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Swimming
+ Athletes place at FHSAA states
Durant and Strawberry Crest had swimmers compete in the FHSAA State Championships Saturday, Nov. 14.
DURANT
Katie Vasiloff won her second consecutive state championship in the 100 butterfly and immediately had to swim in the 50 free.
She ended up placing second, but the sophomore’s effort capped a solid day for the Cougars swim team.
Swimmers: Vasiloff (1st, 100 fly; 2nd, 50 free); Sean White (6th, 100 free, 17th, 200 IM); Christian Hofrichter (6th, 500 free; 11th, 200 free)
Divers: Marshall Seguin (15th, 1 mtr.)
STRAWBERRY CREST
How good was the Chargers’ day?
For starters, all of the swimmers placed in the top 16 in their events. This helped Crest become the No. 15 swimming program in Florida and, in the boys’ case, the best-performing team in Hillsborough County.
Although Celi Guzman, who was recently featured in the Plant City Times & Observer, didn’t win gold at states, she did take home the school’s first-ever bronze medal and, along with Zane Richardson, was first in school history to make a podium at states.
Swimmers: Guzman (3rd, 100 back; 12th, 100 fly); Zane Richardson (5th, 500 free; 15th, 200 free); Daniel Teske (10th, 100 fly; 11th, 100 back)
Team events: 200 medley relay (Ninth place: Alonzo Biala, Richardson, Teske, Kasen Van Fossen); 400 free relay (11th place: Teske, Biala, Van Fossen, Richardson)
Martial Arts
+ P.C. man on karate hot streak
On the karate tournament circuit, things have been going Mike Thomas’ way. The local karate student, 26, has been on a hot streak since late October.
He placed first in kata and fighting at the Blitz Mayan Challenge, held Oct. 23 and 24 in Fern Park. He then went to Miami Beach Nov. 6 and 7 for the Panamerican Internationals tournament, where he placed first in fighting.
Baseball
+ Three Raiders sign LOIs
On Thursday, Nov. 19, Plant City High School athletes Billy McKay, Brendan Shultz and Jarrett Joyner signed letters of intent to play collegiate baseball.
McKay, the ace/reliever hybrid, signed with University of Florida. Joyner signed with Southern Wesleyan University, in South Carolina. Shultz signed with St. Leo University.
