Prep Report: Seahawk girls win LCAC
The final event standing between the Cape Coral Seahawks and a long-awaited LCAC Championship was the girls’ 400 freestyle relay. It was exactly the way they wanted it.
The Seahawks won their share of individual titles Wednesday at DeLeon Pool, but picked up their enthusiasm even more for the relays. The team’s depth and camaraderie in those events have become trademarks in recent years.
“Because we’re all so close and we all know how each other swims, it helps us set up our relays,” senior Lauren Smith said, “and we get each other pumped up.”
The Seahawks swept the 200 medley, 200 free and 400 free relays to clinch their first LCAC title. They finished with 541 points.
Runner-up Fort Myers tallied 469 points. The Green Wave had won the previous 12 LCAC titles, with the Seahawks finishing second several times since 2003.
Seniors Christina Todd and Meghan Cotugno led the individual effort. Todd took first in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly, and Cotugno notched a pair of victories in the 50 and 100 freestyle events.
As the final team scores were announced it set off a wild celebration for the Seahawks.
“They worked hard all season,” said Cape coach Dianne Kimble. “This was their best meet anyway, so this makes it all the better.”
The Green Wave held strong in the boys’ competition, winning their 13th straight LCAC title with 548 points. Cape was second with 418.
Tyler Thresher accounted for the Seahawks’ lone individual win in the 100 breastroke.
On the girls’ side, the Seahawks were confident having defeated Fort Myers in a dual meet last week at DeLeon Pool. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams provided an early spark Wednesday with each team winning the first event, the 200 medley relay.
Tara Murza and Olivia Langford joined Todd and Cotugno for the girls’ relay, and the winning boys’ team was Graham Murza, Ryan Cichielo, Thresher and Antonio Alvarez.
The Seahawks mixed up their girls’ teams with continued success. Murza, Jessica Sears and Michaela Steakley joined Smith on the winning 200 free relay team.
“The relays are all about team spirit and effort,” Kimble said. “I think that’s one big thing we’ve had. Even if we haven’t always won we’ve always tried to put a team out there that does their best and tries really hard.”
Two of the most thrilling races involved Todd, one of the Seahawks’ most experienced swimmers. She swam neck-and-neck with Fort Myers’ Audrey Modglin before prevailing in the 200 IM with a time of 2:18.85.
Modglin, who trains with Todd often at Swim Florida, entered as the top seed. Todd managed to transition with greater success to the four different strokes – fly, back, breast and free.
“My fly is my strongest stroke,” Todd said. “I went out and kept it smooth so I could have more energy to work the backstroke and breastroke, my weaker strokes.”
Todd predicted another close race in the 100 butterfly and that’s how it unfolded with Todd touching the wall in a time of 1:02.08, while Fort Myers’ Abbi Tyler clocked 1:02.20.
Cotugno showed her sprinting strength by winning the 50 and 100 freestyle events. Smith, her teammate and close friend, finished second both times.
“I would never get mad at Meghan for beating me,” said a gracious Smith. “She’s my best friend and I know whenever I swim against her, coming in second is like a win.”
The Ida Baker Bulldogs finished sixth in the boys’ and girls’ standings. They picked up their first ever LCAC title Tuesday when the diving competition was held at North Fort Myers.
Freshman Sean O’Connor took the title in boys’ one-meter diving. He is one of only two divers for the Bulldogs.
“It was huge being the first win in Baker history,” Bulldogs swimming coach Sue Postma said. “We have quite a bit of interest in our diving program now.”
Cape’s Jeanette Conrad took first in girls’ diving.
Girls LCAC Meet
Team scores – 1. Cape Coral 541, 2. Fort Myers 469, 3. Riverdale 280, 4. South Fort Myers 175, 5. Cypress Lake 129, 6. Ida Baker 127, 7. Estero 126, 8. North Fort Myers 123, 9. Dunbar 55, 10. Island Coast 25, 11. Lehigh 4, 11. Mariner 4.
