JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Liam Carrington isn’t shy about it.
When he first arrived at Bolles from Trinidad and Tobago as a 15-year-old, he didn’t know quite what to expect. He was a swimming prodigy in the two-island nation, and Bolles is the premier school for swimmers in the world. That doesn’t mean it was an easy switch to go from one country to another.
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Safe to say that it all worked out.
Carrington, the Varsity 4 All-News4JAX boys swimmer of the year, left a mark at Bolles in a greater way than he ever thought possible. It’s still wild for him to think that his name will go up on the wall alongside swimming royalty.
“No [didn’t think anything like that was possible], this program has produced many big names in the sport of swimming,” he said. “Ryan Murphy, Santo Condorelli, those big names. So, I didn’t expect to be on the record books or any of those kind of things.”
From where he began at Bolles to where he sits now, Carrington said he’s a far more well-rounded person than when he arrived.
“Definitely [nervous]. The first two weeks were pretty rough But I had friends that I’ve known before who came to Bolles in previous years, so they helped me get accustomed to life and the system over here,” he said.
“I think coming to the US at that age, it’s scary at first, but I think it’s like changed me to be a better person and my experiences just, I have a better perception of the world.”
Carrington did all kinds of sports in Trinidad and Tobago (football, mixed-martial arts, running and triathlons) but swimming was his passion. He still holds more than a dozen age group records in his home country. Making that success convey to America wasn’t challenging for Carrington.
In his final season, he was elite on a level that remains difficult for him to grasp.
Carrington put up a blistering 42.66 in the 100 free to win at the Class 1A state meet, a time that broke former Bolles star Ryan Murphy’s team record (42.95), set in 2012. He swam on the title-winning 200 and 400 free relay teams and helped the Bulldogs win their 38th consecutive team state title. But the gem of Carrington’s career came with his anchor leg in the 200 medley relay.
Krish Jain led off with the backstroke followed by Lucas Young (breaststroke) and George Dovellos (butterfly). When Carrington hit the water to anchor and bring it home with his freestyle stroke, he touched the wall with a blistering 19.89. The relay team’s 1:26.67 broke the national high school record of 1:26.75 set earlier in 2025 by Hindsdale (Illinois). It also vanquished the Bolles record of 1:28.02 set by three future Olympians, Murphy, Santo Condorelli and Joseph Schooling, and Josh Booth.
Months after that record that helped bring the curtain down on his spectacular career at Bolles, Carrington still said it’s difficult to grasp what he and his teammates accomplished.
“I had high expectations coming into this year from my last year’s performance. So, I knew I had some potential, but I think I blew past what I was expecting,” he said. “I’m really happy that it happened. So, I’m just grateful for everything and just trying to go through the emotions.”
Varsity 4 All-News4JAX boys swimming team
First team
Swimmer, school, class, notable
Liam Carrington, Bolles, Sr.
All-News4JAX swimmer of the year. NC State signee. Won the 100 free (42.66). Clocked a blistering 19.32 to anchor the national record 200 medley relay team. Led off the state champ 200 free relay team with a PR of 19.89. Second leg of state champ 400 free relay.
George Dovellos, Bolles, Sr.
State champ in the 100 fly (47.25) with third-fastest time in the country. Lead leg of the winning 400 free relay team. Third leg of the national record 200 medley relay team. Second leg of the state champ 200 free relay team. Harvard signee.
Krish Jain, Bolles, Sr.
State champ in the 100 back with the fastest time in the country (47.36) and fourth in the 100 fly (49.54). Led off the national record 200 medley relay team with a personal-best 21.95. Columbia University signee.
Tommy Lussier, Bolles, Jr.
State champ in the 50 free (20.24) and runner-up in the 100 fly (48.47). Third leg of the state champ 200 free relay team with a 20.37 lap. Virginia Tech signee.
Clay Magyar, Bolles, Sr.
State runner-up with a 4:25.26 in the 500 free. Fourth in the 200 free (1:39.05). Fourth-fastest time in Florida in 500 free. Headed to Florida State.
Thi Rai, Bolles, Jr.
State champ in 100 breast (53.44) with the fastest time in the country.
William Shoesmith, Fleming Island, Jr.
State champ in the 500 free with a 4:25.41. Took fourth in the 200 IM (1:49.73). Fifth-fastest time in Florida in the 500 free.
