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Area Swimming Teams Test Waters

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By KATHERINE SMITH

ksmith@tampatrib.com

Published: October 18, 2008

TAMPA - With its regular-season victories against Hillsborough County opponents this year, the Newsome girls swimming team is clearly the team to beat.

But don't count out Plant, Sickles and Wharton when district competition begins in two weeks. All three teams had strong showings at the 31st Florida Swimming Pool Association Invitational Swimming and Diving meet in Orlando last Saturday.

The Plant girls finished seventh overall and were the top-ranked Class 2A team in the state. Wharton finished 11th overall and Sickles was 14th. Tampa Prep was 22nd.

The Plant girls were third in the 200- and 400-freestyle relays, and three-time state champion Meg Anderson, a recent Clemson University commit, placed fifth in the 100 free. Wharton finished fifth in the 200-free relay and Sickles was ninth in the 400-free relay.

Wharton's Blair Kuethe was eighth in the 50 free and ninth in the 100 free. Sickles' Katie Cook was just behind her with a ninth-place finish in the 50 free and 10th place in 100 free. Tampa Prep's Grace Fredlake helped her team with a 10th-place finish in the 100 free.

Led by Conor Swanson's first-place finish in the 200 individual medley and second place in the 100 butterfly and Gregg Cooke's 50 freestyle third place, the Sickles boys team claimed fifth place. Other county teams participating were Wharton (13th) and East Bay (27th).

Berkeley Prep placed 30th based on divers Kyle Dent's and Sam Bobo's strong showings. Dent finished third in the one-meter event with a score of 467.50 and Bobo was 14th (356.00).

Reporter Katherine Smith can be reached at (813) 259-7860.

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