Prep Swimming: Winter Haven Boys Place 4th, Lakeland 5th at Region Meet
Sun. November 06, 2011 at 3:32 a.m. | By Polk Preps Staff
BY LISA COFFEY
THE LEDGER
ST. PETERSBURG | The Winter Haven and Lakeland swimmers swam like they had flippers on Saturday in the Class 2A, Region 3 swim meet at the North Short Aquatic Complex.
The Winter Haven boys placed fourth out of 25 teams, winning a relay and two individual events.
The Lakeland boys won a relay and placed fifth. Haines City placed 18th and Auburndale, with one swimmer, took 24th.
The Winter Haven girls placed 11th out of 24 teams with Lakeland in 15th, Lake Region in 19th and Haines City in 23rd.
The up-and-coming Hornets set three school records as teams battled for state tournament berths.
The individual event and relay winners earned automatic berths into Saturday's state meet at the Central Florida YMCA Aquatic Center in Orlando.
The next best 12 times in the relays from the regions around the state and the next best 20 individual times also advance.
Those who advance to state will be announced today.
The Winter Haven boys captured the 200 medley relay in 1:40.46, taking two seconds off their morning preliminary swim.
Blue Devils David Lambert and I.V. Simons each won an event.
Lambert claimed the 50 freestyle in 21.48. The senior was second in the 100 freestyle in 47.51.
Simons, a sophomore, won the 100 breaststroke in a personal best time of 1:02.30. He also took third in the 200 I.M.
Winter Haven's sixth-place 400 freestyle relay was a personal record for the team at 3:28.
In addition, Blue Devil freshman Jordan Kendall swam seven personal best times Saturday.
Lakeland won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:32.43 with freshman Evan Budd, Alex Sparbel, Alejandro Contreras and freshman Zach Hart. The team came back from fifth after the first leg and three of the four swimmers swam personal best legs.
Sparbel placed third in the 100 butterfly and fourth in the 100 backstroke.
The Haines City Hornets sent two swimmers to the regional meet last year.
This year they sent 10 swimmers.
The Haines City girls set the record in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 4:36.68, four seconds better than their previous best.
The Hornets also set a school record in the boys' 400 freestyle with 3:53.77.
Evan Lawhorn broke the 100 backstroke record with a time of 1:05.40.
Tenoroc's Briana Torres turned in a personal best in the 100 back where she placed sixth.
Auburndale's Ian Stewart came close to a personal best time in the 200 yard freestyle where he took ninth.
All Saints Boys Take Fourth
The All Saints boys broke three school records on the way to a fourth-place finish in the Class A, Region 2 meet Saturday at Orlando Lake Highland Prep.
It marked their best finish in the school's history.
Aaron Henricks broke the record in the 100 freestyle with a personal-best 50.94 for seventh. He also placed fifth in the 50 freestyle.
Haley Oberhofer's personal-best time of 28.50 in the 50 freestyle was a school record.
The 400 freestyle relay team with Henricks, David Wong, Max Hewett and Tavis Methot posted a school-record time of 3:29.96, taking fifth.
David Wong is in contention to qualify for state with a fifth-place finishes in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly.
Eighth grader Nick Wegman placed sixth in the 100 backstroke, where he was seeded ninth.
The All Saints boys' 400 freestyle relay cut four seconds off its best and stands a chance of qualifying with a time of 3:30.14, taking fifth.
The All Saints girls' 200 medley relay team placed 12th.
Oasis Christian placed ninth out of 24 teams with just five swimmers.
Oasis took ninth in the girls' 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay.
Bekah Howard placed second in the 100 breast and fifth in the 200 IM.
Her sister Hannah placed eighth in the 50 freestyle and 11th in the 100 breast stroke.
Laurel Moore turned in a personal best in the 200 freestyle, taking 16th. She placed 12th in the 500 freestyle.
Santa Fe's Rachel Ringley placed 11th in the 200 freestyle.
Frostproof freshman diver Robbie Costine placed seventh with a score of 366.5.
Freshman Ian Ormsby was 11th in the 500 freestyle and 13th in the 200 IM.
Lakeland Christian's Mitch Devore took fifth in diving.
The Lakeland Christian girls placed 11th in the 200 freestyle relay and 14th in the 400 freestyle relay.
Viking Chloe Wineinger won the 200 IM consolation in a personal best 2:26.17.