Noah Stotler, Clay, So.
Class 3A state champ in the 200 free in state’s fastest time. (1:36.74). Placed fifth in the 100 fly (49.52).
Carter Wright, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
State champ in the 50 free (20.54), 100 back (48.15) and lead leg of the state champ 200 medley relay team with a PR of 22.25 coming in the prelims. Anchor of the runner-up 400 free relay team. Alabama signee.
Luke Zardavets, Nease, Jr.
State champ in the 100 breast whose fastest time (55.02) came in the district meet. Runner-up in the 100 fly (48.45). Also swam on the fourth-place 200 free relay team to help Panthers to the 3A team state title. Florida commit.
Charles Zuhoski, Bolles, Sr.
Anchor of state champ 400 free relay team. State champ in the 200 IM (1:47.03) and runner-up in the 100 back (48.04). Duke signee.
Second team
Swimmer, school, class, notable
Ethan Bathala, Bolles, Sr.
State runner-up in the 50 free (20.61) and third in the 100 back (48.73). Anchor leg of the state champ 200 free relay team. Duke signee.
Lincoln Driesse, Nease, So.
State runner-up in 500 free (4:27.11). Third in the 200 free finals with best time (140.93) coming in the prelims. Anchor of fourth-place free relay team. Lead leg of fifth-place 400 free relay team.
Camp Hartman, Bolles, Jr.
Runner-up in 200 free with automatic All-American time of 1:37.83. Also runner-up in 100 free (45.31) in time to earn All-American consideration.
Jasper Jackson, Fletcher, So.
District diving champ with a score of 469.60. Runner-up at region and third in Class 3A state championship (388.35).
Louis Joos, Bolles, Sr.
Third in 200 IM (1:49.66) and fourth in 100 breast (55.30), with both times earning All-American consideration.
Nicholas Kwan, Bolles, Sr.
Third in both the 200 free (1:38.01) and 500 free (4:28.11). Third leg of state champ 400 free relay team. Georgia signee.
Merrick Vanscoy, Fletcher, Jr.
State runner-up in Class 3A finals (20.59). Swam on third-place 200 medley and 400 free relay teams. Also anchor on fifth-place 400 free relay team.
Thomas Smith, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Third in 100 fly (48.89) with a time that earned All-American consideration. Anchor leg of third-place 200 free relay team with another time earning All-American consideration.
Adam Wang, Bolles, Sr.
State runner-up in the 100 breast in 54.14, a time earning automatic All-American honors. Added a ninth-place finish in the 50 free.
Lucas Young, Bolles, Sr.
State runner-up in 200 IM (1:49.54) and third in 100 breast (54.46). Swam the third-fastest time in the country in the prelims (54.28). Second leg of national record 200 medley relay team. Michigan signee.
Finn Zubero, Episcopal, So.
Third in the 100 free (45.44) to earn All-American consideration. Anchor of fifth-place 200 medley relay and third leg of sixth-place 400 free relay team.
Honorable mention
Swimmer, school, class
Owen Anderson, Nease, So.
Seth Ayers, Fletcher, Sr.
Mason Baldwin, Fletcher, So.
Beau Berry, Ponte Vedra, So.
Chance Bottenfield, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
Dillon Brigman, Bolles, Sr.
Riley Brownell, Bishop Kenny, Jr.
Nate Caswell, Nease, Sr.
Logan Cook, Fernandina Beach, Sr.
Jarrid Dame, Creekside, Sr.
Peter DeBoer, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
Lev Fahy, Bolles, So.
Evan Finn, Episcopal, So.
Owen Finn, Episcopal, Sr.
Ian Foulk, Creekside, Jr.
Jack Graham, Bartram Trail, Sr.
Sebastian Guio, Episcopal, Sr.
Michael Gumino, Bolles, Sr.
Chase Kendall, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Spencer Kinsey, Bolles, Sr.
Eli Little, Stanton, Sr.
Kohen Pitochelli, Beachside, Sr.
Matthew Ritchie, Tocoi Creek, Sr.
Liam Roberts, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
Bennett Rotramel, Fletcher, Fr.
Charlie Russell, Bolles, So.
Drew Watson, Stanton, Sr.
Grady Wilkins, Wolfson, Sr.
Aaron Yang, Ponte Vedra, Jr.