swimmers-seek-state-trip
SWIMMING
On Friday, what’s left of Hernando County’s swim teams will travel to the Central Florida YMCA Aquatic Center hoping to schedule a return trip to that venue exactly one week later.
This week that pool will host the Class 2A, Region II Meet, which will see the remaining swimmers from Central, Hernando, Nature Coast and Springstead compete for a state berth.
On Nov. 12, the Central Florida YMCA Aquatic Center will be the site of the 2A FHSAA Finals. Swimmers from across four regions will fill a total of 24 spots in individual events and 16 in each relay.
Only district champions in each event earn automatic berths. The 2A-II Meet will begin with prelims at 9 a.m. The top eight in each race move on to the championship finals and the next eight to consolation finals set to start at 5 p.m.
Nine Hernando County swimmers will participate in individual events, including three from Central, three from Springstead, two from Nature Coast and one from Hernando.
For the Bears, seniors Derek Buel and Emily Withington are four-time regional qualifiers who will each take part in two races. Buel will go in the 200-free and 500-free; Withington in the 200-IM and 100-fly.
Also for Central, senior Shelby Brown is another returning regional qualifier who will swim in the 100-back.
“My expectations are for them to go out to regionals to achieve their best times and have a good time and represent their school,” Central Head Coach Julie Withington said.
Springstead freshman Monica Surrena figures to have the best shot of making states, considering she is the only Hernando County swimmer seeded in the top eight, in both the 200-free (fifth, 2:04.65) and 500-free (eighth, 5:35.33).
Junior Luke May has made regionals for the first time, in the 100-fly and 500-free, as has fellow Eagle junior Taylor Clary in the 100-free.
Additionally, Springstead is the only Hernando County team to send a relay to regionals, in the girls 400-free relay (Elizabeth Calleri, Rebecca Glidden, Morgan Szymanski and Surrena) and the boys 400-free relay (Clary, Jimmy Diven, Charles Watson and May).
Nature Coast will be represented by Mycah Dalgarn (50-free) and a now two-time regional qualifier in junior Evan Monahan (100-breast).
Hernando’s lone qualifier is freshman Paisley Whitaker in the 100-back.
“I think it’ll be a great experience for her,” Hernando Head Coach Rebecca Smith said. “She’s only in ninth grade. She’s working hard. We’re just working on perfecting it, especially her kick, and I think she’ll do really well.”
AT A GLANCE
WHAT: Class 2A, Region II Meet
WHO: Swimmers from Central, Hernando, Nature Coast and Springstead.
WHEN: Nov. 5. Prelims at 9 a.m.; finals at 5 p.m.
WHERE: Central Florida YMCA Aquatic Center.
FORMAT: Top eight out of prelims advance to championship finals; next eight advance to consolation finals.
AT STAKE: A total of 24 spots in individual events and 16 in relays from across four regions in the Nov. 12 2A FHSAA Finals at the Central Florida YMCA Aquatics Complex. Only district champions in each event earn automatic bids.
