Highland Park Scots Post Meet Report: Braveheart Sprint Invitational

September 27, 2025

Meet Overview

The Highland Park Scots and Lady Scots turned in a dominant team performance at the 2025 Braveheart Sprint Invitational, held on Saturday, September 27th. Facing strong competition from San Angelo Central, Granbury, Frisco Independence, and Timber Creek, Highland Park rose to the occasion and secured the overall team title with a combined score of 319 points, well ahead of runner-up San Angelo Central at 247.5 points

This invitational meet format emphasized sprints, relays, and versatility, providing opportunities for athletes to showcase both their speed and their ability to contribute across multiple events. From the opening medley relay to the final freestyle relay, Highland Park established itself as the team to beat.

Lady Scots Team Highlights

The Lady Scots displayed impressive depth and balance, scoring key points across sprint freestyle, stroke events, and relays.

*Relays: The women captured gold in the 200 Freestyle Relay as the quartet of Maddy Persefield (Sr.), Rita Martin (Fr.), Jadyn Sun (Fr.), and Lydia Westcott (Sr.) combined for a winning time of 1:44.11, edging San Angelo Central by less than half a second . A strong “B” relay also placed fifth, showing the team’s depth.

*Individual standouts:

*Maddy Persefield had a strong day, taking 2nd in the 100 Free (58.11) and 2nd in the 50 Back (30.99)

*Jadyn Sun (Fr.) earned 2nd in the 100 IM (1:01.09) and later stormed to victory in the 200 Free (1:58.36), winning by more than eight seconds

*Lydia Westcott (Sr.) sprinted to victory in the 50 Free (25.68) and added a runner-up finish in the 50 Breast (31.04)

*Rita Martin (Fr.) contributed big points with a 4th-place 100 Free (1:01.95) and strong relay legs

*Gianna Holdridge, Shruthi Cherukuri, Maggie Peus, and Taylor Ramo added depth across sprint and IM events, giving the Lady Scots scoring strength across the board

Scots Team Highlights

The Scots men also excelled in both relays and individual events, often sweeping top spots in sprint races.

*Relays: The men’s 200 Freestyle Relay squad of Nathan Chan (Jr.), Savva Walker (Sr.), Henry Westcott (So.), and Dylan Nguyen (Jr.) delivered a statement win with a time of 1:33.45, nearly three seconds clear of the field . The “B” relay also finished in the top four, underscoring Highland Park’s sprint depth.

*Individual standouts:

*Dylan Nguyen (Jr.) led the way with wins in the 50 Free (22.37) and 50 Back (25.80)

*Nathan Chan (Jr.) was equally dominant, finishing 2nd in the 50 Free (22.58) and claiming the 50 Fly title (23.43)

*Henry Westcott (So.) sprinted to 1st in the 100 Free (50.95) and added a 3rd in the 50 Back (28.08)

*Slava Walker (Sr.) took 2nd in the 100 Free (52.20) and contributed to multiple top relays

*Aidan Zahodnik (So.) placed 2nd in the 50 Back (28.06), continuing his rapid development as one of the team’s most versatile swimmers

Diving Success

The Scots also excelled on the boards. Cullen Kemp (So.) captured 1st place in Men’s 1m Diving with a score of 232.35, while teammate Nathan Harris (So.) secured 2nd (162.35) . Freshman Henry Lockridge added valuable experience, finishing 5th in his invitational debut.

Teamwide Achievements

*Highland Park athletes recorded 92 lifetime bests, with standout drops across sprint freestyle and IM events

*The mixed 200 Medley Relay squad of Dylan Nguyen, Lydia Westcott, Jadyn Sun, and Savva Walker opened the meet with a win in 1:47.57, setting the tone for the team’s dominance

*Younger swimmers like Rita Martin, Gianna Holdridge, and Pace Heard gained valuable invitational experience while contributing important points

Swimmers of the Meet

Peer-nominated honors went to:

*Freshman Alex Witt

*Freshman Carter Phan

*Freshman Rita Martin

*Sophomore Kate Gill

Looking Ahead

With this victory, Highland Park continues to build momentum early in the season. The Scots and Lady Scots will next turn their attention to upcoming dual meets and the Highlander Invitational in January, where they will seek to extend their streak of strong performances. The Braveheart Sprint Invitational win is a testament to the team’s depth, versatility, and culture of competitive excellence. The Scots will next compete on October 21st at a home meet against Woodrow Wilson High School and Bryan Adams High School.