Sharks swim at all-star meet

Several longtime speed records established in annual season-ending event

Friday, Aug. 4, 2006

Click here to enlarge this photo raphael talisman⁄the gazette Fort Washington’s Akeyla Holley competed in the girls’ 8-and-under breaststroke at Saturday’s Prince-Mont Swim League All-Star meet at Fairland Aquatic Center in Laurel. Holley was one of five Sharks participating in the meet.

Fort Washington sent several swimmers to the meet. Don Brazelton finished in a dead-heat for fourth in the 8-and-under boys’ 25-yard freestyle (16.63). Dakota Hinely took fifth in the 11-12 boys’ 50 backstroke. Marcus Dennis finished sixth in the 9-10 boys’ 50 free and eighth in the 25 breaststroke. Akeyla Holley placed eighth in the 8-and-under girls’ 25 free and 10th in the 25 breast. Prescott Stewart was 10th in the 15-18 boys’ 50 breast.

Theresa Banks’ Darrell Hungerford finished third in both the 13-14 boys’ 50 free and the 100 individual medley. But he then set a new league record for the 50 breast (29.72 seconds), breaking the old mark of 29.81 set in 1989 by Jeff Weiss.

New Carrollton Recreation’s Cate Sheerin, a senior at St. John’s College Prep in the District, again qualified for three events at All-Stars. Sheerin competes in the tough 15-18 girls’ division, loaded with some of the county’s best high school and post-high school swimmers.

Sheerin, who is still eligible to compete in the Prince-Mont league next summer, finished third behind West Laurel’s Allie Stevens (27.17) and teammate Kendall Irish (Eleanor Roosevelt High) in the 50 free (28.85). Sheerin, who finished ahead of Temara Jordan (Fairmont Heights High) and Sara Riley (Roosevelt), a pair of Star⁄Gazette all-county first team selections last winter, chased Stevens during her league-record performance. Several races later on the program, Sheerin finished fifth in the 100 free (57.78) in a solid effort that was again overshadowed by Stevens, a Miami (Ohio) University sophomore who won the event in 54.24 to establish another league record.

Roosevelt graduate Maresa Like-Mathews and Seton High junior Nicole Langlois (Cheverly Swim & Racquet), two more Star⁄Gazette first-team selections, finished second and fourth, respectively.

In her final effort of the day, Sheerin placed fourth in the 100 IM (1 minute, 6.12 seconds) as Stevens delivered another record clocking of 1:01.18. Like-Mathews, who finished a close second, had also bettered the previous league standard of 1:02.16 set 20 years ago by Mary Jane Brown. Sheerin, however, finished ahead of Irish, Langlois and Jordan in that event.

Irish, who began her day by chasing Stevens during her record swim in the 50 fly, would later finish fifth in both the 50 back (31.23) and 100 IM. Katie Delaney, competing in the 11-12 girls division, placed second in the 50 fly (30.56) and finished fourth in the 50 back (33.60), but she later won the 100 IM (1:09.55).

Rochelle Parry finished fourth in the girls’ 10-and-under 25 butterfly (16.22), third in the 50 free (31.28). Trevor Irish placed third in the 11-12 boys’ 50 fly (31.03), second in the 50 back (31.00). Emma Varner, who will begin attending Roosevelt this fall, finished second in the 13-14 girls’ 50 breast.

In her first two seasons at Fairmont Heights, Jordan has already established school records for all eight events. Saturday afternoon at All-Stars, Jordan represented Theresa Banks well in three events while competing in the 15-18 girls’ division.

Jordan began her afternoon by finishing fourth behind Stevens, Irish and Sheerin in the 50 fly (29.10), finished a close second to Like-Mathews in the 50 back (29.14) then finished seventh in the 100 IM. Jordan still has two more years of county swimming at Fairmont Heights and three more years of eligibility for the Prince-Mont League.

E-mail Ted Black at tblack@gazete.net.