A swimming and diving team — that is not named Land O’ Lakes High School — can finally lay claim as tops in Pasco County.
The Land O’ Lakes High School’s boys squad had won every conference meet dating back to 2001, while the girls squad had won the conference meet since 2009.
But, this time around, the Gators boys finished behind Mitchell High, and the girls squad was unseated by Sunlake High, at the 2018 Pasco County Sunshine Athletic Conference Meet, held Oct. 13 at the New Port Richey Recreation & Aquatic Center.
Though no longer county champions, the Gators proved they’re still a force to be reckoned with, as both squads combined to sweep 10 out of 24 events — more than any other program. That mark was narrowly followed by Sunlake, whose boys and girls squads combined to win nine events.
Meantime, several individual event conference records were set by individuals and relay teams.
New conference records:
Girls
200-Yard Medley Relay (Sunlake, 1:53.05)
200-Yard Freestyle Relay (Land O’ Lakes, 1:41.55)
100-Yard Breaststroke (Elise Ballash, Sunlake, 1:07.60)
Boys
200-Yard Medley Relay (Land O’ Lakes, 1:42.24)
50-Yard Freestyle (Patryk Pilkowski, Land O’ Lakes, 21.23)
500-Yard Freestyle (Clyde Crouse, Cypress Creek, 4:47.52)
100-Yard Backstroke (Patryk Pilkowski, Land O’ Lakes, 51.98)
400-Yard Freestyle Relay (Land O’ Lakes, 3:18.63)
The county’s 13 high schools will square off again at district meets, which begin the week of Oct. 22 for 3A and 4A schools, and the week of Oct. 29 for 1A and 2A schools.
A closer look at the results:
2018 Pasco County Sunshine Athletic Conference Meet
Girls-Team Scores
Sunlake (508 points)
Land O’ Lakes (463)
Mitchell (314)
Wiregrass Ranch (227)
River Ridge (171)
Hudson (122)
Fivay (87)
Cypress Creek (83)
Wesley Chapel (72)
Pasco (69)
Gulf (30)
Zephyrhills (23)
Event Winners
Girls 200-Yard Medley Relay: Sunlake — Amber Ewald, Hanna Barton, Elise Ballash, Tori Eurell (1:53.05)
Girls 200-Yard Free: Taylor Ward Land O’ Lakes, sophomore (1:55.76)
Girls 200-Yard Individual Medley: Audrey Ballash, Sunlake, junior (2:18.23)
Girls 50-Yard Free: Chloe Grimme, Sunlake, junior (24:10)
Girls 1-Meter Diving: Katelyn Kirves, River Ridge, senior (391.25 score)
Girls 100-Yard Fly: Hanna Barton, Sunlake, senior (1:01.46)
Girls 100-Yard Free: Chloe Grimme, Sunlake, junior (53.52)
Girls 500-Yard Free: Taylor Ward, Land O’ Lakes, senior (5:02. 60)
Girls 200-Yard Free Relay: Land O’ Lakes — Taylor Ward, Amaya Henry, Margarita Czupryn, Romina McCloskey (1:41.55)
Girls 100-Yard Back: Amber Ewald, Sunlake, freshman (1:03.57)
Girls 100-Yard Breast: Elise Ballash, Sunlake, senior (1:07.60)
Girls 400-Yard Free Relay: Land O’ Lakes — Taylor Ward, Amaya Henry, Margarita Czupryn, Romina McCloskey (3:40.70)
Boys-Team Scores
Mitchell (430)
Land O’ Lakes (381)
Sunlake (281)
River Ridge (223)
Wiregrass Ranch (207)
Cypress Creek (155)
Wesley Chapel (134)
Fivay (108)
Zephyrhills (92)
Pasco (68)
Hudson (51)
Anclote (26)
Gulf (12)
Event Winners
Boys 200-Yard Medley Relay: Land O’ Lakes— Patryk Pilkowski, Zachary Smith, Griffin Sutek, Zuri Ramsey (1:42.24)
Boys 200-Yard Free: Clyde Crouse, Cypress Creek, sophomore (1:47.45)
Boys 200-Yard Individual Medley: Colin Wilkins, Sunlake, junior (2:06.84)
Boys 50-Yard Free: Patryk Pilkowski, Land O’ Lakes, senior (21.23)
Boys 1-Meter Diving: Colin Dempsey, Mitchell, senior (382.45 score)
Boys 100-Yard Fly: Jay Jay Fonnotto, Sunlake, junior (53.71)
Boys 100-Yard Free: Zuri Ramsey, Land O’ Lakes, sophomore (48.75)
Boys 500-Yard Free: Clyde Crouse, Cypress Creek, sophomore (4:47.52)
Boys 200-Yard Free Relay: Land O’ Lakes — Jack Kaatze, Zachary Smith, Griffin Sutek, Ravidu Idippili (1:37.06)
Boys 100-Yard Back: Patryk Pilkowski, Land O’ Lakes, senior (51.98)
Boys 100-Yard Breast: Austin Erickson, Mitchell, junior (1:04. 28)
Boys 400-Yard Free Relay: Land O’ Lakes — Zuri Ramsey, Jack Kaatze, Ravidu Idippili, Patryk Pilkowski (3:18.63)
Published October 17, 2018
