A lack of divers costs the Citrus girls the meet, but the Pirates boys make it look easy.
By THOMAS GEMKOW
Published October 1, 2003
CRYSTAL RIVER - Tuesday was a good day for Crystal River. The boys team easily handled Citrus, winning 109-76, and a full complement of divers helped the Pirates girls to a 97-86 win.
"I knew with the girls that it was going to be very, very close," Crystal River coach Tim Holme said. "(Citrus) didn't have any divers, so it made a difference."
It was that lack of divers that lost the meet for the Hurricanes. Crystal River got 13 points by default from divers Keri Boltin, Courtney Chandler and Sayward Rutledge because Citrus had no one to go against them.
"We don't have the divers," Citrus coach Leeann Pepe said. "We still don't have the legal facilities for them to practice. That causes a real problem."
Citrus got strong performances from sophomore Kristen Pepe, juniors Megan Mullen and Katie Wilson and senior Vicki Oehm.
"Everyone was dropping their times," coach Pepe said. "And that is what we wanted to see."
Kristen Pepe won the 200-yard freestyle and beat Crystal River's Sarah Bartley by .03 seconds to take the 100 freestyle despite aggravating a shoulder injury.
Pepe injured the shoulder two weeks ago doing the backstroke and has been limited to the freestyle in her past two meets.
"Even though it is fun to win by a long shot, it's cool to come from behind," Kristen Pepe said of her effort in the 100 freestyle.
Chelsea Newberry paced the Crystal River girls, winning the 100 backstroke in 1:07.03 and beating Citrus' Mullen by 16 seconds in the 200 individual medley.
"This is actually one of my better meets," Newberry said.
Aaron Washington and his brother, Matt Washington, led the boys. The brothers had a hand in five of Crystal River's individual wins. Aaron won the 100 butterfly in 1:01.36 and took first in diving with 179.15 points to edge Evan Branson. Matt Washington won the 100 freestyle.
"These kids work hard," Holme said. "We have some newbies tonight that were swimming in events they had never done before. Hopefully when conference rolls around they will be at full strength and we will be at full strength, and everyone will be healthy and we can go at it and it'll be exciting."
