Swimmers, divers earn state berths
The results are in, and as anticipated, several Cape Coral area swimmers and divers qualified for Thursday’s Class 2A state meet at the Central Florida YMCA Aquatic Center.
Ida Baker freshman diver Sean O’Connor received an automatic berth by placing in the top two during last Thursday’s Region 4-2A Meet at Florida Gulf Coast University. In other events, only the regional champion received an automatic berth with the other spots determined based on a statewide comparison. The FHSAA’s selection sheet was finalized Sunday.
Cape High junior Jeanette Conrad and senior Rebecca Schreiber are among the 24 qualifiers in diving. Conrad posted the 13th top score in regionals, and Schreiber finished 17th.
It’s the second straight year the Seahawks have sent divers to state with Carlos Alvarez making it last year under coach Robert Schneider.
“I’m so pleased with the diving program,” Cape High swimming coach Dianne Kimble said. “Coach Schneider has done an amazing job. The girls are just phenomenal and bring so much enthusiasm. It’s just a pleasure to watch them.”
O’Connor will represent the Bulldogs in diving. He enters with the ninth best regional score and is the first Baker swimmer or diver to qualify for state.
Cape qualified several swimmers on both the boys and girls side, including three relay teams.
Juniors Graham Murza, Tyler Thresher, Nick Keating and seniors Ryan Cichielo and Antonio Alvarez make up the 200 medley relay team. Murza and Thresher each qualified individually in the 100 backstroke and 100 breastroke, respectively.
The Seahawks have three girls – senior Christina Todd (200 IM, 100 butterfly), senior Meghan Cotugno (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle), and sophomore Olivia Langford (200 freestyle and 500 freestyle) – competing in two events.
Todd, Cotugno, Langford and senior Lauren Smith lead the Seahawks in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
“You never know when you move into a new class,” Kimble said. “I’m really excited having as many kids as we did qualify and move on.”