Florida’s high school swimming post-season continues, with the state’s smaller schools in classes 1A and 2A holding region meets over the weekend. Region are the last major meet before the state championships.
Here’s a rapid-fire look at what happened in class 2A:
Bindi, Dressel trade blows in Region 1
Region 1 was a highlight-reel tradeoff between Gulf Breeze senior Tori Bindi and Clay High School senior Sherridon Dressel.
Bindi won the 50 free and 100 free, both in All-America consideration times of 23.52 and 51.18, respectively. Meanwhile Dressel went 55.67 in the 100 fly and 55.84 in the 100 back, winning both in consideration times of her own.
In the team points race, Arnold High out of Panama City Beach won two of the first three events to ultimately win the meet. The 200 medley relay won in 1:51.13, and senior Kalanne Krause came off the anchor leg to win the 200 IM in 2:12.21.
For the boys, Mosley High won the meet in a tight battle with Arnold, with Mosley not winning a single event, but finishing high in almost every race. Junior Shane Williams was second in the 50 free and 100 free to help power that title.
Tatro Brothers Lead Titusville in Region 2
The girls of Eastside High went on a run through the middle of the meet order to win Region 2. That started with a 1-meter diving win from junior Naomi Peng.
Just a few races later, junior Grace Sanchez and sophomore Ava Joy Cockey won back-to-back events. Sanchez went 53.72 for the 100 free win, and Cockey was 5:24.80 to pace the 500 free.
On the boys side, Titusville won while getting three combined wins from brothers Tyler and Evan Tatro. Tyler won the 200 free in 1:45.50, coming off of the 200 medley relay one event earlier. Evan won the next event, going 1:58.85 in the 200 IM. The two combined for a 200 medley relay win to open the meet, with the team going 1:41.05.
Kirkpatrick Sisters Power Holy Names Win in Region 3
Tampa’s Academy of the Holy Names won the girls title, powered by a relay sweep and wins from Olivia and Bella Kirkpatrick.
Olivia, a senior, won the 50 free (24.51) and Bella, a sophomore, the 100 fly (58.31). Holy Names also got a 100 free win from Lara Lontoc, a junior, to take the team trophy.
Tarpon Springs junior Mackenzie Stumph won two races in All-American consideration times, taking the 200 IM (2:02.56) and 100 breast (1:04.30). Land O’Lakes freshman Taylor Ward was also exciting, winning the 200 free in 1:51.94 and the 500 free in 4:56.72, the latter being a consideration time.
On the boys side, Jesuit High School of Tampa swept all three relays for the team title. Senior Byrne Litschgi won a pair of individual events, going 1:56.26 in the 200 IM and 51.97 in the 100 back. Jesuit also got wins from Diego Perez (1-meter diving) and Tommy Shaffer (100 free).
Gulliver Prep, American Heritage Defending State Titles in Region 4
The girls of Gulliver Prep and the boys of American Heritage each won titles in region 4 as they look to defend their overall 2A state titles from 2014.
The Gulliver Prep girls rolled to a blowout win, sweeping all three relays and getting individual doubles from a trio of athletes. Kelly Fertel had a pair of All-America cuts: she won the 200 IM in 2:01.37, an automatic cut, and took the 100 breast in a consideration time of 1:03.50. Doing the same was Niki Urquidi, who, like Fertel, is a senior. Urquidi won the 200 free in 1:49.40 (a consideration time) and the 500 free in 4:47.73 (an automatic All-America time).
Freshman Emily Cordovi represented the underclassmen, winning the 100 fly in a 55.49 and the 100 back in 58.83. The fly time is a consideration cut.
The American Heritage boys had a much tougher go of it, beating Gulliver Prep by just 15.5. American Heritage swept all three relays, with sprinter Julien Pinon coming up with the biggest splits. He anchored the 200 free relay in 21.05 and the 400 free relay in 45.71.
Gulliver Prep’s Miguel Cancel hit a pair of All-America consideration times, going 1:39.73 in the 200 free and 4:33.31 in the 500 free. Pinon was second in that 200 free with a consideration time of his own at 1:39.97.
Full results available here: