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SWIMMING: Freshman Crashes Senior Night

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By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: October 9, 2008

LAND O' LAKES -- It was Senior Night at the Land O' Lakes Recreation Center on Wednesday. But it was a freshman that stole the spotlight.

Alex Pierovich, swimming the 500 freestyle for the first time for Land O' Lakes girls, broke an 8-year school record in the event to lead the undefeated Gators to a double-dual sweep of Wesley Chapel (70-29) and Pasco (69-33). Pasco downed Wesley Chapel 53-41 in the other girls meet.

Pierovich covered the 20 lengths of the pool in 5:27.69, nearly 9 seconds faster than Heather Anderson's time of 5:36.22 turned in during the 2000 Class 2A state prelims in Orlando.

"I was a little nervous because I had never done [that event] before," said Pierovich, whose time also is the fastest in the county this season. "I just thought to myself that it's the 500 – 20 laps – and I have to just take it a little easier and to just relax."

Because it was Senior Night, Pierovich's swim in the 500 was her only individual event. She did finish first in her two relays (backstroke in the 200 medley relay and anchor in the 400 free relay).

"It was the first time she's swam that event but I don't think it's an event she will swim much of in the future," said Land O' Lakes coach Robin Hilgenberg. "We move our swimmers around during the season. No one swimmer claims any one event. We keep changing it around to find out what their strengths are."

Pierovich doesn't seem to have any weaknesses. She currently has the fastest times in the county in four individual events (200 IM, 100 free, 500 free and 100 back) and is a member of the fastest 400 free relay.

Teams are still in "team mode" when they reach the Sunshine Athletic Conference meet (Oct. 25 at New Port Richey Aquatic Center) so Hilgenberg still has some decisions to make.

"We're still looking at the team philosophy [at conference]," Hilgenberg said. "We were interested to see what Alex would do in the 500 free. She's also an excellent 50 freestyler and 100 freestyler and [butter]flyer and breaststroker. We really haven't found anything she can't do."

Pierovich will probably compete in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke at conference, along with two relays.

"As we start districts, we'll start looking at her times and those of other teams," Hilgenberg said. "We want to put her in a position to go as far as she can individually."

In the boys meets, Land O' Lakes swept Wesley Chapel (85-12) and Pasco (77-26) to remain undefeated. Pasco beat Wesley Chapel 65-32 in the other meet.

Senior Night is one of the more fun nights for Gators coach Barb Hayes – and one of the saddest. Hayes traditionally swims the seniors in the individual events and, whenever possible, pits the seniors against underclassmen in the relays.

"It's bittersweet," said Hayes, having trouble keeping her emotions in check after the meet. "You realize they are moving on and that's sad."
The relays provided some of the closest completion of the night. In the 200 freestyle relay, the team of Curt Hilgenberg, Dan Gray, David Clark and Derrick Mysels out-touched the team of Kody Kuhl, Igor Passioura, Andrew Busot and Eric Singer by .17. The seniors dominated the underclassmen in the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay.

"It really showed how this team is put together," Hayes said. "Pasco has some great relays and they didn't hold back. They got us in the medley relay but we came back strong in the free relays."

That 200 medley relay was the only event the Gators' boys lost. Seniors Mysels (200 free, 100 fly), Hilgenberg (50 free, 100 back) and Singer (200 IM, 100 free) all won two individual events while Hilgenberg and Mysels also were on two winning relays.

BOYS

LAND O' LAKES 85, WESLEY CHAPEL 12
200 medley relay – Land O' Lakes (Lawson, D. Gray, Passioura, Kuhl) 2:02.66; 200 freestyle – Mysels (L) 2:00.37; 200 IM – Singer (L) 2:16.03; 50 freestyle – Hilgenberg (L) 24.71; Diving – Kuhl (L) 208.80; 100 butterfly – Mysels (L) 1:02.65; 100 freestyle – Singer (L) 52.71; 500 freestyle – Lawson (L) 5:30.92; 200 free relay – Land O' Lakes (Hilgenberg, D. Gray, Clark, Mysels) 1:40.52; 100 backstroke – Hilgenberg (L) 1:03.07; 100 breaststroke – Passioura (L) 1:13.34; 400 free relay – Land O' Lakes (Mysels, Lawson, Hilgenberg, Singer) 3:41.29. Records – L 6-0, WC 0-6.

