County holds 8 state swim champs
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The Douglas County swim team ended the 2008-09 season on several high notes at the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association Class A state championships.
Six individual and two relay state championships were won at the Lakeshore Natatorium in Carrollton. The GRPA is mainly a summer swim league, but several year-round swimmers competed.
Douglas County had three swimmers – Kamaria Mahone, Chloe Miller and Jesse Crews – to win two individual state titles each. Mahone and Miller were also part of two 10-and-under age group relay championships.
Mahone won the 25-yard backstroke (15.21 seconds) and breaststroke (17.11) championships while Miller captured the 25 freestyle (13.51) and butterfly (13.82) titles. Crews, 17, won the 15-18 50-yard backstroke in 27.08 seconds and the 50 butterfly 24.8 seconds.
He also teamed with Will Gay, Evan Harte and Sean Morin to finish second in the 200 medley relay. The foursome finished third in the 200 freestyle relay.
On the girls’ side, Mahone and Miller teamed with Emma Gwin and MacKenzie Buck to win the 100 medley relay and 100 freestyle relay. In the 100 freestyle, the swimmers were 1.56 seconds away from setting a new record.
Two weeks ago, the foursome broke the District V record in qualifying for the state-wide championship. They finished the 100 medley relay at the state championship in 1:01.33, which was 2.04 seconds from a state record.
“I’m very excited about what we were able to accomplish,” Douglas County Stingrays coach Judy Prokopiak said. “This was a great way to end the season. The 10-and-under girls did what I sort of expected and the senior swimmers really did well.”
The county’s success wasn’t just limited to those swimmers. Gwin placed fourth with a time of 14.08 in the 25 freestyle. Emily Najar was runner-up in the 100 Individual Medley at 1:12.62 while also swimming a 14.63 to finish second in the butterfly.
Jack Moore, 7, was fifth in the 25-yard backstroke (19.46) in the 7-8 age group championships. The girls 7-8 100 freestyle relay team of Riley Hagy, Danielle Melilli, Madison Fundora and Lauren Krotz had a time of 1:10.89 to finish fourth.
“I’m happy with the progress the swimmers made throughout the season,” Prokopiak said. “We have made dramatic leaps this season. We use to make baby steps, but this year was incredible. The level of achievements was great.”
Besides Crews accomplishments, several other swimmers in the 11-and-over age groups did well at the GRPA state meet. Bailee Spivey, 13, was seventh in the 100-yard freestyle.
The 12-and-under girls’ 200-yard medley relay team of Kalie Whiddon, Morgan Leahey, Gina Colombo and Lauryn Hall placed seventh. Whiddon, 12, was sixth in the 50 freestyle while sister, Brittany, placed in the top eight in the 50 and 100 freestyle events in the 15-18 age group.
Kalie Whiddon was sixth in the 50 backstroke.
Rounding out the girls’ side was Michelle Kuhlmann’s fifth place finish in the 13-14 50 backstroke and Elizabeth Evans’ fifth place finish in the 15-18 50 butterfly.
On the boys’ side, Harte was eighth in the 50 backstroke and third in the 100 IM. Gay was eighth in the 100 IM event. Morin took fifth in the 100 freestyle.
“We have seen a lot from our team, from beginners to swimmers being nationally ranked,” Prokopiak said. “We are definitely a well-rounded group.”
With the conclusion of the GPRA championships, the Douglas County Stingrays will take a break from practice and competition until training sessions begin Aug. 17 at the Boundary Water Aquatics Center. This past season, the Stingrays had four swimmers win championships in the long-course, short course and GRPA state meets and four relay championships.
Prokopiak said the bar has been set high for next season, but she expects the team to keep soaring to new heights.
“We have to keep doing what we have to do,” she said. “We have to continue to be unique in our training methods and keep developing skills for everybody to be successful.”
Anyone interested in joining the team should contact Prokopiak at jProkopiak@douglascountystingrays.org or visit the website www.douglascountystingrays.org.
