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Sunlake Is Encouraged After Giving LOL A Battle

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By RICK HARMON Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 24, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Despite the loss to Land O' Lakes last week, Sunlake girls coach Heather Geisler still had a smile on her face.

The Seahawks, only in their second season, took the traditional Pasco County power Gators to the final event in the girls meet at the Land O' Lakes Recreation Center before dropping a 98-88 decision.

"I knew it was going to be close," Geisler said after the meet. "It didn't surprise me."

Sunlake got first-place finishes from Savannah Mattox (200 freestyle, 100 butterfly), Nikki Walters (50 freestyle), Beth Tillman (diving) and Hilary Jones (500 freestyle) to keep the meet close, but Land O' Lakes won the final four events to pull away.

When the season started, Sunlake had 19 swimmers - boys and girls. Now, thanks to Geisler and boys coach Glenna Chamberlain, the number has swelled to 34.

"It's nice to have Heather teaching at the school," Seahawks athletic director Matt McDermott said. "She's able to pull potential swimmers out of the halls."

Geisler and Chamberlain probably wanted to do well in this meet more than any other. Geisler was a swimmer for the Gators from 1999 to 2002, and Chamberlain is a former Gators coach.

"I know that tradition. We were undefeated every year I was at Land O' Lakes.," Geisler said. "And I know how important it is to them as a school. It's just great we were even close in just our second year. I remember when Wesley Chapel was in their second year, and they had no chance to win anything then. I'm just so glad we're able to be so competitive in our second year."

MAKING A MARK: Sunlake didn't fare as well in the boys meet against Land O' Lakes, losing 133-50. But Brad Morrison continues to record fast times for the Seahawks. Morrison advanced to state last year in the 200 freestyle (finished eighth) and the 100 backstroke (finished third).

This season, Morrison leads the county with the fastest times in five events - 200 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly, 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke.

SCHOOL RECORD: Gavin Hunt set the Mitchell school record in the 50 freestyle with a 24.04, improving his personal best by just under one second. Eighty percent of Mitchell's boys team posted season-best times in their individual events against Hudson. Gavin Rynard, Andrew Wert, Tim Green and Hunt posted season-best times in both of their individual events.

A little over half of the female swimmers on the Mitchell team posted season-best times in their individual events against Hudson. Jillian Green, Jamie Connell, and Monet Montgomery swept the 100 breaststroke. Paige Hammer, Katryn Macko, and Alicia Hansen posted season-best times in both of their individuals events.

TONIGHT'S MEETS: Pasco, Ridgewood and Gulf will get together at the New Port Richey Aquatic Center; Hudson meets Land O' Lakes at the Land O' Lakes Recreation Center; Sunlake is at Wesley Chapel (East Pasco YMCA); Mitchell and Wiregrass Ranch are at River Ridge (Veterans Memorial Park) and Brooksville Central is at Zephyrhills (Hercules Aquatic Center).

On Monday, two of the top girls teams face off as Land O' Lakes meets Wiregrass Ranch at the Land O' Lakes Recreation Center.

Keyword: Prep Sports, for this week's honor roll and a report from Wednesday's Pasco and Ridgewood at Gulf meet. Coaches wishing to contribute to the weekly notebook should email information to Rick Harmon at tampabaystringer@gmail.com

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