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Top swimmers use finales as tuneups for post-season
By STEVE LEE © St. Petersburg Times, published October 18, 2000 After cruising through practically every meet this season, state champions Kevin Rumble and Amanda Paulo will use tonight's season finales to fine-tune for the Sunshine Athletic Conference and district tournaments, precursors to what likely will be return trips to the state meet for both. River Ridge's Rumble, the defending state champ in the 200-yard individual medley, boasts the fastest times in Pasco County in four individual events. Hudson's Paulo, who last year won a state title in the 100 backstroke, trumps that with the best times in five events. But they aren't the only swimmers or divers using tonight's regular-season finales to prepare for post-season meets. After tonight, with the SAC meet looming on Oct. 27-28, coaches must decide in which events their top swimmers will compete. Mentioning Land O'Lakes' 8-0 girls record and 7-1 boys mark, River Ridge coach Athena Graham views the Gators as the best team in the county. "I think it's going to be hard-pressed if Land O'Lakes doesn't win (the SAC meet)," Graham said. Tara Patterson, Heather Anderson, Jackie Van Broekhoven, Heather Gerken and Kaci Ressler, a gymnast who went 8-0 as a first-year diver, helped the Land O'Lakes girls win every meet. Freshman Craig Hilgenberg has teamed with seniors Chris Koslin and Scott Habershaw, and junior Chris Pabst to form the strongest Land O'Lakes team in the school's nine seasons. But they aren't the only boys to shine this season. Pasco avoided the winless season that characterizes some first-year teams. Brett Clark, a Durant transfer who previously swam for the Brandon Blue Wave club team, almost single-handedly led the Pirates to four wins. "He's definitely setting a standard for the boys," Pasco coach Russ Rosenbauer said. "He's like the rabbit for the greyhound. They've been working all season to catch up to Brett." Hudson's girls have risen to the top in the county with Paulo, Kiersten Bialkoski and Meagan Finneran ranking among the leaders, but the Cobras have a strong boys team this season as well. Doug Disbrow, Chris Pugliese and Jeff Smolinski are Hudson's leading winners. Danny Wardell, Jeremy Morrell, Alex Velasquez and the Tenbrink twins, Travis and Trevor, have been the top performers for Zephyrhills. Cory Hloska has been the lone bright spot for first-year Mitchell. As for Gulf, Mike Rowe and Jacob Vaughn still rank among the best divers in the county for the third straight season, but the rest of the Bucs' lineup is nowhere near as formidable as it has been in recent years. Sean Copeland and Marcin Suchcickiare the team's only other consistent winners. "A tough year," Gulf coach Linda Cassidy said. "Half of (the Bucs' 26 swimmers) are freshmen or sophomores that have no background, so it's been an experience. "You teach them how to swim and give them self-discipline, because until they get the discipline their times just aren't there." Stephanie Joyce, Nikki Murphy and Michelle Mendonca were Gulf's most productive girls. Ridgewood's girls won 5 of 7 meets heading into tonight's final against River Ridge on the strength of Lindsey Hayes, Nancy Edwards, Sharleen Szeliga and Emanda Doscher. Pasco's Betsy Warfel, Grace Sinclair and Jamie Kinsley, as well as Zephyrhills' Mary Katherine Mason, Mitchell's Emily Vlahakis and Wesley Chapel's Autumn Yanchunis provided key victories for their respective teams.
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