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2022 Florida HS 2A Roundup: Regions Highlights and State Qualifiers

2022 FHSAA 2A REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS

Following the conclusion of their respective District Championship meets, Florida high school swimming teams in Class 1A and 2A (smaller schools) wrapped up their Regional meets over the weekend, which serve as qualifiers for the State Championships.

The state champs, originally scheduled for Nov. 11 and Nov. 12, have been pushed back by one week, so the 1A championship will take place next Friday, Nov. 18, and the 2A championships will be Saturday, Nov. 19.

FHSAA CLASS 2A REGION CHAMPIONS

  • Region 1: Bishop Kenny girls, Bishop Kenny boys
  • Region 2: Satellite girls, Rockledge boys
  • Region 3: Academy of the Holy Names girls, Clearwater boys
  • Region 4: Gulliver Prep girls, Pompano Beach boys

CLASS 2A REGION HIGHLIGHTS

Girls

The lone swimmer to earn the top seed for the state championships in two events on the girls’ side was Eastside senior Hannah Ahn, who clocked 24.03 in the 50 free and 55.54 in the 100 fly in Region 1.

A Brown commit, Ahn comes in as the defending champion in the 100 fly, while she was third last year in the 50 free. Last year’s 100 fly runner-up Avery Hawker of Robinson was just five one-hundredths back of Ahn at the Region 3 Championships in 55.59.

The reigning 50 free 2A champion, Lake Wales’ Mary Leigh Hardman, clocked 24.13 in Region 2, while Mater Lakes’ Michelle Fernandez produced the same time in Region 4.

Overall, the top six girls in the 50 free are within 18 one-hundredths of one another coming into the state champs, making for an exciting battle next week. Although Ahn owns the top seed, Hardman has the quicker PB, having been as fast as 23.42 in March 2021.

Hardman, a junior, also earned the top seed in the 100 free, clocking 51.75 to lead the Academy of Holy Name’s Isabella Dieffenthaller (51.82) and Robinson’s Adeline Cloutier (51.88).

Holy Names, the Region 3 team champions, also had junior Brooke Beede claim the top time overall in the 200 free (1:53.79), junior Isabel Sayag take the number one seed in the 200 IM (2:07.13), and they also lead the field in the 200 free (1:39.02) and 400 free relays (3:34.47).

Another Region 3 swimmer leading an event into the state championships is Clearwater senior Bilu Bianchi, who clocked 1:04.79 in the 100 breast to narrowly lead Fernandez (1:04.84).

Region 4 team winners Gulliver Prep were led by sophomore Giovanna Musiello, who posted the top time in the 100 back (57.74), and she also led off the team’s #1 200 medley relay (1:48.70).

The other top time coming out of Region 4 was from Estero senior Cadence Fort, an FSU commit who clocked 5:01.07 in the 500 free. Fort, who owns a best of 4:54.77, was the runner-up at last year’s state meet behind the now-graduated Blair Stoneburg.

Stoneburg’s younger sister, Jensen Beach junior Brynn Stoneburg, comes in as the #2 seed in the 200 free behind Beede after going 1:54.34 to win Region 4, edging out Fort (1:54.49).

Boys

The boys’ side was highlighted by a pair of defending state champions, Arnold’s Shane McEliece and Rockledge’s Elliot Weisel.

McEliece, competing in Region 1, put up the top time overall in the 100 breast (56.82) and 100 fly (50.06), having won the 2A title last year in the 100 fly and 200 IM. His personal best times, both set at the 2022 NCSAs, stand at 56.38 and 49.34 in the 100 breast and 100 fly, respectively.

An Indiana commit, Weisel posted the top times in the 200 free (1:43.10) and 500 free (4:36.58) over in Region 2, having won both state titles last season. His personal bests sit at 1:37.97 and 4:24.69, respectively.

His Rockledge teammate Eli Rollen also had a strong showing at the Region 2 meet, producing the fastest times among all 2A swimmers in the 100 free (45.78) and 100 back (49.54), both new personal bests. Rollen is committed to Oklahoma Christian University for next season.

Stanton senior Mehdi Elaoufir had runner-up finishes in both the 200 IM and 500 free last season, but with McEliece switching over to the 100 fly this year, Elaoufir is the huge favorite to win the 200 IM after posting the top time by nearly five seconds in the Region meets in 1:51.25.

Elaoufir has also changed one of his events from last season, now racing the 100 free instead of the 500. In that event, he clocked 46.35 to earn the second seed behind Rollen.

Competing in Region 4, Lemon Bay senior Becket Koss swam a personal best of 21.58 in the 50 free to lead the field.

Region 1 team champions Bishop Kenny posted the top times in all three relays, clocking 1:27.47 in the 200 free, 3:13.31 in the 400 free and 1:35.60 in the 200 medley relay.

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About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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