LAND O' LAKES 77, PASCO 26
200 medley relay – Pasco (Starnes, Dombrowski, Jordan, Inversso) 2:02.51; 200 freestyle – Mysels (L) 2:00.37; 200 IM – Singer (L) 2:16.03; 50 freestyle – Hilgenberg (L) 24.71; Diving – Kuhl (L) 208.80; 100 butterfly – Mysels (L) 1:02.65; 100 freestyle – Singer (L) 52.71; 500 freestyle – Lawson (L) 5:30.92; 200 free relay – Land O' Lakes (Hilgenberg, D. Gray, Clark, Mysels) 1:40.52; 100 backstroke – Hilgenberg (L) 1:03.07; 100 breaststroke – Passioura (L) 1:13.34; 400 free relay – Land O' Lakes (Mysels, Lawson, Hilgenberg, Singer) 3:41.29. Records – L 7-0, P 4-2-1.

PASCO 65, WESLEY CHAPEL 32
200 medley relay – Pasco (Starnes, Dombrowski, Jordan, Inversso) 2:02.51; 200 freestyle – Yingling (P) 2:30.78; 200 IM – Cruz (P) 2:45.75; 50 freestyle – Exavier (W) 29.40; Diving – Cicanese (P) 200.85; 100 butterfly – Starnes (P) 1:04.34; 100 freestyle – Hermann (P) 59.61; 500 freestyle – Jordan (P) 5:47.38; 200 free relay – Pasco (Starnes, Jordan, Inversso, Cicanese) 1:44.94; 100 backstroke – Cruz (P) 1:13.72; 100 breaststroke – Dombrowski (P) 1:20.23; 400 free relay – Pasco (Starnes, Jordan, Inversso, Hermann) 3:57.00. Records –P 5-2-1, W 0-7.

GIRLS

LAND O' LAKES 70, WESLEY CHAPEL 29
200 medley relay – Land O' Lakes (Pierovich, Healey, Whitaker, Ritchie) 2:15.25; 200 freestyle – Nelson (L) 2:19.22; 200 IM – Long (L) 2:52.50; 50 freestyle – Ritchie (L) 30.19; Diving – Lynch (L)158.45; 100 butterfly – Sopapong (W) 1:09.74; 100 freestyle – Nelson (L) 1:03.74; 500 freestyle – Pierovich (L) 5:27,69; 200 free relay – Wesley Chapel (Bickham, Sopapong, Brown, Saltzberger) 2:04.13; 100 backstroke – McCarthy (L) 1:14.08; 100 breaststroke – Sopapong (W) 1:21.34; 400 free relay – Land O' Lakes (McCullough, Whitaker, Oliver, Pierovich) 4:23.05. Records – L 6-0, W 0-6.

LAND O' LAKES 69, PASCO 33
200 medley relay – Land O' Lakes (Pierovich, Healey, Whitaker, Ritchie) 2:15.25; 200 freestyle – Nelson (L) 2:19.22; 200 IM – Long (L) 2:52.50; 50 freestyle – Ritchie (L) 30.19; Diving – Davis (P)169.65; 100 butterfly – Ritchie (L) 1:17.21; 100 freestyle – Nelson (L) 1:03.74; 500 freestyle – Pierovich (L) 5:27,69; 200 free relay – Land O' Lakes (Nelson, Healey, Ritchie, Whitaker) 2:04.81; 100 backstroke – McCarthy (L) 1:14.08; 100 breaststroke – Dombrowski (P) 1:23.74; 400 free relay – Land O' Lakes (McCullough, Whitaker, Oliver, Pierovich) 4:23.05. Records – L 7-0, P 3-4.

PASCO 53, WESLEY CHAPEL 41
200 medley relay – Wesley Chapel (Brown, Sopapong, Jones, Satzberger) 2:21.32; 200 freestyle – Brown (W) 2:33.04; 200 IM – G. Gray (P) 3:03.21; 50 freestyle – Satzberger (W) 30.70; Diving – Davis (P)169.65; 100 butterfly – Sopapong (W) 1:09.74; 100 freestyle – Thompson (W) 1:03.74; 500 freestyle – Dombrowski (L) 6:22,07; 200 free relay – Wesley Chapel (Bickham, Sopapong, Brown, Saltzberger) 2:04.13; 100 backstroke – Brown (L) 1:21.64; 100 breaststroke – Sopopong (W) 1:21.34; 400 free relay – Pasco (Cruz, Christmas, McCabe, Ritter) 5:18.87. Records – P 4-4, W 0-7.

Correspondent Rick Harmon can be reached at tampabaystringer@gmail.com

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