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Hunt Is Back In The Fast Lane

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By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: October 17, 2008

TRINITY - Until he was 11 years old, Mitchell sophomore Gavin Hunt was a promising swimmer. He was a member of the New Port Richey branch of Tampa Bay Aquatics. But a shoulder injury forced him to give up swimming.

When the shoulder healed, Hunt decided to concentrate on baseball and did not return to the pool until this year. After suffering an ACL injury playing junior varsity football as a freshman, Hunt decided his football-playing days were over and decided to give swimming another try.

The results have been successful. Wednesday against Zephyrhills at Giles YMCA, Hunt established school records in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events.

"I just started doing sports over again," Hunt said. "I had to rehab my ACL for six months. I never expected to break any records this year."
Breaking records is nothing new for Hunt. As an eighth-grader at Seven Springs Middle School, he set the record for the long jump in track (18 feet, 4 inches).

"He's really worked hard in practice and has progressively dropped his times, especially in the last three weeks," said Mitchell coach Casey Lanser. "He had to work on some fundamental things like turns and starts, but as the season has progressed, he has gotten better. I saw a lot of fight out of him Wednesday that I haven't seen this season, and that helps heading into conference and district."

As a team, Mitchell ran its boys record to 6-1-1 with a 122-63 victory against Zephyrhills. Colin Callahan (200 free, 500 free), Gavin Rynard (200 IM, 100 back), Ian Ondrejka (100 fly, 100 breast) and Hunt were all double winners. All three Mitchell relays also took first place as the Mustangs won every event except diving. The Mustangs haven't lost a meet since the second week of the season.

As for the girls, Zephyrhills finished 1-2 in the 400 freestyle relay to beat Mitchell 99-87. The Bulldogs got first-place finishes from Lindsay Gorgen (50 free, 100 back), Alexi Weeks (100 free, 100 breast), Dani Guerette (diving), Tiffany Shepler (500 free) and all three relay teams.

"I think we have the deepest team on the girls side I've ever coached," Zephyrhills coach Shannon Mathews said. "And there are only two seniors in that bunch."

Mitchell winners were Paige Hammer (200 IM, 100 fly) and Jillian Green (200 free).

FINAL WEEK: Wednesday will mark the end of the regular season. Land O' Lakes will put its undefeated boys and girls seasons on the line when the Gators travel to New Port Richey Aquatic Complex to face Gulf. Other meets include Pasco at Hudson (Veterans Memorial Park); Zephyrhills at Wiregrass Ranch (New Tampa YMCA); River Ridge at Sunlake (Land O' Lakes Recreation Center) and Mitchell at Wesley Chapel (East Pasco YMCA).

CONFERENCE MEET: The Sunshine Athletic Conference meet is scheduled for Oct. 24 (diving) and Oct. 25 (swimming) at the New Port Richey Aquatic Complex. Competition begins each day at 8 a.m., and Gulf is the host school.

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