Area swimmers take to the pool in regional meet

When Fort Walton Beach swimming coach Pam Braseth pre-ordered championship T-shirts before the District 1-2A meet, she did so fully confident her crystal ball was without blemishes.

And she was right.

As it turned out, the Vikings sent an area-best 21 athletes to compete in the two-day Region 1-2A swim meet that concludes with today’s swimming portion at the Trousdell Aquatic Center in Tallahassee. In placing her order, not only had Braseth’s best-case scenario played out to perfection, but there was also no need to return any unused shirts.

“I made a list and they were all on it,” Braseth said. “They performed very solidly and, for where I wanted them to be this season, they did an incredible job.”

Swimmers from Fort Walton Beach, Choctawhatchee, Navarre and Niceville will make the trek to Tallahassee today in hopes of earning yet another top-eight finish and cement their places at next weekend’s state finals in Orlando.

Choctaw will send 14 swimmers while Navarre and Niceville will each send 11. For all involved, the sense of accomplishment from a week ago has been replaced with a drive to secure a spot at state.

“Now that we’re there, we’re trying to see what it’s going to take to get to the next level,” Choctaw coach Jamie Garea said. “These kids are never satisfied; they’re always pushing themselves to get a little further.”

If any program has positioned itself to advance a bountiful number of athletes to state, it’s Fort Walton Beach.

On the girls side, Samantha Laughlin, Brooke Arrington, Natalie Lenderman, Jamie Gantertalong, Linsi Versteeg and Paige Regelman qualified for multiple events. Megan Drake swam the third leg in the Vikings’ third-place 200 medley relay team.

As for Fort Walton Beach’s boys, Joseph Mackenzie, David Stevens, Joshua Simmons, Cody Conant, Michael Braseth, Matthew Bevil, Daniel Craig and Joshua Williams will give the pool a distinct Viking feel.

On top of making up part of the Vikings’ three (200 medley, 200 free, 400 free) relay teams, Conant, Mackenzie, Stevens, Craig, Simmons and Williams will also compete individually along with Michael Braseth.

Choctaw will send eight girls: Jacque Schlageter, Olivia Strom, Cheryl Corvo, Jaide Lewis, Hannah Totten, Mary Heapy, Sarah Fraser and Valerie Tucker. In Strom and Corvo, Choctaw has two battle-tested swimmers that each qualified for state a year ago and who will swim in several events.

On the boys side, Choctaw will once again be led by the threesome of Patrick Whitehurst, Michael Whitehurst and Alex Strom. Ryan Adams, Cody Bryson and Chris Johnston will also appear in multiple events for the Indians.

For Navarre, Chrissy Parsons, Teresa Parsons, Savannah Bruner, Jennifer Barbee, Cat Bower, Emily Travis and Jessica Marshall will swim in today’s meet. Chrissy Parsons, Teresa Parsons, Bower and Jennifer Barbee will compete in multiple events.

Thomas Vatter, Forrest Keiffer, Michael Barbee and Justin Wymore make up Navarre’s 400 free relay team that will compete on the boys side.

Niceville was once again paced by Ross Spock, who will compete in four events. Andrew Birmingham, William Slattery and Dallas Montgomery will join Spock on two relays while Montgomery will also compete in the 50 free.

On the girls side, Laura Nelson, Alexis Elliott, Haley McWilliams, Alexa Birmingham, Catherine Carden, Lyndsey Schwab and Ariel Holton will each swim for the Eagles.