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Quartet relays district win for Crystal River

By DAWN REISS
Published October 19, 2006

CRYSTAL RIVER - Sporting an orange Auburn baseball cap and polarized sunglasses, Crystal River coach Tas Pepito calmly looked around Bicentennial pool.

Less than 24 hours earlier, the Crystal River girls won the Class A, District 3 title in Clermont. It was their fourth title since 1997, having also won the in 1999 and 2004.

It also meant the second ceremonial dunk in the pool for Pepito in less than two weeks. He was pushed in for the Citrus County Activities Association a week earlier. At the district meet Tuesday, he tried, unsuccessfully, to prevent the second plunge.

"I wasn't going in easily," he said. "I scratched and clawed, but it didn't help to stop them."

With a quick turn the mob of swimmers had rotated Pepito face first into the pool.

"It's tradition," senior Marlina Savage said. "He had to go in."

Led by the first-place 400 free relay of Savage, junior Yuri Palhof and sophomores Dani Sanford and Kelly Kuczen, the girls scored enough points for the wins, and the boys finished second to Trinity Catholic.

It was a boost the girls needed. In the 200 free relay, in which Pepito expected the team to have the best chance at state, the Pirates were disqualified after Savage was called for going off the blocks too quickly on the second leg.

"I've been swimming since I was 9," she said. "And I've never done that."

The 400 free relay team wanted to make up for the miscue.

A quick lineup change by Pepito helped. Pepito switched Palhof from anchor to leadoff swimmer, flip-flopping her with Kuczen. The switch gave Kuczen additional time to rest from swimming the backstroke just a few events earlier and helped the girls get a good lead with Palhof's strong flip turns.

The girls tried to change back to the original lineup of Kuczen-Savage-Sanford-Palhof.

"But he wouldn't," Sanford said. "He told us, he'd rather have them chasing us than us chasing them."

The change put Crystal River slightly ahead on Palhof's leg and allowed the Pirates to open it up by the end.

"I hate going first," said Palhof, who automatically qualified with a first-place finish in the 50 freestyle. "I just kept thinking I need to get a big lead so we can win."

"I was so nervous," Kuczen chimed in. "There's a lot of pressure to go last."

She had a big lead of a half a pool length by the time Kuczen started swimming the last leg of the relay.

"I always thought I swam faster when I went first," she said, "but I guess it worked."

Dawn Reiss can be reached at 352 860-7303 or dreiss@sptimes.com

FAST FACTS

Class 2A, District 5

THE 411: Diving - Friday, 9 a.m. Veterans Memorial Park Pool 14333 Hicks Road in Hudson. Swimming - Saturday, 9 a.m. Berkeley Prep.

TEAMS: Central, Citrus, Gulf, Hudson, Land O'Lakes, Lecanto, Ridgewood, River Ridge, Springstead, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills

CITRUS: The 'Canes have 24 swimmers, eight more than last year. It has been a good season for the Citrus boys (6-2), who have beaten Lecanto twice this season. The 200 medley relay, which usually consists of junior Brandon Larkin, senior Jon Pullen, senior Alex Knott and senior Pablo Picado, is the strongest event, along with the 200 free relay. Both Pullen, who also swims the 50 freestyle, and Larkin are strong in the 100 backstroke. Knott also swims the 100 breaststroke while sophomore Kyle Thomas is strong in the 100 fly and 500 free. Four girls lead the 'Canes: sophomore Skye Pepe (200, 500 freestyle and relays), senior Amie Osterhout (100 butterfly, 200 individual medley), junior Lisa Larkin (200 individual medley, 100 backstroke) and sophomore Megan Walz (50 free, 100 breaststroke).

LECANTO: The girls are undefeated this season and are led by seniors Taylor Cooke, Chelsea Peterson, Brittany Roth, Jillian Swartz and Veronica Adams. The 200 medley and free relays with Cooke, Peterson, Swartz and Roth set school records this season and they likely will break their 400 free relay record Saturday. Cooke set Lecanto records in the 100 butterfly (1:01.42) and 100 backstroke (1:07.93) that Allison Brundage (1997) and Jessica Warren ('96) respectively held. She will compete in the 200 and 500 freestyle along with Swartz. Peterson (50, 100 freestyle) Roth (200 freestyle, 100 butterfly) and Veronica Adams (50 freestyle, 100 backstroke.) The boys are led by seniors Chris Holland (50 freestyle, 100 breaststroke), David Rundio (200 IM) and Ian Crocker (200, 500 freestyle). Juniors Garrett LeMon (diving) Lou Tamposi (200 IM, 100 butterfly) and freshman Joe Tamposi (200 freestyle, 100 backstroke) are also strong contenders.

[Last modified October 19, 2006, 06:24:32]