Document-setting day at district swimming

The Panther boys completed with 441 factors, precisely 100 factors higher than runner-up Zephyrhills. Crystal River was third with 314 and Citrus completed fifth with 120.

Within the ladies’ meet, Lecanto rolled up 449.5 crew factors, properly forward of runner-up Crystal River’s whole of 290. Citrus took sixth with 173 factors.

“On the finish of the day, we noticed all 11 boys advance to the regional championships in St. Pete subsequent Saturday. Mixed, they certified in 21 particular person occasions and three relays,” Lecanto coach Dave Ambrose stated. “We noticed an extra 12 ladies advance to regionals. Mixed, they certified in 21 particular person occasions and three relays.”

All three county faculties had a number of swimmers qualify for subsequent week’s regional meet.

Josh Ambrose broke a pair of faculty information for Lecanto. His profitable time of 49.22 within the 100 freestyle bested the earlier faculty file set in 2011 by Jake Tamposi. Ambrose teamed with Will Graff, Brandon Thornton and Mateo Valach to win the 200 freestyle relay in a faculty and county file time of 1:32.79. The earlier file was set in 1996.

Different champions on the day for Lecanto have been the ladies 200 medley relay crew of Laura Sanz Gobernado, Lia Richards, Jenna Van Ness and Julia Jones in 2:02.17; the boys 200 medley relay crew of Nick Schenk, Valach, Ambrose and Thornton in 1:44.08; Thornton within the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:55.95; Sanz Gobernado with a time of 5:36.28 within the 500 freestyle; the ladies 200 freestyle relay of crew of Blakely Messer, Jones, Rebecca Mathew and Sanz Gobernado in 1:47.61; Ambrose with a time of 55.81 within the 100 backstroke; Valach within the 100 breaststroke in 1:01.46; the ladies 400 freestyle relay crew of Van Ness, Richards, Messer and Mathew in 4:00.32; and the boys 400 freestyle relay crew of Jason Columbus, Kaleb Bergeron, Schenk and Graff in 3:48.20.

Crystal River sophomore Morgan Gibson additionally had a giant day, with new faculty information within the 100 breaststroke and 200 freestyle. She gained the 200 freestyle in 1:57.65 and her clocking of 1:09.68 within the 100 breaststroke broke the file set in 1997 by Natalie Rockefeller.

Pirate freshman Cruz Helmstetter additionally gained a pair of district crowns with instances of two:12.66 within the 200 particular person medley and 5:06.63 within the 500 freestyle.

Crystal River’s Scott Knight gained the district diving title earlier within the week at Bicentennial Park with a rating of 350.20.

“Coach Beth Penn and I are extraordinarily pleased with all our swimmers. They actually swam laborious and confirmed nice enchancment for the reason that starting of the yr,” Crystal River coach Michelle Dickemann stated. “Morgan Gibson and Cruz Helmstetter led their respective groups with phenomenal swims, and Scott Knight, our boys district diving champion, whereas Justin Rieck and Madison Rose rose excessive within the rankings to help within the crew standings. Total, second-place end for the ladies crew and a third-place end for the boys crew is excellent for our sturdy district.”

Citrus’ high finishers have been Baylie Wells, second within the 50 freestyle in 26.48, and Matt Dobsen, second within the 100 butterfly in 1:06.62.

In all, Lecanto took up 48 spots on the upcoming regional meet, Crystal River has 30 and Citrus has 15.

The Area 2A-3 Meet might be held Oct. 28 at North Shore Aquatic Advanced in St. Petersburg.

“The boys have an actual probability to win areas this yr,” Lecanto coach Ambrose stated. “In the event that they achieve this, I consider will probably be the second swim crew from the county to ever accomplish that. I consider the primary crew to take action was the Lecanto boys crew again in 2009.”