FHSAA swimming: 2022 high school state championship meet preview, Class 1A-2A
High school state swimming championships
At Sailfish Splash Waterpark and Aquatics Center, Stuart
CLASS 1A
Time: 9 a.m. Nov. 18.
Local boys qualifiers
200 medley relay: Bolles, Episcopal, Providence, Wolfson. 200 free: Landon Kyser, Kayden Lancaster, Xavier Sohovich, Bingxiang Qin (all Bolles); Ralph Weakland, Episcopal; Jackson Berzsenyi, Wolfson. 200 IM: Will Heck, Carter Lancaster, Aidan Paro, Wyatt Porch (all Bolles); Owen Finn, Sebastian Guio (both Episcopal). 50 free: Andy Kravchenko, Alex Meyers-Labenz, Seth Tolentino, Anthony Whittall (all Bolles); Nico Parnell, Wolfson. 100 fly: Jackson Bowen, Drew Heck, Alex Meyers-Labenz, Aidan Paro (all Bolles); Owen Finn, Episcopal; Jackson Berzsenyi, Wolfson. 100 free: Andy Kravchenko, Michael McGrath, Seth Tolentino, Anthony Whittall (all Bolles); Ralph Weakland, Episcopal. 500 free: Dillon Brigman, Victor Fernandes Derani, Kayden Lancaster, Bingxiang Qin (all Bolles); James Lindsay, Wolfson. 200 free relay: Bolles, Providence, Wolfson. 100 back: James Bowen, Krish Jain, Landon Kyser, Xavier Sohovich (all Bolles). 100 breast: Drew Heck, Will Heck, Louis Joos, Wyatt Porch (all Bolles); Sebastian Guio, Episocpal; Nico Parnell, Wolfson. 400 free relay: Bolles, Episcopal.
Local girls qualifiers
200 medley relay: Bolles, Episcopal, Wolfson. 200 free: Sophie Benkusky, Suki Burgstiner, Blaine Huddleston, Simany Lee (all Bolles). 200 IM: Ella Gotham, Lila Higgo, Sophia Joos, Gracie Lanning (all Bolles); Savannah Branon, Episcopal; Eva Whitehead, Union County. 200 free: Kate Meyers-Labenz, Julia Murphy, Ellie Stewart (all Bolles). Diving: Alexiya Downer, Gianna Vasto (both Bolles); Laurel Coppedge, Episcopal; Haley Aschenbrenner, Providence. 100 fly: Ella Chan, Gracie Lanning, Julia Murphy, Carla Prieto Ramos (all Bolles); Aubrey Finn, Episcopal. 100 free: Sophie Benkusky, Elisabeth Erlendsdottir, Blaine Huddleston, Simany Lee (all Bolles). 500 free: Katie Ford, Ella Gotham, Neala Klein (all Bolles); Summer Taylor, Episcopal. 200 free relay: Bolles, Wolfson. 100 back: Suki Burgstiner, Elisabeth Erlendsdottir, Lila Higgo, Kate Meyers-Labenz (all Bolles); Aubrey Finn, Episcopal; Eva Whitehead, Union County. 100 breast: Alicia Angelone Lopez, Victoria Edgar, Sophia Joos, Anne Venturi (all Bolles); Savannah Branon, Episcopal. 400 free relay: Bolles, Episcopal, Wolfson.
Outlook: Despite the one-week delay stemming from Hurricane Nicole, the mission simply doesn't change for Bolles. The Bulldogs have won both the boys and girls team championships for 31 consecutive years, and after their regional sweep last week, they're in position to make it 32. They're the overwhelming favorites on the boys side, and although King's Academy, St. Andrew's and South Florida HEAT have numerous contenders in the girls competition, Bolles' depth has made the difference again and again, particularly in the relays. Among the highlights: Lila Higgo is a top-two seed in the girls 200 individual medley, Kate Meyers-Labenz and Simany Lee are girls sprint challengers, Andy Kravchenko and Seth Tolentino enter as top boys sprinters, Will Heck already holds a state record in the boys 100 breast, Kayden Lancaster is the No. 1 seed in the boys distance races, and Carter Lancaster, Heck and Aidan Paro are a solid pick to go 1-2-3 in some order in the boys 200 IM. Expect Savannah Branon, Laurel Coppedge and Aubrey Finn to pick up good points for the Episcopal girls as well.
CLASS 2A
Time: 9 a.m. Nov. 19.
