In a week filled with district competitions in multiple sports, two Hernando High golfers had standout performances, earning medalist honors.
At the District 2A-8 golf tournament held Oct. 29 at Silverthorn Country Club, Mason Morgan took the top spot on the boys’ side, while Katelyn Carlsen won for the girls.
Cotton Jackson added a third-placed showing for the boys, helping the Leopards take third overall and earn a spot for the entire team at regionals. Carlsen will also go to regionals individually.
The District 2A-6 swimming and diving meet took place on Oct. 21 at The Long Center in Clearwater. The Nature Coast girls finished second (298), followed by Weeki Wachee in third (214). Those two schools flipped spots on the girls’ side, with the Hornets second (314) and the Sharks third (234).
Weeki Wachee won the boys’ 200-yard medley relay, with Levy Andrusyshn, Daniel Moynihan, Nick Chany and Jase Kelly combining for a 1:57.11. Chany also won the boys’ 200 free (1:57.83) and 500 free (5:22.59), Andrusyshn did the same in the 200 IM (2:24.31) and 100 back (1:03.04).
Nature Coast’s Ellagrace Galioto took first in the girls’ 200 free (2:04.44) and 100 free (56.36), Elisa Bethke captured the girls’ 50 free (24.77) and 100 backstroke (1:00.75). Galioto, Bethke, Mariana Ocampo and Brainna Aviles were first in the girls’ 200-free relay (1:57.76) and 400-free relay (4:17.19).
In the boys’ 200-free relay, the Nature Coast team of Christos Hantzis, Rron Gojani, Antonio Strawcutter and Sal Leone placed first in a time of 1:52.04.
Hernando’s Lindsey Horn won the girls’ 100 breaststroke (1:15.69) and came in second place in the girls’ 100 free (59.89). Weeki Wachee’s Eleanor Kies was second in the girls’ 500 free (7:04.16). The top two finishers in individual races and the winning relays automatically advanced to regionals.
At-large regional qualifiers were 200-medley relays from the Weeki Wachee, Hernando, Central and Nature Coast girls and the Hernando and Nature Coast boys. In the girls’ 200-free relay, Weeki Wachee, Hernando and Central all advanced. Hernando and Weeki Wachee advanced for the boys. For the 400 free, it’s Hernando and Weeki Wachee’s girls and Weeki Wachee, Nature Coast and Hernando’s boys.
Also, Kies made it in the girls’ 200 free, Leone in the boys’ 200 IM, Kelly in the boys’ 50 free, Strawcutter in the 100 back, Moynihan in the boys’ 100 breast, and Aviles and Hernando’s Emma Claire Barr in the girls’ 100 fly.
Central’s Gabe Fogerty got in for the boys’ 100 fly and 100 back, as well as Brodee Hass in the boys’ 500 free, Hernando’s Ryleigh Ramsey in the girls’ 100 free, Willem Glasbrenner in the 100 back and Kaleb Russell in the boys’ 100 breast, Nature Coast’s Kaitlyn Kranz in the girls’ 500 free and Noah Zanios the boys’ 500 free, and Weeki Wachee’s Isabella Rodriguez and McKenna Genuardi both in the girls’ 100 breast.
Springstead qualified several swimmers to the Region 3A-2 meet. Parker Moore made it in the boys’ 200 free and 500 free, Karissa LaCorte in the girls’ 100 fly, Grace Appleton in the girls’ 500 free and 100 breast, Alexyz O’Connor in the girls’ 500 free, Hunter Yoder in the boys’ 500 free, Isabel Huddleston in the girls’ 100 back, along with the girls’ 200-free relay and both 400-free relays.
At the District 2A-3 cross country meet on Oct. 31 at Sandhill Boy Scout Reservation, Nature Coast’s girls finished seventh (189) and the boys placed eighth (230) to both qualify for regionals. Weeki Wachee’s boys were seventh (159) and qualified, as well.
Individually, Nature Coast’s Noah Carpenter was the highest boys’ finisher in fourth place with a time of 17:27.90. Hernando’s Aaron Wingfield came in sixth in 18:16.40, good enough to qualify for regionals by himself.
Springstead’s girls were fourth (129) in the District 3A-3 meet on Oct. 30 at Whispering Pines Park in Inverness. Lainee Mercer came in second in a time of 19:37.10. Springstead’s boys were sixth and Theodore Toler was the Eagles’ top runner in 11th (18:02.00). Both Springstead teams will move on to regionals.