Prep Swimming and Diving: Voisard Captures Title In 2A-Region 3 Diving

FROM LEDGER MEDIA GROUP REPORTS

 

ST. PETERSBURG | James Voisard fought off the wind and some early competition from Harmony's Larry McVicker to capture the Class 2A, Region 3 diving championship at North Shore Aquatic Complex on Friday.

 

The Winter Haven sophomore will be making his second appearance at the 2A state meet after racking up 471.25 points in the 11-dive meet. Voisard finished fifth in the state last year.

 

"There was a lot of wind blowing, and they had to stop on the boards a few times. It was disrupting," Winter Haven head coach Danny Wallace said. "But James was solid all day."

 

The regional champion and runner-up receive automatic state berths. There will be 16 at-large berths granted after all four regions report. McVicker (405.15) was second for the boys.

 

The Blue Devils' Alex Branstrator (300.05) finished fifth and Morgan Osborn (290.95) was seventh.

 

Lake Region senior Lynee Orloff (321.20) finished seventh for the girls and teammate Katrina Ritchey (292.95) was 12th. Winter Haven's Hannah Bassett (299.35) was 10th.

 

The Class 2A state swimming and diving finals will be held Saturday at the Central Florida YMCA Aquatic Center in Orlando.

 

<b>George Jenkins' Carson On the Bubble</b>

 

CLEARWATER | Alex Carson swam 56.22 in the 100 backstroke to finish seventh Friday in the Class 3A, Region 2 swim meet at The Long Center.

 

Now he's in a holding pattern to see if his time will be good enough to earn him an at-large bid for the 3A state meet on Wednesday.

 

George Jenkins coach Jenn Gosline should know Sunday if Carson and diver Zak Kerst, who finished eighth Thursday, qualified for state after their times/scores were compared with competitors from the other regions.

 

In other events, both the Jenkins boys and girls individual medley relay teams finished 11th.

 

Corey Brown finished 13th in the boys 50 free in 23.57 seconds.

 

In the girls 50 free, Kyleigh Firman (25.87) and Meghan Mack (26.06) finished 15th and 16th respectively.

 

Firman swam 1:01.22 in the 100 butterfly, and Lucy Mueller swam 1:02.40.