The Franklin Amateur Swim Team has earned its 19th consecutive conference championship.
After completing their 15th-straight undefeated regular season versus Highlands July 6, the F.A.S.T. Fins returned to the Macon County Rec Park July 15 to host the Mountain Swim League Championship Meet. In a day-long contest with Jackson County, Cherokee County, Highlands and Waynesville, Dwain and Dina Picou’s team once again came away with an MSL championship.
In the 6 & under age group, Abigail Samuelson led the way for the Fins, earning a conference title in the girls 25-yard freestyle in 33.50 seconds. Weston Sanders placed second on the boys side with a 25.70.
Facing their toughest competition of the year at the conference meet, FAST did not earn a first-place ribbon in the 8 & under age group, but did come close in several events. On the girls side, Hanna Samuelson earned four top-five finishes, placing third in the 25 butterfly (30.34), fourth in the 25 freestyle (23.44), third in the 100 individual medley (2:18.00) and second in the 25 breaststroke (27.71).
On the boys side, Avery Dockery finished third in the 100 IM (2:14.73), fourth in the 25 butterfly (28.50) and third in the 25 backstroke (25.98), while six-year-old Brantley Dezarn moved up an age group to place second in the 50 freestyle (55.19).
Franklin also faced stiff competition in the 9-10s, where on the girls side Abeline Maddrey placed fourth in each of the the 100 freestyle (1:41.08), 50 butterfly (1:03.88) and 100 IM (1:59.00). On the boys side, Michael Canzone placed fourth in the 100 IM (2:01.53), third in the 100 freestyle (1:45.24) and third in the 50 butterfly (57.36).
In the 11-12s, FAST earned several event wins, including three from Thatcher Daniels in the boys 50 breaststroke (38.67), 50 freestyle (29.24) and 100 IM (1:15.07). Daniels also placed second in the 50 butterfly (34.62). On the girls side, Lana Walker also turned in a strong day, winning the 100 freestyle (1:13.18) and 50 butterfly (38.67), and placing third in the 50 backstroke (40.26).
Colby Tyler led the way in the 13-14 age group, taking home the girls 200 IM (2:55.74) and 100 backstroke (1:23.62), and placing fourth in the 100 butterfly (1:33.81). On the boys side, Jackson Word won the 100 butterfly (1:13.33) and placed second in both the 50 freestyle (26.72) and 100 freestyle (1:00.25).
In the 15-18 age group, Franklin High School standouts Claire Ballard and Luke Borgmann had another record-breaking day. On the girls side, Ballard took home the 100 butterfly (1:07.27), 200 IM (2:25.23) and 100 breaststroke (1:10.64), breaking FAST team record in each. While she broke her own record set earlier this season in the 100 breaststroke, the other two records had stood for much longer, with the 100 butterfly record set by Beth Long in 2005 and the 200 IM record set by Teresa Shook in 1992. Ballard has now broken four team records this season after besting Carrie Long’s 50 freestyle record in June.
On the boys side, Borgmann claimed the 100 butterfly (52.59), 50 freestyle (22.55) and 200 IM (2:13.69), breaking his own team records set earlier this season in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Borgmann has now broken team or league records in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke and 200 IM this season.
In team scoring, the FAST girls nearly outscored their four opponents combined, earning 498 points to Highlands’ 206, Jackson’s 120, Cherokee’s 112 and Waynesville’s 91. The FAST boys racked up 441 to Highlands’ 284, Waynesville’s 103, Jackson’s 76 and Cherokee’s 75. Overall, FAST earned 939, nearly doubling second-place Highlands’ 490 to claim an incredible 19th-straight Mountain Swim League Championship.
Following the conference meet, a select few FAST fins will now prepare for the MSL All-Star Meet, scheduled for 9 a.m. this Saturday at Sylva’s Roscoe Poteet Pool. From there, the most elite FAST Fins will gear up for the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics in Des Moines July 27-30.