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Weber-Callahan qualifies for state

Ryan Lavner, Highlands Today

Lake Placid's Kevin Smit had a solid performance in several events for the Green Dragons in Saturday's Class 1A-Region 2 meet at Lake Highland Prep in Orlando.

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BY MARK PINSON

Highlands Today

Published: November 9, 2009

ORLANDO - Despite competing against some of the top swimmers and divers in the state, Lake Placid's Dylan Weber-Callahan and Edwin Velazquez managed to qualify for the Class 1A state finals next week in Orlando.

Weber-Callahan qualified in the 50-yard freestyle event after the Green Dragon junior swam a personal-best time of 22.87 in Saturday's Class 1A-Region 2 meet at Lake Highland Prep in Orlando.

Weber-Callahan's time was good enough for a 19th-place finish compared to the other regionals and earned him a spot in Saturday's 1A state finals at the YMCA pool in Orlando.

American Heritage's (Delray Beach) Paul Murray finished first overall in the 50 free with a time of 20.84

"Dylan had a good time and I'm glad he managed to qualify for the state meet," said Lake Placid coach Thomas Creel. "This regional is one of the toughest in the state and it is quite an accomplishment for Dylan to make it to state."

Weber-Callahan has his sights set on Michael Wilkes' school record of 21.74 in the 50 free and will attempt to break the mark at state.

"Dylan has lowered his times from districts to regionals and I think he has a good chance to break the school record," the Green Dragon coach said. "He has worked hard to improve his times and is peaking at the right time."

Velazquez qualified for the 1A state diving finals after the Green Dragon junior scored 351.35 points in 11 dives to finish fifth in Saturday's regional meet.

"Edwin had a solid day diving and making it to state will be a good experience for him," Creel said.

The Lake Placid boys team finished eighth at the 26-team regional meet with 113.50 points and the talented quartet of junior Matthew Padovano, junior Kevin Smit, junior Jerquaid Quinn and senior Robert Greene just missed qualifying for state in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:52.76.

The cutoff for qualifying for state was 1:47.04.

Callahan, Smit, Greene and David Samperi swam well but failed to qualify in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:36.13.

The Green Dragon girls finished 17th at the 25-team regional meet with 39 points despite a number of girls battling the flu.

Lake Placid senior Tammi Beach managed to swim a 27.26 in the 50 free, but the time wasn't fast enough to earn her a trip to state.

Beach, Rachel Cope, Shannon Viox and Shannon Cummings swam well in the 200 freestyle relay, but the Green Dragon quartet came up short of advancing.

"I'm proud of all our swimmers," said Creel. "Most of them lowered their times and if we were in a different regional we might have more swimmers moving on to state.

"We didn't have the numbers to contend for a regional team title this year, but we're going to continue to improve and the kids did the best they could and that's all a coach can ask for."

Avon Park's boys team, which didn't have anyone move on to state, finished 21st with 16.5 points.

Red Devil senior Will Odham made it to the regional finals in the 100 freestyle and swam a 57.06, while Avon Park sophomore Mitchell Guerndt competed in the 100 breaststroke and finished in 1:15.16.

Sebring competed in the Class 3A-Region 2 meet at Northeast High School in St. Petersburg on Saturday.

The Blue Streaks did not have any swimmer or diver advance to the Class 3A state finals.

Mark Pinson can be reached at 863-386-5837 or mpinson@highlandstoday.com

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