Hudson nabs double victory

A close 100 freestyle highlights the boys win, and the 200 IM the girls against Zephyrhills.

By STEVE LEE
Published September 28, 2006

HUDSON - Chris Pearce's goal is to go unbeaten in the 100-yard freestyle.

After Wednesday's meet against Zephyrhills at Veterans Memorial Park pool, the Hudson sophomore remained that way - but not by much.

Pearce touched up a fingertip before Zephyrhills' Travis Van Buren to win the 100 free 55.50 seconds to 55.86. That helped the Hudson boys to a 97-86 win.

Hudson also won the girls meet 112-73.

"I wasn't expecting him to take off so fast," said Pearce, 7-0 in the 100 free. "I had to pick it up."

With Pearce closing in, Van Buren slipped on his last flip turn.

"I saw him coming and he got me nervous," Van Buren said.

Hudson's dual wins improved the boys record to 5-2 and the girls to 4-3.

The Zephyrhills boys fell to 6-4 and the girls to 2-8.

"The boys are getting stronger," Hudson coach Julie Heise said. "They're dropping times and that's a good thing.

"The girls are doing the same thing. They're pushing themselves every day."

Pushing each other is how Hudson's trio of Celeste Degen, Abigail Campbell and Melissa Brinkman finished 1-2-3 in the 200 individual medley. Degen swam a 2:41.41, dropping three seconds off her previous-best time thanks to her teammates, who usually do not swim that event.

"Coach Heise wanted to push me harder," Degen said. "She's pushing us harder because (Cindy Bachelor has a season-ending shoulder injury."

Campbell concurred with her coach's strategy, but might think twice if asked to swim the 200 IM again.

"I don't want to do this again," said Campbell, whose events are the 500 free and 100 breaststroke.

[Last modified September 28, 2006, 01:31:44]