THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 8, 1996 TAG: 9602060109
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN COMPASS SPORTS EDITOR M AURY SWIMMERS Alison McPhee and Kevin Kresovich boast perfect records in the Eastern District this season and are among the favorites to repeat as league champions.
The district tournament begins today at 3 p.m. at Maury's pool with preliminary competition. Finals are Saturday night at 6:30 at Old Dominion. The top six finishers in each event and the top three relay teams advance to the first-ever regional for this area, scheduled for Feb. 17 at Princess Anne Recreation Center.
Maury continues to be the class of the district led by McPhee, a senior, who is 27-0 overall on the season and Kresovich, a sophomore, who is 9-0 in the district. McPhee is the defending district champ in the 50 freestyle and she is only three one-hundredths of a second off the school-record time of 26.88 seconds.
``I really want to break the record in the 50 free,'' says McPhee as coach Ann Laughner walks by and tells her to relax. McPhee admits to struggling with nerves before every meet.
At an earlier meet in the season, McPhee decided to go after the record, and when Laughner saw her shaking in the blocks, she knew something was wrong. ``I told her, it'll happen. Give it time.''
Carrie Richardson, Maury's only year-round swimmer, is expected to compete in the 200 and 500 free, where she could meet Lake Taylor's Kelley Harkins. Harkins, who swims for the Old Dominion Aquatic Club, is 16-0 in the district.
``I'd like to swim her,'' says Richardson, who did not swim the same events as Harkins in the Lake Taylor/Maury dual meets earlier in the season. ``But I know she has a lot faster time in the 500. It could be discouraging, but I'd like to see if I could beat her.''
Others to watch for the Titans include Erin Harkins, the defending champ in the 200 individual medley, Nicole Raney (breaststroke and IM) and Chavela Manuel (butterfly).
Granby girls swim coach Judy Martin says senior Sarah McCall has one of the top times in the district in the 100 backstroke (1:18) and junior Erin Ewald could do well in the 500 free (6:58). Freshman Shannon Jones is one of the bright spots on a young team.
``She can swim almost anything,'' Martin says. ``Her 100 free was 1:08 her last time out.''
Martin said the last few weeks have been a setback for Granby because the team was unable to practice after the heater gave out at Colonial Boys Club.
``It was a major, major problem,'' she says. ``When we go to taper, we're hoping for the best.''
On the boys side, Maury only returned six swimmers from last year's district championship team, but the Commodores continue to dominate.
Kresovich would like to swim the 200 free and the 100 breaststroke, although he's developed a fondness for distance events.
``I like distance events because it's easier to see an improvement in time,'' said Kresovich, who also swims for a year-round team.
Others to watch for Maury are district champ Christjan Gaudio (500 free), Evan Poston, undefeated in the 200 free, and backstroker Peter Herbert.
Lake Taylor senior Theo Weaver is the top freestyler in the Eastern District, says coach Scott Evans, and he anchors the 200 medley relay and the 400 free relay.
Norview boys coach Roy Bruner says although he expects Maury to run away with the team championship, he sees Norview as a potential spoiler in a few events.
``I expect Tony Langston to do well in the 50 free, and I also think he was the fastest time in the backstroke,'' Bruner said.
Langston's competition in the backstroke could come from Granby's Aaron Vigenski. Vigenski swims the 500 free in 6:06 and the 100 back in 1:08.
``He didn't swim backstroke before the end of last season,'' Granby coach Deborah Bayles said. ``Then we found out he's a backstroker.''
Booker T. Washington continues to have poor depth with only five boys and two girls on the swim teams. But first-year coach Amy Barrineau looks for strong individual performances at districts. Sophomore Bradley Grower is competitive in the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly, and junior Bang Nguyen's strengths are the 200 free and 100 breaststroke. Junior Christine Operio is Barrineau's most improved swimmer, having taken 10 seconds off her 100 free, which is now a 1:35. ILLUSTRATION: EASTERN DISTRICT SWIMMING
Staff photos by VICKI CRONIS
Maury's Katie Connors dives into the pool to start the 100
breaststroke event that she won in the Commodores' recent meet
against Norview.
Maury's Helen Secrest takes a break after winning the 50 freestyle
and the 100 butterfly against Norview.
by CNB