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PHU takes 3A-5 titles with ease

The Hurricanes hold off East Lake to win the girls competition and dominate in the boys meet, winning by more than 200 points.

PALM HARBOR - Just doing what Palm Harbor University is used to doing, the Hurricanes overwhelmed everyone besides East Lake in taking both the girls and boys titles Saturday in the Class 3A, District 5 meet at the Greater Palm Harbor YMCA.

And what PHU is used to doing was more than non-Pinellas schools, who made their debut in the new district, could keep up with. With weekend weather concerns, meet organizers turned the meet into a "timed final" meet, meaning just one swim with no preliminaries.

"We really aren't used to swimming at this level," Sickles coach Eric Sandler said. "The difference between competition is remarkable."

For instance, Mitchell's Alicia Pollina was the only Mustang to place, third in girls diving, which was won by Gibbs' Melissa Coleman. Sickles fared better than others, sending the Swanson brothers, Corey (the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly winner) and Connor (third in the 200-yard individual medley) to region.

Other than that, it was all PHU. Levi Curnutte won the boys 100-yard free and the Hurricanes swept the top four in the 100-yard breaststroke to help amass 569 points. Second-place St. Petersburg had 333.

"We just kind of did the same old thing," said PHU coach Lisa Bitting, who has coached PHU to either a boys or girls district title (or both) in each of the past seven years. "With our depth and everyone getting the job done, I couldn't be happier."

The East Lake girls (424 points) were second to PHU (453). Deidre Novotny and Jennifer Guyler were both untappered and both were double gold for the Eagles; Novotny was under 59 seconds in both the 100-yard fly and 100-yard back, and Guyler in the 200-yard and 500-yard free.

"I felt good out there today," Guyler said. "I think the whole team did."

Countryside's Cody Dodds won the boys diving by 100 points. Rachel Burns won both the girls 50 and 100 free for the Cougars, whose girls finished third (329 points). Tracy Rorer won the 200-yard IM and the 100-yard breast for the St. Petersburg girls.