Every year, to finish out the regular season, Frederick County Public Schools hosts a county-wide meet to finish out their swim season.  It’s a special meet for everyone, because for some swimmers it’s the last meet before championships and for others it’s their last meet of the season.  The most unique thing about “counties” is that every swimmer can attend—regardless of times.  

It also gives schools the opportunity to win the county championship, although larger teams typically take the County Champion title, although the scoring style is swayed to favor larger teams.  Boys and Girls teams are scored separately, so sometimes one school will win girls and another school will win boys.  To get points for your team, you have to score in the top three places for an event.  There are 24 events (12 for girls 12 for boys) including relays,  6 of the 24 events are relay events.  For individual events, when you get first place you score 6 points, when you get second place you score 4 points, and when you get third you get 3 points.  For relays, the total score is 8 for first place, and for second and third place the scoring is the same for individual events.  

This year, the Urbana Boys won with a team score of 189, with Oakdale boys in second place with 94 team points, and Walkersville in third place with 69 team points.  Urbana girls also won, with 157 team points.  Oakdale girls was close behind with a total of 153 team points, and Walkersville was third with 51 team points.   Although last year, Oakdale High School won the meet for boys and girls.  The boys got 135 team points total, with Urbana boys and Linganore boys right behind at 123 points and 92 points for their teams.  Oakdale girls got a team score of 179, with Urbana girls and Linganore girls trailing at 136 points and 70 points for their team.

This meet allows swimmers to come together and see each other at the end of the season. 

Delaney Price, a sophomore from Brunswick says her favorite thing about counties is “…swimming and hanging out with my friends.” 

Kate Miner, a freshman from Urbana High School said something similar when she shared: “My favorite thing about counties is seeing all of my friends from across the county.” 

Counties is also a reminder to many swimmers why they are passionate about what they do.  Brianna Housam, a sophomore from Brunswick says she swims because “…it allows me to connect more with my friends and push myself to the limits.” 

Counties is an important day for all swimmers in Frederick county, because of its size, and how many best times are swam there.

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