Nov 27 - Nov 29
Thanksgiving Vacation
All Day
Swimming and Diving Teams Earn First State Championship in Decades
November 12th 2019
The girls won for the first time in 29 years, and the boys won for the first time in 32 years.
Pine Crest dominated swimming and diving in the FHSAA in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s. These recent titles represent the 28th for the girls and 17th for the boys in School history.
In addition to their team titles, the following student-athletes earned individual titles(in order of competition):
- Diver Kevin Mendez ’22 won his fourth consecutive state championship. This ties him for the FHSAA record for consecutive individual championships in the same event.
- The girls’ 200-yard medley relay team of Julia Podkoscielny ’23, Sara Lin ’24, Esther Lin ’22, and Rachel Botting ’20 came in first.
- The boys’ 200-yard medley relay team of Elvis Kotikovski ’20, Joshua Hanks ’21, Will Taner ’20, and Luc Ferrara ’22
- Julia Podkoscielny ’23 won the 200-yard individual medley, setting a School record and resetting her own record from earlier this year.
- Joshua Hanks ’21 won the 200-yard individual medley, breaking the School record held by Matt Stahlman ’88, a mark that stood for 32 years.
- Rachel Botting ’20 won the 50-yard freestyle.
- In the girls’ 100-yard freestyle, Pine Crest swept the top three places. Andrea Santander ’20, the 2018 1A State Champion, won the event. Rachel Botting ’20 was second, and Isabella Chambers ’23 finished third.
- The girls’ 200 freestyle relay team of Andrea Santander ’20, Rachel Botting ’20, Hanna Elks Smith ’22, and Isabella Chambers ’23 placed first.
- Julia Podkoscielny ’23 won her second individual event in the 100-yard backstroke, breaking the School record, and resetting her own record from earlier this year.
- Will Taner ’20 and Elvis Kotikovski ’20 finished first and second respectively in the 100-yard backstroke.
- Joshua Hanks ’21 won his second state title in the 100-yard breaststroke, setting a 34-year-old School record held by Michael Glassman ’86.
- The girls’ 400-yard freestyle relay team of Julia Podkoscielny ’23, Andrea Santander ’20, Riley Botting ’23, and Isabella Chambers ’23 came in first.
- The boys’ 400-yard freestyle relay team of Will Taner ’20, Jimmy Hart ’20, Elvis Kotikovski ’20, and Luc Ferrara ’22 earned first place.
Congratulations, and GO PANTHERS!
