 A super exciting Class 1A High School Swimming & Diving Championships in Orlando on Saturday, November 10 was just the tip of what was said around the pool deck as there were 5 National Records and 4 State Records broken from teams at the meet. Pine Crest School had a State Champion Diver and State Champion Relay Team along with three podium award winners. Congratulations to Carolyn Chaney who again was the Class 1A State Champion in the Girls 1m Diving and to our Girls 200 Freestyle Relay Team with Kaelah Chaney, Casey Francis, Hannah Veale, and Brittany Hammond coming home with the GOLD. Also the following podium finishes that came home with the bronze medal which were also All American Times for Automatic or Consideration.
Tyla Martin - 100 fly in 55.68 (AA-C)
Brittany Hammond - 500 free in 4:49.44 (AA-A)
Kent Haeffner - 500 free in 4:30.93 (AA-C) Pine Crest had several swimmers that made the A final for their event: 200 Medley Relay - 4th place with Miriyam Ghali, Lindsey Swartz, Tyla Martin, Kaelah Chaney in 1:48.25 (AA-C) 200 Freestyle - 4th place with Brittany Hammond in 1:49.17 (AA-A) 200 Freestyle - 4th place with Kent Haeffner in 1:40.92 (AA-C) 200 IM - 4th place with Casey Francis in 2:03.24 (AA-A) 50 Freestyle - 7th place with Kaelah Chaney in 24.32 50 Freestyle - 6th place with Descartes Holland in 21.47 500 Freestyle - 6th place with Casey Francis in 4:52.23 (AA-A) 200 Freestyle Relay - 6th place with Kent Haeffner, Descartes Holland, Jack Cawley, Christiaan Bijlsma in 1:28.59 400 Freestyle Relay - 4th place with Tyla Martin, Casey Francis, Hannah Veale, Brittany Hammond in 3:33.14 (AA-C) 400 Freestyle Relay - 6th place with Kent Haeffner, Descartes Holland, Alex Evenson, Jack Cawley in 3:15.87 Pine Crest had several swimmers that made the B final for their event: 200 Medley Relay - 9th place with Anton Gueneralov, Alex Evenson, Thomas Doolittle, Christiaan Bijlsma in 1:41.30 200IM - 9th place with Tyla Martin in 2:06.22 200IM - 9th place with Alex Evenson in 1:57.54 50 Freestyle - 11th place with Hannah Veale in 24.78
100 Breaststroke - 10th place with Lindsey Swartz in 1:06.51
100 Breaststroke - 14th place with Kaelah Chaney in 1:06.84 100 Breaststroke - 9th place with Alex Evenson in 1:00.93 100 Breaststroke - 14th place with Thomas Doolittle in 1:01.70 Our Team Results were: Pine Crest Girls finished 3rd overall, just 6.5 points behind Saint Andrews Pine Crest Boys finished 5th overall Click HERE for the full results Click HERE for the photo's taken by Paul Evenson.
 Andrew Greener and Family Every year Pine Crest School inducts a few alumni student-athletes to its Athletic Hall of Fame. This award started in 1983 as a contribution to Pine Crest’s 50th Anniversary celebration. The award honors an alumni student athlete who has made an outstanding contribution to athletics at Pine Crest School and exemplifies good citizenship. This year, two swimmers, Andrew Greener (class of 2002) and T. Scott Coleman (class of 1972) were inducted into Pine Crest Athletic Hall of Fame. Andrew Greener came to Pine Crest School as a sophomore. Every year at Pine Crest, Greener achieved High School All American and led the Varsity team to second place at the State Championship. He won five Florida State Titles. Greener was notorious to lead the 200 medley relay witch never lost a dual meet, District or State competition. During his senior year he helped the 200 free relay break a new school record. Upon graduating Pine Crest School, he was recruited by the University of Florida to swim on the Men’s Varsity Swim Team. In 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 he made the SEC Academic Honor Roll selection. Greener’s best times are: Short Course Yards: 100 Fly - 50.85 (Indian River C.C., 2/5/05) 200 Fly - 2:02.66 (Texas & California, 10/21/05) 100 Back - 49.20 (2005 SEC Championships) 200 Back - 1:47.24 (2005 SEC Championships) 200 IM - 2:00.07 (Texas & California, 10/21/05) Long Course Meters 200 Back - 2:11.65 (U.S. Open, 12/6/02) Apart from his accomplishments, Andrew Greener was a great leader. Some may remember him as a camp counselor at Pine Crest Swim Camp.Every summer while he attended the University of Florida he came back to 'The Pine'. He would train and motivate the younger kids in the program, “He was truly one of the greatest leaders, one of the greatest roll models, one of the finest athletes I ever had the pleasure to coach and I wish I was still coaching him today,” said Coach Jay Fitzgerald, Aquatic Director of Pine Crest School. Greener would come on deck and not only inspire the rest of the team to swim faster but he would inspire everyone to hold themselves accountable, coming to every practice. He would bring an energy witch would change the program to make every swimmer want to be at practice and to have fun while cranking out 10,000 meters. Coach Fitzgerald said it the best, “every now and then an athlete comes in and you don’t ever want him to leave,” Andrew Greener is that athlete! |  T. Scott