- December 13, 2025
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The clink and chink of metal hitting metal rang throughout an emptied aquatic center. Medals collided while draped around swimmers’ necks.
It accompanied the procession of Rams to the podium for photos with their trophy. Cheers rained down from the spectator seating above the deck.
Such ceremonies have become a rite of passage.
Extending its dynasty, Riverview girls’ swimming won the FHSAA Class 4A state championship on Nov. 14 at Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training in Ocala. Its latest triumph marks the 12th in program history dating back to the very first in 2006.
The Rams are the best of the best for the fifth year in a row. During their entire 21st-century dominance, that had never happened before — until now.
Titles, though, aren’t spoken into existence for a team synonymous with this stage.
“I don’t talk to the kids about winning state championships. We never talk about it,” said coach John Bruenning. “We just talk about working together as a team, doing what’s necessary, swimming fast, getting your hand on the wall and representing your school. And they buy into that.”
Bruenning staked his claim as a program legend last season when he broke a tie with former coach Mark Matuszak for the most championships won by a Riverview girls’ coach. He also oversaw the boys’ runner-up finish at this year's statewide meet.
For the Riverview girls, 2025’s effort was unique from the runaway results of seasons past. Their margin of victory wasn’t quite as comfortable as +155 points in 2022 or +138 in 2023.
The squad’s score of 395 outlasted Windermere’s 305 and Creekside’s next-closest 192. En route to second place, the Wolverines collected six golds and three bronzes, besting the Rams in both regards.
Still, Riverview pulled away because of the influx of talent to its already-talented program. Two of three swimmers who medaled four times on Nov. 14 were freshmen.
“I’m really glad to know we’re in good hands after this. I just know they have so much potential,” said senior Taylor Schwenk. “They just need to keep being confident in themselves.”
Entering states, both Sydney Hardy and Allie Pearson — the newcomers in question — were well-established. Hardy won a team-high four golds at regionals, and Pearson was right behind her with three.
In her first FHSAA meet at the statewide level, Hardy finished top-two in every event she swam. She topped the field in the 100-yard breaststroke with a personal-best 1:03.76 and also claimed the grand prize in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a 23.34 split. Her efforts in the 200-yard individual medley and 400-yard freestyle relay were good for silver.
Pearson contributed a 22.83 as leadoff for the triumphant 200-yard freestyle relay team — becoming a state champion for the first time. She also finished second in the 50-yard freestyle, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.
“They were lights out. They contributed more than I think either one of them expected to,” Bruenning said. “But once they got here and they got going, they started stepping up and realizing that they belong. That’s a powerful thing when you believe.”
Riverview’s trophy-clinching performance featured more than one down-to-the-wire finish.
Twice, Schwenk found herself in a battle. She won both in thrilling fashion.
The NC State commit claimed gold in the 100-yard butterfly (54.54) by just four hundredths of a second. And in the 200-yard freestyle, her victory of 1:47.97 was more narrow, edging out Wellington sophomore Veronica Metz by a mere two hundredths.
“The two free has always stuck out to me, because it’s the mix between a sprint and a distance event. You can’t go too slow, you can’t go too fast,” Schwenk said. “I really love the challenge of pushing that envelope… I saw that she was close to me at my third 50. I turned it on, and tried to hold it for the last 50.”
Also on the first-place 200-yard freestyle relay team and second-place 400-yard freestyle relay team, Schwenk culminated her high school career as a four-time 2025 state medalist.
All season long, she competed alongside several Division I commits. Her senior teammates include Danica Aten, Clare Custer and Jessica Robie, who will swim for Navy, Harvard and South Carolina, respectively, next fall and beyond.
Schwenk was willing to do anything and everything in Ocala to ensure a five-peat.
“She’s been open to doing whatever the team has needed. She actually didn’t even do her best events here, because she said, ‘I’ll do whatever the team needs me to do,’” Bruenning said. “That’s just who she is.”
Leveraging her distance strengths, Custer brought home gold in the 500-yard freestyle with a 4:44.59, beating out the next-closest finisher by over six seconds. That symbolized some personal redemption after settling for second in the 2024 edition of that event despite a first-place showing in preliminaries.
Then there was junior Angelina Lista — committed to Louisiana State — who earned one gold, silver and bronze apiece in a well-rounded day at the pool. Her best finish came as the anchor for the 200-yard freestyle relay team, clocking a 23.72 to secure first place.
Riverview is now the eighth program to win five titles consecutively on the girls’ side, joining Ponte Vedra (2021-25), Tallahassee Chiles (2010-14) and Orlando Dr. Phillips (1994-98).
12 medals won in 2025.
Five-time defending state champions.
A dynasty that keeps on growing.
The Rams are on top of the state, again.
“We’ve just been building on the momentum year after year after year,” Bruenning said. “And the great thing is that when you have that tradition, kids walk in and they want to be a part of it.”
