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Swimming: Mustangs 2nd at region

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By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 6, 2009

GAINESVILLE - There's a new sheriff in town.

For years, Land O' Lakes boys swimming has dominated Pasco County. The Gators were the defending region champions.

But not any more.

Mitchell, six boys strong, had four first-place finishes and finished as runner-up to Lecanto at the Class 2A-Region 2 swimming championships at the O'Connell Center on the University of Florida campus. Devin McCaffrey led the way with two individual titles (100 butterfly and 100 breast). He also was a member of two winning relays - 200 medley and 200 free.

It won't be known until Sunday when the at-large qualifiers are announced if the goal of sending six people to state will be reached.

Lecanto won the boys meet with 193.5 points to Mitchell's 185. Gainesville was third with 176 and Land O' Lakes fourth with 173.

Mitchell scored 150 of its points in four events - the 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay, 100 breast and 100 fly. The Mustangs had three swimmers (McCaffrey, Ian Ondrejka and Andrew Wert) in the championship heat of the 100 breast and scored 50 points.

Gulf's Hunter Swartsel (100 free) was the only other local champ.

On the girls side, Land O' Lakes finished seventh for the highest local team. The Gators' Alex Pierovich (200 individual medley), Mitchell's Mazie Siddens (100 fly), Zephyrhills' Lindsay Gorgen (100 backstroke), Wiregrass Ranch's Rebecca Pindral (100 breast) and the Zephyrhills 200 freestyle relay all finished third and should advance to Thursday's state meet in Orlando.

CLASS 2A-REGION 3: Jesuit diver Patrick Beane qualified for the FHSAA state swimming and diving championships with a second-place finish at the Long Center in Clearwater. Beane's point total (303.90) was less than 10 points from winner Blake Phillips of Lake Region.

The top two divers in each region advance to state, plus the next 16 top scores.Sickles girls divers Alex Valder and Bre Davis will have to see how the other regions perform before finding out if they made state. Valder was third with a 379.80, with Davis fourth at 379.45.

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