Six individual and two relay state championships were won at the Lakeshore Natatorium in Carrollton. The GRPA is mainly a summer swim league, but several year-round swimmers competed.
Douglas County had three swimmers – Kamaria Mahone, Chloe Miller and Jesse Crews – to win two individual state titles each. Mahone and Miller were also part of two 10-and-under age group relay championships.
Mahone won the 25-yard backstroke (15.21 seconds) and breaststroke (17.11) championships while Miller captured the 25 freestyle (13.51) and butterfly (13.82) titles. Crews, 17, won the 15-18 50-yard backstroke in 27.08 seconds and the 50 butterfly 24.8 seconds.
He also teamed with Will Gay, Evan Harte and Sean Morin to finish second in the 200 medley relay. The foursome finished third in the 200 freestyle relay.
On the girls’ side, Mahone and Miller teamed with Emma Gwin and MacKenzie Buck to win the 100 medley relay and 100 freestyle relay. In the 100 freestyle, the swimmers were 1.56 seconds away from setting a new record.
Two weeks ago, the foursome broke the District V record in qualifying for the state-wide championship. They finished the 100 medley relay at the state championship in 1:01.33, which was 2.04 seconds from a state record.
“I’m very excited about what we were able to accomplish,” Douglas County Stingrays coach Judy Prokopiak said. “This was a great way to end the season. The 10-and-under girls did what I sort of expected and the senior swimmers really did well.”
The county’s success wasn’t just limited to those swimmers. Gwin placed fourth with a time of 14.08 in the 25 freestyle. Emily Najar was runner-up in the 100 Individual Medley at 1:12.62 while also swimming a 14.63 to finish second in the butterfly.
Jack Moore, 7, was fifth in the 25-yard backstroke (19.46) in the 7-8 age group championships. The girls 7-8 100 freestyle relay team of Riley Hagy, Danielle Melilli, Madison Fundora and Lauren Krotz had a time of 1:10.89 to finish fourth.
“I’m happy with the progress the swimmers made throughout the season,” Prokopiak said. “We have made dramatic leaps this season. We use to make baby steps, but this year was incredible. The level of achievements was great.”
Besides Crews accomplishments, several other swimmers in the 11-and-over age groups did well at the GRPA state meet. Bailee Spivey, 13, was seventh in the 100-yard freestyle.
The 12-and-under girls’ 200-yard medley relay team of Kalie Whiddon, Morgan Leahey, Gina Colombo and Lauryn Hall placed seventh. Whiddon, 12, was sixth in the 50 freestyle while sister, Brittany, placed in the top eight in the 50 and 100 freestyle events in the 15-18 age group.
Kalie Whiddon was sixth in the 50 backstroke.
Rounding out the girls’ side was Michelle Kuhlmann’s fifth place finish in the 13-14 50 backstroke and Elizabeth Evans’ fifth place finish in the 15-18 50 butterfly.
On the boys’ side, Harte was eighth in the 50 backstroke and third in the 100 IM. Gay was eighth in the 100 IM event. Morin took fifth in the 100 freestyle.
“We have seen a lot from our team, from beginners to swimmers being nationally ranked,” Prokopiak said. “We are definitely a well-rounded group.”
With the conclusion of the GPRA championships, the Douglas County Stingrays will take a break from practice and competition until training sessions begin Aug. 17 at the Boundary Water Aquatics Center. This past season, the Stingrays had four swimmers win championships in the long-course, short course and GRPA state meets and four relay championships.
Prokopiak said the bar has been set high for next season, but she expects the team to keep soaring to new heights.
“We have to keep doing what we have to do,” she said. “We have to continue to be unique in our training methods and keep developing skills for everybody to be successful.”
Anyone interested in joining the team should contact Prokopiak at jProkopiak@douglascountystingrays.org or visit the website www.douglascountystingrays.org.
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