Zones Update Day 4
Zones Update Day 4: From Head Zone Coach Jimmy Smith
So the temperature was a cool 105, with strong winds and clear skies. The night started off with Lillie Anderson making her first podium with an 8th place finish in the 100 backstroke at 1:07.78. Jonathan Boland took 3rd spot in the 100 backstroke with a 1:00.34 and Elaine Zhou rounded out the backstroke events with a 6th place finish in 1:17.6.
In the breaststroke events, Nathan Delahunty started things with another podium appearance, finishing 8th in 1:11.5. Izzi Woodard also made the podium in 8th place with a 1:16.8, and Ben Spinek was the top breaststroker, claiming 3rd place in 1:07.4.
One of the closest individual event finishes was David Sweezer going 4:11.9 in the 400 free to take 3rd place at the very end of the race.
In 200 medley relay action, the 11-12 girls--Madelline Reilly, Emma Waters and Makenzie Blaakman--finished 12th and the boys nabbed 10th--Emerson DeFoor, Jonathan Frye, Ethan Thrasher and Brandon Meier. The 13-14 girls of Lillie Anderson, Elaine Zhou, Jessi Snover and Savannah Gaido raced to 6th. The boys of Walker Leftwich, Nathan Delahunty, John Kelly and David Sweezer scored the 5th place finish. The seniors girls of Caty Hueske, Izzi Woodard, Hannah Craig and Tori Angermeier placed 7th, while the boys of Travis Morrin, Ben Spinek, Jonathan Boland and John Slavens took 4th.
Tonight was also the parade night. The swimmers from the Palmetto State led the parade in early roman toga garb. They did such an outstanding job, the swimmers from Georgia also donned the toga and at one point, both teams chanted "toga, toga, toga" as they made their way around the pool deck.
The SCS contingent was then joined by none other than "speedo man" who, in cape and carrying the palmetto state flag, made his way around the pool leading the South Carolina swimmers in cheer. It was a sight!
Perhaps the highlight of the night, not swimming related, was the attempt by the DJ to get the swimmers out of the pool after the relay warm-up time. The DJ was playing "Party Rock" and as he turned the music down, to signal the swimmers to leave the pool, the SCS swimmers kept on singing... acapella. But the other swimmers didn’t leave the pool. So the music was turned up and the kids kept singing. Then Georgia joined in. The music was turned down a second time, and more acapella singing. SCS led the way and finally the DJ gave up and just let the song finish out. It was sight to see the swimmers from all the LSC’s follow SCS in cheer and dance. Thus far, this has truly been the best trip I have ever been on. Singing, dancing, fast swimming and "speedo man" made this an absolutely awesome night!
