Sacred Heart Captures 12th-Straight Kentucky Girls State Championship
Sacred Heart Academy captured its 12th straight state title at the Kentucky State Championships this past weekend. It was the team’s 35th overall state crown since joining the KHSAA in 1962, extending quite the dynasty in the Bluegrass State.
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Top 5 Team Scores:
- Sacred Heart Academy – 438
- Elizabethtown – 169
- Ryle – 140.5
- Notre Dame Academy – 134.5
- Assumption – 120
Leading Sacred Heart was sophomore National Age Group record holder Charlotte Crush. Her older brother, Johnny Crush, broke four state records at the boys’ meet.
Crush first broke the state records in the 100 fly (51.55) and 100 back (51.14) at the state meet in 2023 during her freshman year. She then lowered both of them at the KHSAA Region 5 Championships, going respective times of 50.45 and 49.53. However, Kentucky state records only count at the state meet.
Not a problem for Crush, who officially clocked a new state record at the state championship held at Lancaster Aquatic Center on UK’s campus in the 100 fly.She swam a 51.33 in prelims of the 100 fly to eclipse her own state record. Her finals time of 51.41 was slightly off, but still secured the gold medal by 2.5 seconds.
Although her time in finals of 51.59 in the 100 back wasn’t under her state mark, she still won by nearly three full seconds.
Sacred Heart also broke their own state record in the 4×50 medley relay. Annabel Crush – Charlotte’s older sister – (24.31), Georgia Kohler (26.28), Ava Grazziani (24.77) and Haley McDonald (22.48) combined in 1:40.24. The old record from 2020 stood at 1:40.42.
Along with the younger Crush sister, McDonald, a Texas commit, also picked up two individual victories. She successfully defended her state title in the 200 IM in 1:59.37, also winning the 100 free in 50.12.
Grazziani also secured a state title for Sacred Heart, winning her first individual accolade as a sophomore in the 200 free after clocking a 1:48.68.
On the boards, Peytton Moore won the 1-meter diving event for the third state title in her career. The senior totaled a score of 537.70.
Also of note, Kate Mardis of Ballard won the 50 free after throwing down a 23.08, a personal best. It was Ballard’s first state title in the 50 free since 1976 and the first in any event since 1993.