Barry Takes Two Titles

In Dan Barry's final district meet, the Springstead High senior did what he had done in his previous three. He won a district championship.

At Friday night's Class 2A, District 5 Meet at Bob Sierra Family YMCA in Tampa, Barry earned his third straight district crown in the 100-yard butterfly with a first-place 54.87.

He also won his second 50-yard freestyle title in three years in a time of 22.75, bringing his four-year total to seven individual district championships. The other two came in the 200-yard IM in 2005 and 2007.

Additionally, Barry earned an automatic berth into Friday's Region II Meet in Titusville. The winners of each event advanced.

There were also 24 at-large bids in individual events (16 in relays) to be awarded throughout the rest of the region. However, since there are only three districts in the region, anyone who made a championship final (top eight) in an individual event advanced.

"Dan still hasn't hit his best times yet," Springstead Head Coach Will O'Lynnger said. "We'll work on his taper here. Dan can go as far as he wants to go.

"With what we had to deal with all year, I think he's right where he needs to be. I foresee him going to states; I'm not worried about that. We just want him to do his best at states."

Central senior Barrett Sheffield also became a district champion for the second time in three seasons in the 100-yard breaststroke with a 1:07.18. He won in 2006 and finished second in 2005 and 2007.

"I'm sure he's real excited about that," Central Head Coach Julie Withington said. "He's been into the whole season. He wanted to do really well and he came out on top."

Sheffield, Tom Adams, Zachary Martin and Derek Buel might have a chance of making regionals in the 200-yard freestyle relay having finished fourth in 1:43.00.

On the girls' side, Central junior Mary Alice McGeehan came in second in both the 50-free (26.87) and 100-fly (1:03.97). Sophomore Emily Withington came in third in the 200-IM (2:29.92) and 100-breast (1:22.22).

Also for the Lady Bears, who came in sixth overall with a 183 team score, sophomore Shelby Brown finished seventh in the 200-yard freestyle (2:27.88) and freshman Frankie Reese came in eighth in the 100-breast (1:28.12).

Brown, Withington, McGeehan and Stephanie Parsolano could get an at-large bid in the 200-yard medley relay thanks to a third-place 2:11.45. Those same four finished fourth in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:55.06).

"They did great," Withington said of her swimmers. "We had 12 girls, placing sixth overall, I think that's phenomenal."

Springstead senior Angel Healy will advance to regionals for a third consecutive season after coming in fourth in the 500-yard freestyle (6:24.35) and fourth in the 100-breast (1:22.32).

"She's got to come in with a positive attitude," O'Lynnger said. "She'll have a lot of competition. Her expectations are different than Dan's. She has her own expectations to live up to."

The Central boys finished ninth with 87 points, just ahead of Springstead in 10th (78). The Springstead girls came in 11th overall with 93 points.

"Overall better than I expected," O'Lynnger said of his team's showing. "We had a lot of people that had to fill empty spaces, people that hadn't swum strokes before. We had probably half the team hit personal bests. I'm optimistic I have a solid core of people to work with."

CLASS 2A, DISTRICT 5 MEET
at Bob Sierra Family YMCA

Girls
1. Lecanto 354, 6. Central 183, 11. Springstead 93.

200-yard medley relay
1. Nelson, Pierovich, Whitaker, McCarthy, Land O' Lakes, 2:06.85; 3. Brown, Withington, McGeehan, Parsolano, Central, 2:11.45; 9. Brinker, Thoures, Healy, Gundersen, Springstead, 2:26.45.

200-yard freestyle
1. Cregan, Citrus, 2:11.08; 7. Brown, Central, 2:27.88; 10. Brinker, Springstead, 2:26.47 (consolation final).

200-yard IM
1. Pierovich, Land O' Lakes, 2:16.07; 3. Withington, Central, 2:29.92; 14. Thoures, Springstead, 3:00.37.

50-yard freestyle
1. Walters, Sunlake, 26.46; 2. McGeehan, Central, 26.87; 31. Sheppard, Springstead, 33.83.

100-yard butterfly
1. Siddens, River Ridge, 1:01.15; 2. McGeehan, Central, 1:03.97; 16. Brinker, Springstead, 1:23.51.

100-yard freestyle
1.Gorgen, Zephyrhills, 55.94; 14. Catalano, Central, 1:09.39; 32. Sheppard, Springstead, 1:15.45.

500-yard freestyle
1. Cregan, Citrus, 5:49.00; 4. Healy, Springstead, 6:24.35; 28. Sznajder, Central, 7:26.43.

200-yard freestyle relay
1. Shaffer, Danielson, Huyhn, Walters, Sunlake, 1:51.97; 4. Withington, Parsolano, Brown, McGeehan, Central, 1:55.06; 12. Hoover, Sypniewski, Launier, Aguiar, Springstead, 2:24.08.

100-yard backstroke
1. Gorgen, Zephyrhills, 1:04.59; 10. Parsolano, Central, 1:21.68; 13. Brown, Central, 1:23.48; 27. Gundersen, Springstead, 1:30.59.

100-yard breaststroke
1. Sopapong, Wesley Chapel, 1:18.85; 3. Withington, Central, 1:22.22; 4. Healy, Springstead, 1:22.32; 8. Reese, Central, 1:28.12.

400-yard freestyle relay
1. Toomey, Summers, Lyons, Brockett, Lecanto, 4:03.53; 7. Gundersen, Thoures, Healy, Brinker, Springstead, 4:44.66; 9. Catalano, Reese, Sznajder, Kane, Central, 4:53.57.

Boys
1. Land O' Lakes 500, 9. Central 87, 10. Springstead 78.

200-yard medley relay
1. Hilgenberg, Passioura, Clark, Busot, Land O' Lakes, 1:51.83; 8. England, Gormley, Barry, D'Amico, Springstead, 2:05.67.

200-yard freestyle
1. Morrison, Sunlake, 1:47.54; 11. Buel, Central, 2:14.67; 21. Harris, Springstead, 2:31.00.

200-yard IM
1. Hiltsley, South Lake, 2:06.21.

50-yard freestyle
1. Barry, Springstead, 22.75; 15. D'Amico, Springstead, 26.66; 22. Martin, Central, 27.27.

100-yard butterfly
1. Barry, Springstead, 54.87.

100-yard freestyle
1. Singer, Land O' Lakes, 51.24; 13. D'Amico, Springstead, 1:01.13; 16. Adams, Central, 1:07.08.

500-yard freestyle
1. Hiltsley, South Lake, 4:53.27; 11. Buel (CEN) 6:02.77, 24. Echanique, Springstead, 6:51.19.

200-yard freestyle relay
1. Singer, Hilgenberg, Lawson, Mysels, Land O' Lakes, 1:34.45; 4. Sheffield, Adams, Martin, Buel, Central, 1:43.00; 12. Schillinger, Clary, Gormley, Mazzia, Springstead, 2:02.00.

100-yard backstroke
1. Morrison, Sunlake, 54.14; 20. England, Springstead, 1:23.92; 24. Alonzo, Central, 1:25.55.

100-yard breaststroke
1. Sheffield, Central, 1:07.18; 19. Gormley, Springstead, 1:21.30.

400-yard freestyle relay
1. Singer, Clark, Lawson, Mysels, Land O' Lakes, 3:31.48; 7. Buel, Adams, Martin, Sheffield, Central, 4:03.90; Schillinger, Echanique, D'Amico, Barry, 4:12.61.