Brentwood Christian School won its first ever state championship at a swim event at this year’s TAPPS event in San Antonio. The boys 200 freestyle relay, consisting of junior Evan Berger and sophomores Andrew Berger, Henry Gibson, and Chayce Lee, received the first state gold in swim history.
The victory capped off a promising season for BCS swim, which featured much success and growth throughout the team, and a handful of individual medals at the state level.
At the TAPPS regional meet in Dallas on Jan. 30, the high school squad had a dominant meet performance. The boys team placed third, with all three of their relays qualifying for state. The 200 medley relay placed second and the 200 and 400 meter freestyle both got third.
In addition to the freestyle relay victory at state, Lee also earned two other medals, bronze in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke. The best performance for the girls was a bronze in the 500 freestyle by Ali Nelson-Cook, who also finished sixth in the 200 freestyle.
The program qualified many more athletes for state, including juniors Zoe Ruiz and Trey Wood, but regardless of outcome, the group is always looking for the bright side.
“We have had tears at meets, and we have had victories,” said head coach Jason Montier.
With the team only losing one senior (Will Kurtz), it is looking forward to next season, but they will miss his leadership and hard work.
“It was a chapter of my life I enjoyed, and now that it's over, I will move on to the next chapter whatever sport or activity,” Kurtz said.
The team worked very hard this season; they had to show up and be in the pool at 6 a.m. three days a week.
The team has gone through it all together. Moving forward, they will continue to use swimming as a measuring stick for the kind of personal growth and discipline it takes to succeed in life.
“I am equally excited when the final swimmer of a relay overcomes a six-second deficit to win as I am when a swimmer who may never earn a podium finish sets personal best times in the final meet,” Montier said. “When a swimmer is disappointed in a swim, but still goes back out for another race and competes with everything they have, it is inspiring.”
The program has large numbers in eighth grade who are eager to join the high school ranks next season and help continue the upward ascension of swim at BCS.
*This article appeared in the March 2026 edition of The Bear Facts, Brentwood Christian School's high school newspaper.
