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Cooke, Swanson Lead Sickles

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A Tribune staff report

Published: November 1, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Sickles' Gregg Cooke and Conor Swanson each took two individual titles, but Palm Harbor University High walked away with the boys title at Friday's Class 3A-District 5 swimming meet with a total of 557.

Sickles finished fourth overall, with 360 points, to lead the Hillsborough County teams.

At his team's 360-point finish, Sickles boys coach Scott Parlett said maturity has made his team faster. "Most of them are seniors this year," he explained. "They've been there."

He pointed to Cooke, who won the 50 freestyle in last year's state meet, and took first place in Friday's boys 50 and 100 freestyles. Swanson took first in the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM.

"They were both personal bests for Conor," Parlett said. "Hopefully he'll win a state title this year in both events."

Sickles finished third in the girls meet, as Palm Harbor added that title, but Gryphons coach Fay Went said she was pleased with her team's performance, as most of her swimmers performed best times during the meet to finish with 314 points.

Went singled out Katie Cook, who won the 50 freestyle, and took second in the 100 free while setting a school record. Alex Valter also broke a school record as she took first place in the girls one meter diving.Alonso finished fourth in the girls meet, as Brittany Mathers finished second in the diving.

"I had 19 individual best times in prelims," Alonso girls coach Katrina Cook said. "They were happy with it, and I was happy with it."

Eric Sims

CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 5: Land O' Lakes won its fifth consecutive boys district swimming championship, while Lecanto won the girls title at Northdale YMCA.

"Each year, it gets a little sweeter," Land O' Lakes boys coach Barb Hayes said. "I can't think of anyone who didn't have a personal best time."

Land O' Lakes boys were led by senior Eric Singer took first in the 100 freestyle and swam a leg of the 200-freestyle relay.

Land O' Lakes freshman Alex Pierovich led the Gators girls team, winning the 200 individual medley, and being part of the first-place 200 medley relay team. Pierovich failed to advance in the 100 breaststroke, in which she was the No. 1 seed entering the meet, after being disqualified in the preliminaries.

Springstead senior Dan Barry placed first in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly.

Michael Franz

BASEBALL: Cambridge senior Trent Tagliarini has verbally committed to Quincy University, a Division II program. Tagliarini, a shortstop, hit .506 with seven doubles, five triples, four home runs, 26 RBI and 37 runs scored last season for the Lancers, who finished as the Class 1A state runners-up.

SOFTBALL: Palm Harbor University senior shortstop Maddie O'Brien committed to Florida State, while teammate and catcher/infielder Kaitlyn Santo committed to Indian River Community College.

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