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Hurricanes Take State Team Title

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By KATHERINE SMITH

ksmith@tampatrib.com

Published: November 14, 2008

ORLANDO - Palm Harbor University's boys swim team eked out an overall title in Thursday's Class 3A Swimming and Diving Championships with a one-point victory over Miami Palmetto.

Paced by a state title (200 free) and silver medal (500 free) from Weston Stearns, Palm Harbor University took over the top spot in the final event with a second-place finish in the 400 free relay.

With help from Conor Swanson and Gregg Cooke, the Sickles boys team finished fifth overall, tying the best finish in school history.

Swanson won two individual state titles, while Cooke, the defending 3A 50 freestyle champion, got a silver medal in that event and finished sixth in the 100 free. Both swimmers helped Sickles finish second in the 200 free relay and third in the 400 free relay.

In the final event of the night, the 400 free relay, Sickles was in sixth place heading into the final two legs by Swanson and Cooke, who quickly made up a lot of time to pull to third.

On the girl's side, Countryside, with the help of Melanie Margalis, finished third overall. Margalis added to her medal haul with a first place in the 200 individual medley and a silver in the 100 breaststroke. She also won a gold medal last year. PHU's Katherine Coleman won the 100 butterfly with an automatic All-America time of 54.85.

Nicholas Wing-Holt of Bloomingdale and Gaither's Kamryn McNamara medaled in the 1-meter diving competition. Both finished eighth.

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