Sectionals, Ft. Lauderdale: Area Tallahassee Takes Home Team Title

 
USA Swimming Sectionals, Ft. Lauderdale: Area Tallahassee, Westminster Academy Take Home Women's, Men's Titles -- July 15, 2012

FT. LAUDERDALE, Florida, July 15. AREA Tallahassee ran away with the women's team title by more than 400 points, while Westminster Academy edged Metro Aquatic Club by just 30 points to win the men's meet in Ft. Lauderdale.

The last evening of competition kicked off with the women's 200m fly, where Metro Aquatic Club's Isa Paez had a huge third 50 to pull away from her heat and win in 2:16.24, with Area Tallahassee's Alex Merritt in second at 2:18.42. Chris Herfurth of Lake Lytal placed third in 2:20.55. Max Abreu of Westminster Academy claimed the men's event in 2:04.36. Scott Fortier of Area Tallahassee turned in a 2:05.06 for second while Yousef Alaskari of Davie Nadadores claimed third (2:06.28).

Tiffany Oliver, competing unattached, swam the fastest time of the women's 100m free, a 57.05. Harper Bruens of Fla Aquatics finished a half second back in 57.55. Lauren Driscoll of Swim Ft. Lauderdale also broke 58 with a 57.90 for third. Yousef Alaskari returned in the next event to win a close race in the men's 100m free. Alaskari touched in 52.85, a tenth ahead of Indiana's Nicholas Schwab (52.95) and Hafnarfjordur's Orri Freyr Gudmundsson (52.96).

Emily Kopas of Davie Nadadores built a solid lead over the first half of the women's 200m breast and extended it to almost four seconds with a winning time of 2:34.42. Swim Ft. Lauderdale's Lauren Driscoll swam a 2:38.31 took second, followed by Julington Creek's Danielle Gordon (2:42.65). It was a similar story in the men's race as Swim Ft. Lauderdale's Ryan Rosenbaum won by more than four seconds in 2:21.82. Luke Torres of South Florida Aquatics placed second in 2:26.31, with Christopher Downing of Charles River right on his heels at 2:26.37.

Golden Panther's Johanna Gustafsdottir added another win to her collection with the top time in the women's 200m back. After winning the 200m IM last night, Gustafsdottir swam a 2:17.52 to defeat NTC Aquatics' Margaret Hohne (2:19.46) and Santa Clara's Justine Ress (2:20.32). Ress' brother, Eric, took home the men's title in 2:00.98. Carlos Omana of Metro Aquatic Club finished a distant second in 2:04.01, while West Florida's Matthew Thompson took third in 2:04.92.

Two distance freestyle events closed out the individual events on the schedule, with the women's 800m and men's 1500m free. Saint Petersburg's Autumn Finke brought home her first win of the meet with an 8:54.43, ahead of Adirondack's Stephanie Nasson (8:58.27) and Davie Nadadores' Lani Cabrera (9:05.62). Logan Samuelson of Swim Florida dominated the men's mile, winning by more than 21 seconds in 16:07.56. Cameron Chambers of Shark Aquatics swam a 16:28.58 for second, while Thomas Veale came in third at 16:34.61.

Area Tallahassee put the icing on the cake of their women's team title with a win in the 4x100m free relay. Alex Merritt, CeCe Williams, Alyssa Yambor-Maul and Delaney Barnard swam a 3:58.20 to take first. Westminster Academy's quartet of Nick Schuttinger, John Walsh, Nick Carter and Austin Saunder earned the win in the men's relay with a 3:30.55.