The Winder-Barrow High School Swim Doggs dived into the 2015 season earlier this month at the Tallulah Falls School Hawaiian Luau Invitational.
Despite having a relatively small group of swimmers including six girls, seven boys and three middle school competitors, the team finished fourth overall.
The WBHS varsity boys were third overall with the girls finishing seventh. The middle school boys were fifth at the Nov. 7 event.
Ian Hentennar earned two first-place finishes, two new school records, two high school personal bests and two state qualifying times in the 200 Individual.
Medley (2:01.14) and 100 Breaststroke (1:03.98).
Hentennar also qualified for the state in the 50 Freestyle, by leading off the 200 Free Relay, with a time of 22.52.
Bijon Mansour met the state qualifying time in the 50 Freestyle with the exact time needed, 23.50 and earned a third place finish and high school personal best.
The boys 200 Medley Relay of Jack McDaniels, Daniel McIlwain, Ian Hentenaar and Bijon Mansour swam a time of 1:48.17, to earn a state qualifying time and first place finish.
There were also several WB personal bests:
•McDaniels, 200 Free
•Daniel Hernandez (middle school), 100 Individual Medley, 50 Free
•Megan Lance, 200 Individual Medley, 100 Back
•Michael Colosimo, 50 Free, 100 Free
•McIlwain, 50 Free, 100 Breaststroke
•Esteban Garcia, 50 Free, 100 Free
•Justin Kight (Middle School), 50 Free, 100 Back
•Hope Brewer, 50 Free, 100 Free
•Bijon Mansour, 100 Free
•Riley Black, 100 Breaststroke
•Spencer Smith (middle school), 100 Breaststroke, 100 Free
“Looking into the upcoming season, we plan on logging in a slew of state qualifying times, multiple personal bests each week and a handful of new school records,” said coach Jennifer Chisholm. “The team is not as large as it has been in the past few years, but these swimmers are already working hard and have goals of constant improvement. That is all I can ask of each — to work hard and constantly improve.”
For the 2015-2016 season, the WBHS program has 20 total swimmers including eight boys, nine girls and three middle school boys.
NOV. 14 MEET
The Swim Doggs also competed at the Fall Frenzy High School Invitational at Frances Meadows Aquatic Center in Gainesville this past weekend.
New state qualifying times included:
•Mansour, lower qualifying time in the 50 Free to a 23.43 (state qualifying is a 23.50)
•Ian Hentenaar, 100 Butterfly, 54.00; also a new school record (state qualifying is a 58.00, old school record, also held by Hentenaar was 54.26)
•200 Free Relay, 1:35.32 (state qualifying time is 1:40.00), Mansour, McIlwain, McDaniels, Hentenaar
New Personal Bests:
•Brewer, 50 Free, 100 Free
•Mia Hernandez, 50 Free
•Hannah Smith, 50 Free
•Smith, Middle School, 100 Free, 100 Breast
•Hernandez, middle school, 100 Back, 100 Breast
•Kight, middle school, 100 Back
•Garcia, 100 Back
•McDaniels, 100 Back
•Hannah Smith, 100 Back
•Trinity Wharton, 100 Back
•McIlwain, 100 Breast
•Alyssa Dailing, 100 Breast
“The boys now have a total of seven state qualifying times entered toward the state swim meet,” Chisholm said. “Personal bests continue to be earned. The swimmers set goals for each meet and are working hard to achieve each. It is nice to hear one talk about what needs to be fixed or what he or she can do to become a better swimmer.”