It’s been a good week for the Franklin Amateur Swim Team.
On Thursday, June 15, the FAST Fins returned the the Macon County Rec Park for their second meet of the season, hosting the Cherokee County Aquatic Club for an official Mountain Swim League contest. There, Dwain and Dina Picou’s team easily outscored CCAC, led by record-breaking times in the 15-18 age group by Luke Borgmann and Claire Ballard.
With event wins in the girls 100-yard breaststroke, 50-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley, Ballard had perhaps the best night of any FAST swimmer. With a 24.87-second time in the 50 free, the rising FHS senior broke a 15-year-old MSL record of 25.11, set by FAST’s Carrie Long in 2007. With a 1:12.34 in the 100 breaststroke, Ballard broke the previous mark of 1:14.17, set by FAST’s Beth Long in 2005. In so doing, the rising senior easily qualified for the MSL All-Star Meet in Sylva June 22.
On the men’s side, standout Luke Borgmann outdid himself against CCAC, breaking his second and third league records of the season. In the 100-yard freestyle, Borgmann broke a 22-year-old record previously held by CCAC’s Chase Heier, edging out Heier’s mark of 51.05 by a razor-thin margin with a 50.92. In the 200-yard IM, Borgmann broke a record set in 2018 by FAST’s Harrison Howes, outpacing Howe’s time by more than three seconds with a 2:08.27.
After breaking a 30-year old MSL record in the 100-yard butterfly set by FAST’s Darryn Norton in the team’s first contest of the season June 8, Thursday’s meet also held a special significance for Borgmann. After reading his 100-yard butterfly record had finally fallen in the weekly FAST newsletter, Norton attended the meet to congratulate Borgmann in person. The rising Piedmont University sophomore also won the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 59.95.
In the younger age groups, several other FAST Fins racked up multiple event wins apiece. In the 8 & Unders, Avery Dockery and Tatham Peters impressed for Franklin, with Peters winning the 50 free (51.76) and 25 backstroke (24.29) and Dockery winning the 25 free (22.48) and 100 IM (2:11.34). Dockery finished second to Peters in the 50 free (57.38) and 25 back (24.53), while Peters finished second to Dockery in the 100 IM (2:17.02).
In the 9-10 age group, two more FAST Fins also won multiple events apiece. On the girls side, Abeline Maddrey took home the 100 IM (2:07.88) and 100 free (1:56.70), while Michael Canzone claimed the boys’ 100 IM (2:00.74) and 50 breaststroke (1:02.14). Canzone also finished second in the 50 fly (56.33).
In the 11-12 age group, Thatcher Daniels was one of just two FAST Fins to win four different events, taking home the boys 50 free (29.27), 100 IM (1:16.99), 50 breaststroke (40.17) and 50 fly (36.24). Bri Dezarn led the age group on the girls side, claiming the 50 free (34.08) and 100 free (1:25.14) and placing second to teammate Rylee Rogers in the 50 backstroke (41.00).
In the 13-14 age group, three different FAST Fins turned in multiple event wins, led on the boys side by Jackson Word in the 100 back (1:14.03), 50 free (26.84), 100 free (1:02.52) and 200 IM (2:34.26). On the girls side, Kenna Keyworth and Colby Tyler also impressed, with Keyworth winning the 50 free (31.01) and 100 free (1:11.29) and Tyler winning the 200 IM (2:59.15), 100 back (1:22.85) and 100 breaststroke (1:29.32).
In overall women’s scoring, FAST easily outpaced the CCAC 498-60. The FAST boys outscored their CCAC counterparts by an even larger margin, 525.5-70.5. In overall scoring, FAST dispatched CCAC 1014.5-130.5. FAST will continue their season at home June 22 versus Jackson County and the Smoky Mountain Aquatic Club.