Individual Results
200 medley relay – 1. Cape Coral 1:59.37, 2.Fort Myers 2:00.74, 3. Riverdale 2:08.40. 200 free – 1. Dubrasky (E) 1:53.14, 2. Martinez (FM) 1:54.02, 3. Olivia Langford (CC) 2:01.90. 200 IM – 1. Christina Todd (CC) 2:18.85, 2. Modglin (FM) 2:19.48, 3. Wilson (FM) 2:24.19. 50 free – 1. Meghan Cotugno (CC) 25.84, Lauren Smith (CC) 26.78, 3. Gabby Ortega (FM) 28.15. Diving – 1. Jeanette Conrad (CC) 321.60, 2. Rebecca Schreiber (CC) 295.60, 3. Krista McAloose (FM) 266.35. 100 fly – 1. Todd (CC) 1:02.08, 2. Tyler (FM) 1:02.20, 3. Modglin (FM) 1:02.61. 100 free – 1. Cotugno (CC) 55.68, 2. Smith (CC) 59.33, 3. Michaela Steakley (CC) 1:00.52. 500 free – 1. Dubrasky (E) 4:56.00, 2. Martinez (FM) 4:56.17, 3. O. Langford (CC) 5:23.58. 200 free relay – 1. Cape Coral 1:49.96, 2. Riverdale 1:53.53, 3. Fort Myers 1:53.68. 100 back – 1. Tyler (FM) 1:05.63, 2. Tara Murza (CC) 1:08.07, 3. Steakley (CC) 1:08.67. 100 breast – 1. Wilson (FM) 1:15.01, 2. Brown (CL) 1:15.27, 3. Shirley Langford (CC) 1:17.45. 400 free relay – 1. Cape Coral 3:47.19, 2. Fort Myers 3:49.18, 3. Riverdale 4:34.50.
Boys LCAC Meet
Team scores – 1. Fort Myers 548, 2. Cape Coral 418, 3. North Fort Myers 211, 4. Estero 205, 5. South Fort Myers 145, 6. Ida Baker 141, 7. Mariner 123, 8. Riverdale 119, 9. Dunbar 107, 9. Cypress Lake 107, 11. Lehigh 1.
Individual Results
200 medley relay – 1. Cape Coral 1:47.77, 2. Fort Myers 1:50.50, 3. North Fort Myers 1:51.96. 200 free – 1. Swanbeck (FM) 1:45.56, 2. Messuri (FM) 1:51.32, 3. Kurland (FM) 1:54.74. 200 IM – 1. Snew (E) 1:59.76, 2. Wilson (FM) 2:02.47, 3. Graham Murza (CC) 2:10.03. 50 free – 1. Nunez (FM) FM) 21.61, 2. Therrien (FM) 22.76, 3. Bourne (D) 23.62. Diving – 1. Sean O’Connor (IB) 357.25, 2. Susnar (FM) 299.45, 3. Jacon Holzapfel (M) 277.20. 100 fly – 1. Wilson (FM) 54.04, 2. Snew (E) 54.44, 3. Greg Bowser (NFM) 56.30. 100 free – 1. Nunez (FM) 47.95, 2. Nick Keating (CC) 52.72, 3. Antonio Alvarez (CC) 53.05. 500 free – 1. Bowser (NFM) 4:54.26, 2. Kyle Marshall (NFM) 4:55.63, 3. Alvarado (FM) 5:18.11. 200 free relay – 1. Fort Myers 1:30.13, 2. Cape Coral 1:38.46, 3. Ida Baker 1:41.28. 100 back – 1. Swanbeck (FM) 54.74, 2. Murza (CC) 59.26, 3. Keating (CC) 1:01.92. 100 breast – 1. Tyler Thresher (CC) 1:04.75, 2. Messuri (FM), 3. Marshall (NFM) 1:06.90. 400 free relay – 1. Fort Myers 3:18.02, 2. Estero 3:38.65, 3. Cape Coral 3:40.21.