TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Region swim meet a mystery

ADVERTISEMENT

By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: October 31, 2009

LAND O' LAKES - Last year at the Class 2A-Region 3 swim meet at Indian River State College, Land O' Lakes boys coach Barb Hayes was stunned when the final scores were announced and the Gators had won the school's first team region championship.

Going into that meet, Hayes had thought Land O' Lakes would place third, according to the seed times from district. But she was wrong.

So this year, Hayes isn't sure what to expect. There will be Gators consuming 16 lanes in individual events Thursday in the 2A-Region 2 meet at the University of Florida's O'Connell Center Natatorium. There's also a good chance all three relays will advance from Tuesday's district meet.

The Gators finished third in the 200 medley relay and second in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. Only the winner is guaranteed a spot at region, and the next 13 fastest relays from the three districts will advance as at-large entries. That information will not be available until Sunday, after all district meets have been completed.

Not automatically advancing relays is something Land O' Lakes isn't used to, although Hayes likes the fact that other programs are testing the Gators.

"The great thing for the sport of swimming is the boys are not quite as dominant," Hayes said. "Other teams are moving up on us, which I think is a good thing for the sport. I immediately called Lecanto and congratulated (the coach). We like that high-spirited competition."

For most, the district meet is the last time for complete team competition as the number of swimmers advancing decline - but not Land O' Lakes. Their goal is still to win as a team.

For the first time since 2006, the Gators' girls team also heads to regionals as district champion. Led by double district winner Alex Pierovich, Land O' Lakes has seven swimmers advancing in two events, and all three relays also should advance.

The 200 freestyle relay of Karley Nelson, Andrea Mapugay, Savanna Oliver and Kelsey McCullough was the top seed heading into the district finals, but Nelson slipped off a wet starting block and they tried to stop the race. Unfortunately, the race couldn't be stopped before all swimmers had finished their 50 yards.

"Our 200 free relay really wants the school record," girls coach Robin Hilgenberg said. "I think they're really more concerned about getting the record than where they place. Our goal at the beginning of the season was to take an individual as well as some relays to state."

REGION SWIMMING

CLASS 2A-REGION 2

WHEN: Thursday (swim prelims 9 a.m.; diving 9:30 a.m.; swim finals 5:30 p.m.); WHERE: University of Florida O'Connell Center Natatorium, Gainesville

QUALIFIERS: (at-large relays and diving announced Sunday); GIRLS: HUDSON: Tianna Perry (50 free, 100 fly), Joanie Heise (500 free); GULF: Kelsey Magolan (200 IM, 100 back); LAND O' LAKES: Kelsey McCullough (200 free, 100 fly), Kirstin Dawson (200 free, 500 free), Savanna Oliver (200 free, 100 free), Alex Pierovich (200 IM, 100 breast), Andrea Mapugay (200 IM, 100 fly), Karley Nelson (50 free, 100 back), Lexie Haqq (50 free), Katie McCarthy (100 free, 100 back), Haley Long (100 breast), Meredith Diamond (diving); MITCHELL: Mazie Siddens (200 IM, 100 fly), Paige Hammer (50 free), Jillian Green (100 breast); RIVER RIDGE: Hannah Fregger (100 breast); RIDGEWOOD: none; SUNLAKE: Kaylin Sylvester (200 free, 100 back), Nicole Harder (200 IM, 500 free), Megan Huynh (50 free, 100 free), Savannah Mattox (100 fly), Hillary Jones (500 free), Julia Villicana (100 back); WESLEY CHAPEL: Pakakul Sopapong (200 free, 500 free); WIREGRASS RANCH: Fern Powell (200 free, 100 fly), Rebecca Pindral (200 IM, 100 breast), Chelsea Hernandez (50 free), Makayla Stickland (100 back), Beth Tillman (diving); ZEPHYRHILLS: Lettie Clark (200 free, 500 free, 200 FR), Lindsay Gorgen (100 free, 200 FR, 100 back), India Anderton (200 FR), April Durrett (200 FR). BOYS: HUDSON: Jon Liggieri (50 free, 100 free), Dominic Grilli (50 free), Shane Jones (50 free), Robert Struble (100 back); GULF: Brad Bachand (200 free, 500 free), Tyler Waide (200 IM, 500 free), Luis Pimentel (100 fly), Hunter Swartsel (100 free, 100 back); LAND O' LAKES: Dom Dolente (200 free, 100 free), Siddhesh Muley (200 free, 100 fly), Arthur Mapugay (200 IM, 100 breast), Patrick Gray (200 IM, 100 back), Austen Johannessen (200 IM, 100 back), Robert Jones (50 free, 100 fly), Andrew Busot (50 free), David Clark (100 free, 100 back), Grant Pawlak (500 free); MITCHELL: Alex Wegener (200 MR, 100 fly, 200 FR, 100 back), Ian Ondrejka (200 MR, 200 IM, 200 FR, 100 breast), Devin McCaffrey (200 MR, 100 fly, 200 FR, 100 breast), Gavin Hunt (200 MR, 50 free, 100 free, 200 FR), David Tomczyk (200 free, 500 free), Andrew Wert (100 breast); RIVER RIDGE: Shane Christian (200 free); RIDGEWOOD: Joe Geschke (200 free, 500 free); SUNLAKE: Austin Van Vliet (200 free), Kyle Shaffer (200 IM, 100 free), Nicholas Keach (100 free), Devin Anderson (500 free), Austin Wachsman (diving); WESLEY CHAPEL: Kevin Koth (50 free); WIREGRASS RANCH: Zac Serota (200 free, 100 breast), Brandan Le Roche (50 free, 100 back), Alex Kovalenko (100 fly); ZEPHYRHILLS: Ken Betancourt-Reyes (diving).

CLASS 1A-REGION 1

WHEN: Friday (swim prelims 9 a.m.; diving 1 p.m.; swim finals 5 p.m.); WHERE: Morcom Aquatic Center, Tallahassee

QUALIFIERS: (at-large relays and diving announced Sunday); GIRLS: BISHOP MCLAUGHLIN: Camille Baumrucker (50 free, 100 breast), Jemma Cropanese (100 fly, 100 free), Yvonne Baumrucker (100 breast); PASCO: Bobo Bobo (200 IM), Norah Taylor (200 IM, 100 back), Kara Inversso (100 fly); BOYS: BISHOP MCLAUGHLIN: None; PASCO: Jake Denney (200 IM, 100 breast), Peter Mercadante (50 free, 100 free), Daniel Burt (100 fly), Tim Dombrowski (500 free, 100 breast).

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT