THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 15, 1996 TAG: 9602130125
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 27 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY KEITH POMPEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
IF MAURY'S DOMINATION of the Eastern District swimming championships is an indication of what to expect in the Eastern Region, opponents beware.
Led by Evans Poston, Peter Herbert and Kevin Kresovich, the Commodores swam away with both the girls and the boys district titles Saturday at Old Dominion.
``Coming into the meet, there was pressure to win another title,'' Maury boys coach Lee Markley said.
``But the kids came through. And this is a young team. I look to see us get better in the next couple of years.''
But how will this young team perform in Saturday's first-ever Eastern Region event at the Princess Anne Recreation Center against teams from the Beach and Peninsula districts?
``I haven't seen what the other districts have, but we should fare fairly well,'' Markley said. ``I want us to do our best and see where we land.''
If Maury swims like it did Saturday, the Commodores could land in first place.
That night, Maury finished 68 points ahead of second-place Lake Taylor. The Commodores took first-place in eight of the 10 events.
Poston won the 50 freestyle (25:42 seconds) and the 100 freestyle (1:55.90). Herbert won the 100 backstroke (1:03:77) and the 100 butterfly (1:04.14). And Kresovich crushed the competition in the 200 freestyle (1:57.61), finishing 21 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.
Granby's 200 freestyle relay (1:47.81) should place at the regionals. The foursome of Aaron Vigenski, Maksim Smeljov, Sean Powers and Scott Wolfe won districts with ease.
Like the boys, Maury's girls dominated. They finished 239 points ahead of runner-up Lake Taylor, winning eight of the 10 events.
``This last championship felt great,'' said Maury coach Anne Laughner of her 26 swimmers making the finals. ``All my swimmers had a part in it.''
Alison McPhee took first in the 50 freestyle (26.99) and the 100 freestyle (1:01.99). Finishing two seconds ahead of her competition in both races, she should challenge for the regional titles.
The team of Joanna St. George, Helen Secrest, Jessica Kern and McPhee could win the 200 freestyle relay. The foursome won districts with a time of 1:52.11.
Lake Taylor's Kelley Harkins was the only non-Maury winner at districts.
She crushed her opponents in the 200 individual medley (2:28.58) and Harkins did the same in the 500 freestyle (5:47.70). ILLUSTRATION: EASTERN DISTRICT SWIMMING
Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
Maury's Christjan Gaudio strokes in the Eastern District meet.
by CNB