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Swimmers Set Raider Records

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By DAREK SHARP, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 3, 2007

Updated: 11/01/2007 10:23 pm

PLANT CITY - They might not have won their events, but it was impossible to put a down note on what Stephanie Barker and Anna Palermo accomplished.

Both Plant City High swimmers set school records Oct. 27 during the Class 3A-Region 2 meet in Sarasota. Barker did it in two events, the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly, and will compete for the last time in her high school career today. The Class 3A state meet is taking place at the Central Florida YMCA Aquatic Center in Orlando.

Palermo also advanced to the state meet in the 100-yard breast stroke. Durant's Kaylee Doback and Chris Plante ensured a return trip to state in the diving competition by defending their regional titles.

For Plant City High's Barker, a first state title might be unrealistic to expect, but there is plenty to swim for. Her time in the butterfly last weekend, 57.45 seconds, was good enough for Barker to be considered for All-American status.

If Barker swims a bit faster today she can automatically be named an All-American in the event.

"I think she has a really good chance," Plant City coach Corrie Rennick said. "For both Stephanie and Anna to get their personal best and school records, it's just really exciting because they both work so hard."

Barker was third in the butterfly at regional competition, and both of the top two finishers, Cape Coral's Maida Turandzic and Palm Harbor's Katherine Coleman, earned All-American honors.

In the 50-yard freestyle, Barker was involved in a furious finish. Sickles' Katherine Cook edged hometown favorite Katheryne Muth of Sarasota High by one-tenth of a second. Cook's time was 24.52 seconds, and Barker was fourth with a 24.66.

The regional meet took place at the Sarasota YMCA.

Palermo finished seventh in the breast stroke. The time put her on the cut line from other swimmers across the state, ensuring her a first trip to the final meet.

"For Anna, it's really exciting being her first time," Rennick said. Palermo also competed in the 200-yard freestyle last weekend, finishing in 17th place.

Raider freshman Haleigh Reavill had a memorable moment Oct. 27. She finished her preliminary race in the 200-yard individual medley in 2:30.44, the exact time posted by Durant's Erin Hofrichter.

Because the two were tied for the 16th spot, the last position needed to get into the finals for the event, Reavill and Hofrichter had to conduct a "swim-off" as the crowd at the YMCA watched. With Reavill surging ahead during the butterfly and backstroke legs, Hofrichter, with an advantage in the breast and closing freestyle legs, made it a back-and-forth race before she won.

That did not jump the Cougars over Plant City in the team standings, however. Plant City finished 13th; the Durant boys were 15th.

Doback and Plante easily won the diving events. The best finishes posted by Durant swimmers were turned in by Eddie Bandi - 14th in the backstroke and 19th in the 200-yard individual medley.

Plant City High's Nikita Markov and Blair Butler also had a pair of top-20 finishes to lead the Raider boys. The 200-yard free relay squad of Butler, Johnnie Byrd, Scott Manfre and Markov came in 11th place for the best relay result from Plant City or Durant.

Preliminary events for the state meet are set to start at 7 a.m. today, with the finals getting under way at 5:30 p.m.

Reporter Darek Sharp can be reached at dsharp@tampa trib.com.

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