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Gators Boys Tie For Second

By MATTHEW POSTINS, Tribune correspondent

Published: October 27, 2007

FORT PIERCE - As the torrential rains finally tapered off Friday night, Land O'Lakes boys swimming coach Barbara Hayes found her team much closer to a regional championship than she anticipated.

Land O'Lakes did not win an event, but it swam well enough to claim a second-place tie in the Class 2A-Region 2 championships at Indian River Community College.

The Gators finished with 204 points, tied with Satellite. Both finished behind Harmony, which won with 236 points.

Hayes expected Harmony to be formidable, but she didn't expect her Gators to be in contention all night.

'I knew Harmony was the new kid on the block and that they would be hard to beat,' Hayes said. 'Did I know we were going to be this close? No.'

An individual or relay victory might have helped the Gators' cause, but their highest finish among the 21 swimmers they carried to regionals was a third-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay. Curt Hilgenberg, Derrick Mysels, Stephen Scheid and Sean Lawson finished in 1:47.97.

Was that good enough to get that relay to the state meet in Orlando next week? Hayes and the Gators will find out Sunday, when the FHSAA puts together the at-large bids. Only the champion in each event Friday earned a spot in Orlando.

'I knew we were on the bubble in just about every event we were swimming,' Hayes said. 'My hope was that we would carry all three of our relays to state, and that's still in play.'

The only Pasco County swimmer guaranteed a spot in the state meet next week is Sunlake backstroker Brad Morrison, who won the 100 backstroke in 55.34.

Morrison has a good chance to qualify in the 200 freestyle, where he finished second with a 1:48.14.

Gulf's Michael Centanni will have to sweat it out as well, as he came in second in the 50 free with a 23.07.

Other area swimmers waiting for Sunday include Zephyrhills' Lindsay Gorgen, who was fourth in the girls 100 backstroke with a 1:05.08; River Ridge boys diver Jonathan Dedea, who was fourth with a 359.20; and Land O'Lakes' 200 free relay team, which was fourth with a 1:37.25.

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