Hernando High
Girls Swimming
By Chris Bernhardt Jr. | Hernando Today
Published: December 23, 2012
Swimmer of the YearPublished: December 23, 2012
Monica Surrena
200-yard freestyle/200-yard IM/100-yard butterfly/500-yard freestyle
Springstead, Junior
COMMENTS: Three-time Swimmer of the Year and All-County selection … Third straight year she was the only county girl to reach a regional championship final, each time in the 200 free … This year at the 2A-II Meet, she came in fourth with a school record of 2:01.13 … Has improved her regional performance each season (fifth in 2011, 2:04.05; sixth in 2010, 2:05.30) … Also made the 2A-II championship finals in the 500 free, producing a sixth-place 5:27.21 that was the county's fastest time … At 2A-5 Meet, took second in the 200 (2:03.47) and third in the 500 (5:34.75) … Swam the best time in the county in the 200 IM (1:10.91) on Oct. 11, in a meet against Lecanto at Bicentennial Park … Did the same in the 100 fly (2:27.69) in a Sept. 13 meet against Bishop McLaughlin at Hudson's Veterans Memorial Park.
QUOTES: "As always, she worked all season long to get where she was. We were both a little disappointed in her not making the state meet. But I'm still happy with her times and how she performed all season, and at the regional meet. … She's going to continue swimming year-round with TBAY (Tampa Bay Aquatics), and we'll see what high school swimming holds for us next year."
- Springstead head coach Wayne Withington
Crystal Burchhardt
50-yard freestyle
Nature Coast, Junior
COMMENTS: Swam the county's fastest time in the 50 free, a 29.26 to win the consolation final in the 2A-5 Meet and take ninth place overall … Also competed in cross-country, posting the second fastest time in the county … An All-County selection in track and field last spring for having the best time in the 1,600 meter.
QUOTES: "Crystal, she had a tough season. She went to states in cross-country at the same time as she was trying to swim. She was coming off an injury, an injured hip in the summer. We only put her in the 50, and the 100 a couple of times, so she wasn't injuring herself in the 50, which she wanted to qualify for states in. … In all my years, I've learned in training and swimming, it's cross-training. That's what brought her times down in running and swimming."
- Nature Coast head coach Robert Rasmussen
Allyson Fielder
100-yard freestyle
Springstead, Freshman
COMMENTS: The county's fastest swimmer in the 100 free, notching a 1:00.87 when she finished fourth in that race at the 2A-5 Meet … Came in 19th at 2A-II Meet (1:01.34) … Though in her first year on the prep level, one of the more seasoned local swimmers based on her previous club experience.
QUOTES: "As a freshman, she had a great year coming in. I'm looking forward to having her next year and hoping she gets much better. … Just her attitude with swimming (makes her successful). I believe she enjoys it and she does swim year-round. … She was a good all-around swimmer, but her best was the 100 free. That's the one she chose, that's the one she prefers and we just worked on that."
- Springstead head coach Wayne Withington
Lida Marie Steinkamp
100-yard breaststroke
Hernando, Junior
COMMENTS: Came on strong at the end of the season, posting the county's fastest time in the 100 breast, a 1:25.79 during the 2A-5 prelims … Came in eighth in the district finals, swimming a 1:27.47 … Placed 24th at regionals with a 1:26.94.
QUOTES: "Lida Marie, she was kind of a surprise. She was a first-year swimmer, but she's really self-motivated and really pushes herself hard in practice. It's no surprise she'd do well, but it was a surprise to see her do as well as she did. … That's the stroke she kind of felt comfortable with going into the season, so we pushed it hard in practice. … As she gains experience, I really look for her to do really well. Next year we're hoping to continue to focus on the breaststroke. I also think she shows a lot of promise as a sprinter."
- Hernando head coach Steve Francher
Paisley Whitaker
100-yard backstroke
Hernando, Junior
COMMENTS: Repeat All-County selection … Paced the county in the 100 back for the second year in a row, swimming a season best of 1:12.11 during prelims of the 2A-II Meet, placing her 19th … She also qualified for regionals in the 100 free, finishing in 20th (1:01.37) … Advanced to regionals as a freshman in the 100 back … Improved upon last year's season best in that race, 1:14.82.
QUOTES: "I think Paisley had a really good season. She really pushed herself hard this year. She's one of those who is self-motivated and pushes herself really hard, and it kind of paid off for her. … Her positive attitude is contagious to the rest of the team. ... Next year we're hopeful she'll shave a couple seconds off. If she keeps that up, we're hopeful she'll go a little farther."
- Hernando head coach Steve Francher
Relays
Whitaker, Steinkamp, Autumn Smith, Summer Solovitch
200-yard medley
Hernando
COMMENTS: These four combined for a 2:16.21 in the 2A-II prelims, the best time in the county this season … Placed 13th in that prelim, but scratched out in the consolation final … Took fourth in 2A-5 (2:16.34) … Same group qualified for regionals in the 400-free relay, taking 13th in the prelim (4:29.83) and scratching out in the consolation final.
QUOTES: "I think that was a successful combination. There was Autumn Smith in the fly, that's what she was strong in, and the other girls in the strokes they were strong in. It helped build their endurance. … Even though things didn't finish the way we wanted to, we're hoping to keep those girls together for next year. I think they still have some room to grow and improve their times as we go into next season."
- Hernando head coach Steve Francher
Fielder, Sara Overa, Rebecca Glidden, Surrena
200-yard freestyle/400-yard freestyle
Springstead
COMMENTS: In the 200 free, teamed for the county's fastest time of 1:54.07 in 2A-II prelims, and placed 11th overall with a 1:55.50 in the consolation final … Placed fourth in 2A-5 (1:55.22) … Had the county's best time in the 400 free (4:13.37), also in the 2A-II prelims, and likewise took 11th combining for a 4:14.34 in that consolation final … Finished fourth in 2A-5 in that race, as well (4:16.73).
QUOTES: "They worked well as a team. They seemed to push each other each time they swam a relay. … In the pool, they meshed well together. When they swam, it showed. For just swimming high school (as a relay), they really seemed to work well together. … Hopefully we'll keep them together and hopefully they'll improve on their times and go further."
- Springstead head coach Wayne Withington
Coach of the Year
Wayne Withington
Springstead, 2nd year
COMMENTS: Repeat Coach of the Year selection … Guided the Lady Eagles to another undefeated season within the county (5-0, facing Nature Coast twice) and a 9-2 overall mark … Springstead's girls tied for fourth in 2A-5 (162) and placed 13th in 2A-II (52).
QUOTES: "It means a lot, especially not having to compete with my wife (former Central head coach Julie Withington). She had it for so many years, now I have a chance to get it. … I was very pleased with how everybody swam. The freshmen and first-time swimmers stepped up and swam very well. I look forward to seeing them next year. … I'm happy with this year. I had a little higher expectations for some of the swimmers, but they still performed at their best and I'm proud of each and every one of them."
- Withington
cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com (352) 544-5288