The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy swim teams had strong performances at the TCIS championship Saturday, as the girls’ squad placed third and the boys’ placed fifth in the Newport News Midtown pool.

This represented an improvement over last year, when the girls’ and boys’ teams placed fourth and sixth, respectively, among the 10 schools in the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools.

Head coach Meredith Young said there were some impressive times accomplished at the meet, but she drew special attention to those who made state qualifying times on Saturday.

“These swimmers were going into the championship knowing that this was their last chance to achieve the state qualifying time, and they truly worked hard and pulled it off,” she wrote in an email. “I am simply excited and extremely proud of them.”

The group included the boys’ 200-yard medley relay team (1:58.99), comprising seniors Stuart Brazil, Zack Hess, Jacob Howell and John Wade. Wade was the only swimmer with a previous qualifying time.

The boys’ 400-yard freestyle relay team also qualified for state with a time of 3:57.12.

“On a swimming note for this relay, it is probably the hardest event to accomplish this task, because it is at the end of the meet and everyone is exhausted,” Young stated.

Brazil, Hess, freshman Sam Towler and freshman Matt Ruland made up that team.

In the individual events, Katherine Hayes qualified in the girls’ 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:09.81.

“Katherine has been working amazingly hard at this event all season long,” Young stated. “I can’t express how proud I am of her; the 100 fly is a very difficult event, and she did it.”

The Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association state championship will take place Friday and Saturday at the Collegiate School Aquatic Center in Richmond.