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Newsome Girls Take Region Title

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By KATHERINE SMITH

ksmith@tampatrib.com

Published: November 9, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Newsome's girls swim team reclaimed the Class 2A-Region 3 title by a slim margin over Plant on Saturday night at the North Shore Pool.

Without finishing first in a single swimming event, the Wolves showed off their depth and were able to come from behind to beat Plant, the defending Region 3 champion, 300-293. Clearwater was third with 287 points.

"It was a night of great swims," said Newsome coach Chau Clark, whose team trailed Plant heading into the final three events. "If anything, the kids wanted to come back from districts. That cold day, it was miserable to swim and they weren't happy with their times.

"They wanted to come back and swim their best, and they did."
Newsome senior Sharla Milne helped with an All-America time of 4:57.12 in the 500 freestyle, which was good for second. Milne also finished third in the 200 freestyle. Katie Kyle did her part with a second place in the 100 backstroke and fifth place in the 200 individual medley.

Plant's Meg Anderson, a three-time state champion, won the 100 freestyle and swam a leg of the winning 200 and 400 free relays, along with Hillary Hahmann, Haley Hahmann and Rebecca Werdine. Anderson was also second in the 50 free.

Newsome's Alex Wollach won the 1-meter diving competition, contributing 20 points to the Wolves' winning effort. Plant's Alex Hagan was third. Wollach hopes to improve on her fifth-place finish at last year's state meet.

Seminole (276) edged Northeast (267.50) and Newsome (264) for the boys title. Newsome's Jason Taylor helped his team to its third-place finish by winning the 200 and 500 free events. Taylor, along with Brandon Crawford, Jacob Bukaweski and Hayden Parker, also swam a leg of the second-place 200 individual medley and 400 free relay teams.

The University of Florida commitment won the 2A 100 butterfly last year and has a shot at a couple of more state titles. His 200 free time of 1:42.18 and 500 free time of 4:37.00 were good enough for All-America consideration.

"It was a fast region," Taylor said. "A lot of these people will be the top people at states. So that will be like racing them all over again."

Other double winners included Northeast's Meg Romano, who won the 200 free (1:48.44) and 100 backstroke (57.68) with All-America times. Seminole's Kaitlin Frehling also turned in All-America times with her victories in the 50 free (23.37) and 100 fly (55.68).

Seminole's Jordan Hawkins won the 50 free and the 100 backstroke.

Reporter Katherine Smith can be reached at (813) 731-8025.

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