Niceville girls crowned champs as area swim teams impress at districts
Local teams competed in their respective district meets all day Friday in hopes of qualifying for regional competition.
At the District 1-2A meet hosted by Washington, some of the area’s big schools posted some impressive times and have already stamped their ticket to the regional round with a top eight finish individually or a top 16 finish as a relay team. Though, due to slow posting by the FHSAA, some of the area’s regional qualifying relay teams are to be determined and the Daily News will run them when they are finalized. Those that won their respective relay outright move on automatically.
Niceville’s girls took first place with 302 points, knocking off a Mosley team that had a strangle hold on the district title for the past seven years.
“They did a super phenomenal job,” Niceville coach Kathy Ritacco said. “I knew that we had a shot at this, but I didn’t want to get overly excited. They swam so well all season.”
The Eagles have Haley McWilliams moving on with a third place finish in the 200 free and a first place finish in the 500 free, where she edged out Choctawhatchee’s Olivia Strom by .20 seconds in a swim described by Fort Walton Beach coach Pam Braseth as “beautiful.”
Niceville’s girl qualifiers include: Milbrey Parke (200 IM, 100 breast), Alexa Birmingham (200 IM, 100 fly), Rachel Gold (100 butterfly, 100 free), Phoebe Anders (100 back) and Alex Messmore (500 free). The lone relay team at the meet that locked up a regional bid was the Eagles’ 400 free relay team that took first.
Fort Walton Beach’s girls finished fifth overall with 227 points. Qualifiers for the Viking girls include: Emma Gladstone (200 free, 500 free), Brooke Arrington (50 free, 100 free), Katherine Stone (50 free), Megan Drake (Diving), Courtney Frye (Diving), Cathryn Laird (Diving).
Choctaw’s girls finished sixth with 182 points. Choctaw qualifiers include: Olivia Strom (200 free, 500 free), Amelia Strom (200 IM, 100 breast), Emma Strom (100 butterfly, 100 back).
Navarre came in ninth with 157.5 points. The Raiders’ qualifiers include: Taylor Day (50 free), Cat Bower (100 free, 100 breast) and Teresa Parsons (500 free).
The Viking boys took third overall with 287 points behind Washington (308.5) and champion Mosley’s (505). Fort Walton Beach qualifiers include: Levi Wilke (200 free, 500 free), Michael Holland (200 free, 100 butterfly), Frank Bruechner (200 IM, 100 free), Zachary Duval (Diving), Cody Haeusler (100 free), Nicholas Miller (100 back) and Justin Hunt (100 breast).
Niceville’s boys placed fifth with 213 points and their qualifiers include: Chaz Brechler (200 IM, 500 free), Matt Markwardt (200 IM, 100 breast), Cody McWilliams (500 free), Chase Turner (100 back) and Bradley Ringer (100 back).
Navarre placed seventh with 136 points. Their qualifiers include: Chris Hodge (200 IM), Chandler Moorer (50 free) and Forrest Kiefer (100 back).
Choctaw’s boys took 10th with 82 points and had no individual qualifiers.
In District 1-1A Rocky Bayou Christian’s boys and girls both placed seventh. But the Knights got individual regional qualifiers in Suzi Sober (50 free, 100 free) and Elizabeth Sober (50 free, 100 free) and like many, are still awaiting relay results.
