free relay team.
Neriah Giedrys, Fernandina Beach, Sr.
State champ in the 100 breast (1:02.73) with All-American consideration time. First swimming state champion in school history.
Blakely Hammel, Episcopal, So.
State champ in the 100 free although her automatic All-American time (50.11) came in the prelims. Lead leg of sixth-place 400 free relay team.
Lila Higgo, Bolles, Sr.
Three-time All-News4JAX selection. State champ in 100 back (52.74) in automatic All-American time. Had a title in the 200 IM last year. On state champ 200 free relay team for third straight season and swam anchor leg of state champ 200 medley relay team (1:40.84).
Allison Kelly, Bolles, Fr.
State champ in the 200 free (1:48.06) earning automatic All-American honors. Runner-up in the 100 free. Second leg of the state champ 400 free relay team (3:22.44) in automatic All-American time.
Gianna Vasto, Bolles, Fr.
State champ in diving with a 469.80, the second-highest score in the state.
Eva Whitehead, Union County, Jr.
History-making state champ with automatic All-American time of 2:00.01 in the 200 IM. Fourth in 100 breast (1:03.25) with time earning All-American consideration. First swimming champ from Union County.
Penny Zarczynski, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
All-News4JAX swimmer of the year. State champ in the 50 free (22.78) and 100 fly (53.74), both in automatic All-American times. Part of 200-free relay state champ four straight years. On state title relay team in 200 medley (2021 and 2024) and 400 free relay in 2023.
Second team
Athlete, school, class, notable
Ava Brinkman, Fleming Island, Sr.
State champ in diving after missing out by the thinnest of margins in 2023. Three-time All-News4JAX selection. Had score of 453.85 to win this year, topping her score of 448.85 which she won with in 2022.
Leah Chin, Bolles, So.
State runner-up in 50 free (23.31) in All-American consideration time. Second leg of state champ 200 free relay team.
Anna Driesse, Nease, So.
State champ in 100 breast (1:04.91). Second leg of state runner-up 200 medley relay team and on third-place 400 relay team. Fourth in 200 IM.
Sophie Fox, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
State runner-up in 100 fly (55.10) earning All-American consideration. Third place in 50 free (23.55). Anchor leg of state champ 200 free relay team (1:34.98). Lead leg of 400 free relay team (3:30.65).
Ella Gotham, Bolles, Jr.
State runner-up in 200 IM (2:02.36) with All-American consideration time. Sixth in 500 free.
Haylee Hite, Beachside, Sr.
State champ in 100 back (56.14). Third in 200 IM (2:05.44). Swam lead leg of fourth-place 200 medley relay team.
Gracyn Lanning, Bolles, Jr.
Third place in 100 breast (1:02.81) and 200 IM (2:02.39) with both times earning All-American consideration.
Lucero Mejia Arce, Bolles, So.
Lead leg of state champ 200 medley relay team. Fourth in 200 IM with All-American consideration time (2:03.41). Runner-up in 100 back although best time (54.72) came in prelims. Anchor leg of state champ 400 free relay team.
Riley Miller, Bolles, Jr.
Third in 50 free (23.53), fourth in 100 free (51.52). Third leg of state champ 200 free relay team.
Olivia Moore, Nease, Sr.
State runner-up in 50 free (23.48), third in 100 free (51.01). Lead leg of fourth-place 200 free relay team and anchor of third-place 400 free relay team.
Ainsley Stephan, Bolles, Jr.
State runner-up in 500 free (4:51.91) in automatic All-American time. Third leg of state champ 400 free relay team.
Honorable mention
Athlete, school, class
Haley Aschenbrenner, Providence, Jr.
Savannah Branon, Bolles, Sr.
Grace Campbell, Bishop Kenny, Jr.
Jayla Covington, Atlantic Coast,
Monica DiGaetani, Wolfson, Jr.
Alexiya Downer, Bolles, Sr.
Kylie Elrod, Clay, Jr.
Core Foxwell-Jones, Fernandina Beach, Jr.
Carson Grass, Bartram Trail, Sr.
Marleigh Howes, Bolles, Jr.
Neala Klein, Bolles, Sr.
Gabriella Marim, Stanton, Jr.
Phoebe Mayo, Bolles, Sr.
Sophia Oldham, Creekside, So.
Lucy Page, Stanton, Fr.
Kate Pelot, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Alexis Petrosevich, Nease, Sr.
Sydney Player, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Rileigh Revere, Fernandina Beach, So.
MaryAgnes Smith, Bolles, Sr.
Heidi Stoute, Bolles, So.
Kailah Thompson, Yulee, Fr.
Madelyn Tulloch, Ponte Vedra, So.
Elisabeth Stewart, Bolles, Jr.