Local boys qualifiers
200 medley relay: Beachside, Bishop Kenny, Fernandina Beach, Paxon, Stanton, Tocoi Creek. 200 free: Alejandro Lopez-Romero, Beachside; Graham Evans, Owen Kerkezi (both Bishop Kenny); Cameron Watson, Paxon; Alexander Kim, Tocoi Creek; Brody Singley, West Nassau. 200 IM: Zach Jones, Evan Larson (both Bishop Kenny); Ryan McAnallen, Menendez; Mitchell Chao, Mehdi Elaoufir (both Stanton); Seth Lape, Dylan Matthews, Matthew Ritichie (all Tocoi Creek). 50 free: Evan Gardner, Matthew Leitheiser, Barrie Snyder (all Bishop Kenny); Hampton Walker, Fernandina Beach. Diving: Andy Swiercek, Stanton. 100 fly: Peter Manelis, Beachside; Christian Grden, Zach Jones, Carter Wright (all Bishop Kenny); Nate Janzow, Fernandina Beach; Alexander Kim, Tocoi Creek. 100 free: Evan Gardner, Matthew Leitheiser, Barrie Snyder (all Bishop Kenny); Hampton Walker, Fernandina Beach; Cameron Watson, Paxon; Mehdi Elaoufir, Stanton. 500 free: Logan Thomas, Baker County; Owen Kerkezi, Nicholas Leitheiser (both Bishop Kenny); Samuel Cosby, Stanton; Brody Singley, West Nassau. 200 free relay: Bishop Kenny, Fernandina Beach, Menendez. 100 back: Alejandro Lopez-Romero, Beachside; Evan Larson, Carter Wright (both Bishop Kenny); Ryan McAnallen, Menendez; Filip Jakovljevic, Stanton; Dylan Matthews, Tocoi Creek. 100 breast: Peter Manelis, Beachside; Graham Evans, Bishop Kenny; Nate Janzow, Fernandina Beach; Mitchell Chao, Stanton; Seth Lape, Matthew Ritichie (both Tocoi Creek). 400 free relay: Beachside, Bishop Kenny, Paxon, Stanton, Tocoi Creek.
Local girls qualifiers
200 medley relay: Beachside, Bishop Kenny, Fernandina Beach, Stanton, Tocoi Creek. 200 free: Maria Candelora, Bishop Kenny; Brinkley Watson, Paxon; Nicole Avila, Stanton; Alexa Dowell, Brianna O'Neill (both Tocoi Creek). 200 IM: Haylee Hite, Beachside; Gabriella Marim, Stanton. 50 free: Talley Gettemy, Pearson Wedel (both Bishop Kenny); Cora Foxwell-Jones, Neriah Giedrys (both Fernandina Beach); Olivia Strickland, Tocoi Creek; Eva Thompson, Yulee. Diving: Olivia Riegler, Beachside; Brianna McMillan, Bishop Kenny; Rylie Darkatsh, Stanton. 100 fly: Rachel Howard, Victoria Weldon (both Bishop Kenny); Nicole Avila, Stanton. 100 free: Talley Gettemy, Bishop Kenny; Brinkley Watson, Paxon; Brianna O'Neill, Tocoi Creek. 500 free: Addison Evans, Bishop Kenny; Audrey Sturm, Stanton; Alexa Dowell, Tocoi Creek. 200 free relay: Beachside, Bishop Kenny, Fernandina Beach, Paxon. 100 back: Gina Faunce, Haylee Hite (both Beachside); Pearson Wedel, Bishop Kenny; Cora Foxwell-Jones, Fernandina Beach. 100 breast: Maria Candelora, Bishop Kenny; Kylie Elrod, Clay; Neriah Giedrys, Fernandina Beach; Rosie Carmichael, Menendez; Gabriella Marim, Stanton. 400 free relay: Bishop Kenny, Paxon, Stanton, Tocoi Creek.
Outlook: Last fall, Bishop Kenny won its first state boys swimming championship for nearly two decades. In 2022, are the Crusaders' girls also ready for a high spot on the podium? They're certainly in the hunt, solid in the relays with chances of scoring in almost every event. Owen Kerkezi in the boys distance events, Barrie Snyder in the boys sprints, Carter Wright in the 100 back and Zach Jones in the 100 fly are especially strong contenders for BK. This year, the Northeast Florida contingent is especially deep. For the Gateway schools, Stanton's Mehdi Elaoufir is the favorite in the boys 200 IM and Rylie Darkatsh is going for another girls diving title, while Paxon's Cameron Watson contends in the boys 200 free. There's also strength north of Jacksonville, where Nate Janzow and Neriah Giedrys highlight a Fernandina Beach squad that's the strongest in many years and Brody Singley is a distance star for West Nassau, and to the south, where Tocoi Creek's Alexander Kim and Beachside's Haylee Hite are leading the pack for St. Johns County's two newest public schools.
Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school swimming: 2022 Northeast Florida preview, Bolles-Bishop Kenny
