Liberty County Hammerhead swimmers Sandra Scott and McKaylin Darsey placed well at the Edwin C. Cuttino Memorial meet at the Chatham Aquatic Center on June19-21, earning bids to the State 14U championships on July 24-25 in Atlanta.
Guided by swim coach Donna Hooe, both girls said they’d like some day to qualify for an Olympic team.
Scott took second place in the 50-meter breast stroke, 50-meter free style and 50-meter back stroke, giving her the nod for state with times of 47.26, 34.83 and42.36 seconds respectively. She placed fourth in the 200-meter free style and third in the 100-meter brest stroke. She has qualified for every event available in the 10U age group.
Darsey had a best time in the 100-meter back stroke coming in at1:29.74 and had a solid 50-meter free style time at 37.71. On the second day of competition she had two personal best times in the 50-meter back stroke (44.68) and the 100-meter free style (1:23.55). She qualified to swim the 200-meter back stroke and 8oo-meter free style at State for the 11-12 age group.
Robert Hooe took more than 30 seconds off his previous 200- meter inter-mediate relay time coming in at 4:56.59. He shaved nine seconds off his 100-meter back stroke finishing at 2:14.75, and had a solid finish in the 50-meter free style coming in at 49.17.
Coach Hooe placed well in the 15 and over age category heat. She finished the 200-meter inter-mediate at 3:15.84, the 100-meter free style in 1:15.18 and the 200-meter back stroke in 3:16.97. Later she folowed those results up with two personal best times in the 100-meter back stroke (1:33.21), and the 400-meter free style (5:49.72).
Two other Liberty swimmers, Dakota Woods and Gatlin Woods, who swim for Georgia Coastal Aquatic Team, also placed well.
Dakota Woods went 2:47.44 in the 200 IM, 1:08.81 in the 100-meter free style, 29.92 in the 50-meter free style, 2:33.28 in the 200-meter free style and 1:25.97 in the 100-meter brest stroke.
Gatlin Woods went 1:15.35 in the 100-meter free style, 3:20.94 in the 200-meter brest stroke and 33.29 in the 50-meter free style.
The competition in the 13-14 and 15-over age groups was fierce with a strong contingent of swimmers from Virginia, Florida and South Carolina at this meet.