The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

Swimming notebook: O’Connell’s Madelyn Donohoe is a distance dynamo; upstart Patriot boys eye a region title

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December 21, 2016 at 3:01 p.m. EST

Madelyn Donohoe’s hair began falling out in the latter part of 2012, and the then-11-year-old didn’t know why.

She found out on Christmas Eve. The diagnosis was alopecia totalis, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.

Back then it didn’t bother her, and her hair grew back the next year. But when it began falling out again during her freshman year at O’Connell, Donohoe felt self-conscious in her new environment.

Her friends and family have helped her cope with the condition, but getting into the pool with the Knights swim team is her favorite temporary elixir. When the sophomore puts on her cap and goggles, no one knows what she’s dealing with. All they see is one of the best distance swimmers in the area dominating the competition.

“She’s just operating at another gear,” Knights Coach Joe Smolinske said. “It’s just kind of a joy to watch because you don’t get to see talent like hers on a day-to-day basis.”

Smolinske said competing at the high school level limits Donohoe because of the shorter distances. He noted she’s “absolutely crushed” the 500-yard freestyle this season. Her 200 free races have been closer, but no one yet has been able to top the 15-year-old.

Donohoe started swimming at age 6 and became serious about the sport as a 10-year-old competing in bigger meets in New York and Florida. She enjoyed long-distance racing because it was challenging and more fun.

After earning second-team All-Met honors as a freshman last season — one of two first-year swimmers to make the cut — she tested her abilities on a national scale at the U.S. Olympic Team trials in June, competing in the 400- and 800-meter freestyle at age 14.

This season marks the first year Smolinske has coached Donohoe, but he understands why she’s already made a mark beyond the local swimming scene. Regardless of the distance, she races at a fast tempo and doesn’t overexert herself. She’s shy outside of the pool, he said, but has an “irresistible confidence” in the water, something that stems from the energy and passion she’s had for the sport from a young age.

“I almost liken it to almost like an otter or something,” Smolinske said. “Just kind of loving being in the water, loving splashing around and just swimming. She really does love it.”

Donohoe emphasized enjoying herself at the high school and club levels this season, but she does have a few goals in mind. She’s close to a few of the O’Connell records, so she’d like to break one of those. In June, she’ll compete at nationals in Indiana.

All the while, she’ll likely experience the continued effects of alopecia. Donohoe’s hair is growing back at the moment, but she doesn’t know when it may begin to fall out again.

But if the distress ever becomes too much, she knows where to turn.

“Swimming has always been my safe space,” Donohoe said.

The Big number: 150

The number of consecutive dual-meet wins for the Leonardtown girls' swimming and diving team, one of the longest winning streaks in the country. Leonardtown's most recent victory came against Huntingtown on Friday. The Raiders have not lost to a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference foe since 2004.

Swimmers of the week

Madison’s Rachael Holp, Anna Keating, Elizabeth Kuhlkin and Julia Downing

The quad set a school record in the 200-yard medley relay to help Madison (5-0) defeat Oakton and Langley on Dec. 16. Holp, Keating, Kuhlkin, and Anna Miller previously set the school record in the Warhawks’ season-opening win over South Lakes on Dec. 2.

Pioneers take aim at a Virginia 6A North region title

When Patriot High School opened in 2011 to relieve overcrowding from other Prince William County Public Schools such as Battlefield and Brentsville, Lisa Bussian saw an opportunity to build a successful swimming and diving team from the ground up.

“A lot of us looked at the new high school kind of like the field of dreams: build it and they will come,” Bussian said. “We had a lot of people wanting to get into this school and . . . we built it in an area that is very flush with a lot of quality swimmers.”

Bussian's philosophy held true, as the Pioneers have quickly emerged as one of the top squads in the area. Their best finish came last season when the boys' team took second behind Langley in the Virginia 6A North region championships.

Now that they’ve had a taste of success at the region level, the Pioneers are craving more.

“Happy not satisfied,” said senior Spencer Rowe. “We were definitely happy with second place, but we know there’s room for improvement.”

“We definitely have the capability to take the regions this year,” Will Cumberland added, “and maybe even states.”

Cumberland’s confidence stems from his team’s depth and versatility this season.

Unlike in past years, several swimmers can compete in a variety of events. Each one has his specialty stroke, Bussian said, but their range in the pool allows the Pioneers to remain competitive in more events.

“They can swim almost anything and still gain points for me,” Bussian said. “We kind of are able to use them wherever we need them, and that’s an advantage that we have over some of the other programs.”

Perhaps the Pioneers’ strongest race is the 200-yard medley relay, in which Cumberland and Rowe team up with Cole Cooper and AJ Ross. At last year’s Virginia 6A state meet, the all-time Virginia record stood at 1:33:00. This group swam the event in 1:32:88.

All four swimmers are back this season, and they’re convinced they can go faster.

Rowe pointed to improving their relay takeoffs, which he said were “very safe” last season, while Cumberland noted having quicker turns. Bussian said each swimmer has gotten stronger in his individual specialties, something she hopes results in another record-breaking performance down the road.

“It’s an honor to be on the record board with so many cool people who we’ve seen go to amazing colleges, and now it’s our turn,” Rowe said. “I think that this year, along the same lines of happy never satisfied. The national record is only a few seconds away, and it’s something I’d like to get.”