Viking boys capture second place at regional swim meet
The Viking boys were the runners-up with 223 points at the Region 1-2A meet on Thursday at the Trousdell Aquatic Center in Tallahassee, and the Fort Walton Beach girls were sixth with 139 points to lead all four area participants.
Choctawhatchee finished behind the Vikings in both, coming in sixth on the boys side with 146 and eighth in the girls with 111. Niceville (13th, 60 points) and Navarre (17th, 2) were also on the boys side, while on the girls side Navarre (14th, 71.5) and Niceville (18th, 38) rounded out the area participants.
The Vikings qualified an area-best eight individuals for eligibility to the state meet and six relay teams as well. Those qualifiers finished in the all-important top eight in their respective events, which then defers to a region-by-region qualification process that selects the top times state-wide. The results will be finalized when the last regional meets finish on Saturday.
Choctaw qualified five individual swimmers and two relay teams, while Niceville had two individuals qualify and Navarre had one.
For the Viking girls individually, Samantha Laughlin finished third in the 50 free and second in the 100 back, while Natalie Lenderman was sixth in the 100 free. Of the girls relay teams, the 200 free (fifth), 400 free (sixth) and medley (seventh) all qualified.
The Fort Walton Beach boys were led by their 200 free relay squad, which took home the team’s only No. 1 finish on either side.
Individually, David Stevens qualified in two events, finishing second in the 100 free and fifth in the 50 free, where Cody Conant (seventh) and Josh Simmons (eighth) also placed. Joshua Williams (seventh, 100 back) and Daniel Craig (seventh, 100 breast) qualified, and Zach Duval also finished sixth in the diving portion.
Of the Viking boys relay teams, the 100 free (third) and the medley (fourth) will join the 200 free team in the qualification pool.
Alex Strom had the strongest day for Choctaw, winning both the boys 200 and 500 free events. Choctaw posted a win in the boys 400 free relay and also qualified its girls medley relay team, which finished fifth. Christian Johnston finished third in the 200 free and fifth in the 500 free, while Michael Whitehurst came in sixth in the 200 IM.
On the girls side for Choctaw, Olivia Strom was top eight in two events, finishing fifth in the 200 IM and in the 500 free. Cheryl Corvo was fourth in the 100 fly and fifth in the 50 free.
Niceville’s Ross Spock qualified in two events, winning both the 100 free and the 100 back, while Niceville’s Haley McWilliams finished eighth in the girls 200 free.
For Navarre, Chrissy Parsons was fourth in the 100 back and sixth in the 100 free.