Coleman, Coach Jay Fitzgerald and family T. Scott Coleman a graduate of Pine Crest, class of 1972. Coleman also swam at Pine Crest School. During Coleman's time at Pine Crest he was a High School All American, he led the High School Team to win the Florida State Championship. Upon graduating Pine Crest, Coleman was recruited to swim at the University of Pennsylvania. In his senior year at the University of Pennsylvania he became Captain of the Men’s Varsity Swim Team. At 35 Coleman was diagnosed with Insulin Dependant Diabetes. The doctor informed him healthy eating and exercise is the best thing for him. Coleman took this advice to heart and started swimming again. At first he joined a Masters Program but with his competitive spirit, he quickly became bored. He then focused on training and competing in Open Water Swimming. Coleman is the only insulin dependant diabetic swimmer to ever swim the English Channel. He has also swam the Catalina Channel, MIMS, Cook Strait , Tamp Bay’s 24 mile swim, Long Island Sound, around Key West, Gibraltar Strait and Masters Open Water National Championship. In his preparation for the English Channel, Coleman asked Coach Tom Smith, Boca Pine Crest Aquatic Site Director/ Boca Head Age Group Swim Coach, to train him. Coleman took a year to prepare for 21 miles of swimming in 60 degree water. Swimming four mornings a week, every afternoon and lifting two times a week. While training Coleman come across a few obstacles. He encountered a Man-a-war which sent him to the hospital. “I quit,” he told Coach Tom! Coach Tom replies, “Just another chapter in the Coleman Channel Swim.” Five weeks before D-day, Coleman had a stomach Virus send him to the hospital for a week and the week before the swim ‘a pain’ in his stomach started to grow. Coach Tom mentioned that pain in his stomach was growing because Coleman cared. Coleman made it to the English Channel and yet another obstacle confronted him. Coleman was not allowed to have his Gatorade shipped from the USA. Gatorade was Coleman's plan to keep his insulin elevated during the swim; he quickly created a plan B. Coleman finished the English Channel in under ten hours with his support team by his side. T. Scott Coleman is another one of those inspirational athletes. He states, “Set your goals high. You can achieve them if you believe in yourself don’t quit. When I began competitive swimming I was struck by a news paper clipping ‘nothing is impossible’ it read. My swim just reaffirms it.” As John Wooden claims “failing to prepare is preparing to fail”. Coleman seems to emulate this quote by preparing himself for his goals. Coleman is the pinnacle of what it means to be a PCS Panther. He gives back to Pine Crest School to honor his mother by Sponsoring the Coleman Prize. The Coleman Prize goes to a Pine Crest Junior who demonstrates leadership, character, has an academic grade point average of 3.75 + and is outstanding in arts or athletics. The Prize awards the junior with tuition for the student’s senior year at Pine Crest. Greener and Coleman are exactly what a Pine Crest student-athlete is and represents. Congratulations men on this great honor and thank you for your contribution to Pine Crest School and Pine Crest Swimming. |
 Madison Bridges, Brittany Hammond and Brigette Selbert @University of Missouri Monday night, October 1st, Brittany Hammond committed to the University of Missouri Women's Varsity Swim Team!
Hammond started at Pine Crest School in third grade, where she quickly learned of her swimming talents. Starting in Pine Crest's white group, Hammond climbed her way to the senior group, swimming with Coach Jay Fitzgerald. In high school, Hammond won Rookie of the Year ('09); Laura Vance Spirit Award ('10); MVP, Coaches Award and Co-Captain ('11); Ann Marshal Award and Co-Captain ('12). Upon graduation, Hammond will continue her swimming career at the University of Missouri, where she will specialize in the 200, 400 Freestyle (1.52.91; 4.53.04) and the 200, 400 IM (2.04.70; 4.57.40). This matches perfectly with Mizzou's head coach, Greg Rhodenbaugh, known for coaching IMers. Hammond said her decision was easy. Once she went on all her recruiting trips, she realized Mizzou was the only school she felt "at Home". Not only would she be able to work with Coach Rhodenbaugh but she would be able to join her long time FGC (Florida Gold Coast) mentor, Coach Julie Stupp (assistant Mizzou Coach) . Hammond is excited Mizzou is now apart of the SEC and she will be able to compete against some of the top swimmers in the nation. She is also looking forward to the spirit and unity Mizzou seems to emulate. She cant wait to get into Lululemon athletic wear (made specially for the women's swim team), her new winter wardrobe and Mizzou's pool. Last but not least she cant wait to join her class mate, Ariana, and the rest of her teammates during football season. GO TIGERS! CONGRATULATIONS BRITTANY, we are so proud!!!! Tweet Brittany and tell her congrats @britthammond95 !
Pine Crest won the girls and boys won the Region Championship title over Homecoming Weekend and once again it was a TEAM effort. The Lady Panthers had a strong challenge from American Heritage and St. Andrews but Pine Crest came out on top because they are a TEAM FIRST! Everyone knew it was going to be a great meet after the opening 200 Medley Relay, while Pine Crest came in second to American Heritage, they posted a time that was less than a half second off the team record, the team of Tyla Martin, Lindsey Swartz, Miriyam Ghali, Kaelah Chaney. Then Casey Francis secured her spot for the State meet taking 3rd in the 200 free. Brittany Hammond and Mallory McKeon also advanced to State in the 200 IM, with Lindsey Swartz scoring points for the team in the 200 IM. Kaelah Chaney was 3rd in the 50 free to make her way to State, and then all 3 girl divers Carolyn Chaney, Carly Elhrich, Juliette Pozzuoli advance to State. Tyla Martin was 2nd in the 100 fly advancing to State and Miriyam Ghali won the B final of the 100 fly. Hannah Veale won the B final of the 100 free with Jamie Flores also scoring in the 100 free. In the 500 free Brittany Hammond and Casey Francis placed 2nd 3rd to advance to State along with Mallory McKeon who was 6th and Sabrina Gornisiewicz scoring in the 500 free. The girls had another great and close race in the 200 Free Relay, taking 2nd with an All American time with the team of Kaelah Chaney, Casey Francis, Hannah Veale, Brittany Hammond. Then Tyla Martin and Miriyam Ghali advanced to State in the 100 back, with Jamie Flores adding points with her swim in the 100 back. In the 100 breast, Lindsey Swartz, Kaelah Chaney and Anastasia Hediger all advanced to the State meet. Then the girls closed out the meet with a strong 2nd place in the 400 Free Relay with the team of Tyla Martin, Casey Francis, Hannah Veale and Brittany Hammond, to secure the Team Victory and another Region Title for Pine Crest. The boys team dominated once again at the Region meet starting off with a strong victory in the 200 Medley Relay with the team of Marcel Betschart, Michal Rokita, Adam Dear, Descartes Holland. Then Gotti Eisenberger set a new school record in the 200 free winning the event, with Austin Evenson, Kent Haeffner, and Niklas Friederici all advancing to State in the 200 free. Adam Dear, Michal Rokita, Ryan Walter all advanced to State in the 200 IM with Alex Evenson scoring points for the team in the race. Marcel Betschart and Decartes Holland advance in the 50 free and Chirstian Biljsma scored points in the 50 free. Conner Gerrits and Lyle Hayes-Macaluso advanced to State in diving. Gotti Eisenberger won the 100 free with Delaney Brock, Niklas Friederici advancing to State and Descartes Holland scoring points in the 100 free. In the 500 free, Austin Evenson, Kent Haeffner, Ryan Walter all move on to States, and Alex Evenson broke 5 minutes for the first time in the 500 scoring points for the team. The 200 free relay was won by Gotti Eisenberger, Marcel Betschart, Niklas Friedericic, Descartes Holland. Then Adam Dear won the 100 back with Marcel Betschart and Delaney Brock advancing to States and John Rudnik scoring points in the 100 back. In the 100 breast Michal Rokita and Thomas Doolittle move on to the State meet while Edward Walker and Sam Korntner scored points for the team. The boys closed out the meet with a 2nd place finish in the 400 free relay with the team of Delaney Brock, Adam Dear, Niklas Friederici, and Gotti Eisenberger. The team will travel to Orlando on Thursday, Nov. 10 to prepare for the State Championship meet for girls and boys on Friday, Nov. 11. You can follow along with how the team is doing by going to the FHSAA website, www.fhsaa.org and then click on swimming and go to State Meet Results page, or better drive up to Orlando on Friday and cheer for the team in person. The finals will start at 5:30pm. It is Great to be a Pine Crest Panther! -Coach Jay Fitzgerald
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