The Coral Shores swimming and diving program swam away with a pair of district champions last week. Aaron Lykins defended his FHSAA 1A District 12 title in the 1-meter diving competition, earning an automatic bid to regionals in the process. Joining Lykins as a district champ is Layne Smith. Smith won silver at districts last season in the 500 freestyle event and took her place at the top of the podium with first place this year.
Smith’s performance in that event ensured a trip to regionals, and the senior distance specialist will need to tap into that stamina to compete in three more events at the regional event. She also qualified in the 200 freestyle individual race, in which she placed second at districts, as well as the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relay teams.
Joining Smith on relay teams will be Parks Dunn, Larkin Dunn and Sofia Figueredo. The girls placed fourth in the relay events. Figueredo will be busy as well, after qualifying for a pair of individual races. She was third in the 200 individual medley (IM) and fifth in the 100 breaststroke events. Larkin Dunn sprinted to a fourth-place district finish in the 50 freestyle race and Parks Dunn went the distance in the 500 free race, taking eighth place and claiming a spot at regionals.
Sofia Jackson, Mae Turner, Mackenzie Borguss and Stella Hodder teamed up in the 400 freestyle relay and finished sixth at districts. Their time qualified the team for regionals to round out the girls’ qualifying members.
Joining Lykins on the boys team at regionals will be Mark Porter, Mason Osipov, Jace Jackson and Tony Khioni. The crew placed third in the 200 free relay and fifth in the 400 freestyle relay, qualifying for regionals in both races.
The Conchs will also have plenty of representation at regionals after Key West’s strong performances at the FHSAA 2A Region 4 District 12 Championships. Qualifying for regionals on the girls’ team are a trio of relay teams. All three teams placed fourth and qualified for the next round of competition. The 200 medley crew of Mary Searcy, Amelia Korzen, Colbie Turner and Aly Camargo started things off. Korzen, Camargo, Molly Martinez and Christina Rice qualified in the 200 freestyle relay. Rice and Martinez then teamed up with Morgan Kennedy and Taylor Thomason in the 400 freestyle relay.
Rice and Camargo also qualified individually in the 50 freestyle event. At districts, Rice placed fourth while Camargo was sixth. Both will represent the Southernmost City at regionals. Rice also earned a lane in the 100 freestyle race with her quick fifth place finish at districts to make it four events for the freshman. Thomason was ninth in the 200 IM at districts with a time-qualifying regional bid and Korzen’s fifth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke event gave her a third event for regionals.
The Conch boys also qualified for regionals in all three relay events. The 200 medley team of Wesley Farrer, Andres Aguero, Kieran Smith and Hugo Blinckmann placed fourth at districts. Max Blinckmann, John Picco, Jacob Perez and Santiago Gonzalez earned bids to regionals with their third-place 400 freestyle relay finish. In the 200 freestyle relay, both Blinckmanns, Gonzalez and Sebastian Camargo placed fifth.
Multiple Conchs also qualified in individual races with quick times in their respective events. Hugo Blinckmann earned lanes in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke races. The multitalented junior placed sixth and ninth in the events at districts. Santiago Gonzalez will also be busy at regionals. Gonzalez was fifth in the 200 free and sixth in the 100 free events. Aguero’s seventh-place 200 IM finish was quick enough to qualify for regionals, as was Kieran Smith’s 10th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke race.
Coral Shores will compete at NSU University School Oct. 31 for its regional event. The Conchs race the following day at Gulliver Prep. Athletes who qualify for states will make the big trip to Ocala the following week.
