McKeel again boasted the top boys swim team as the Wildcats used its great depth in support of its top swimmers to repeat as team county champions, but it was rival George Jenkins that boasted the top two swimmers in Dylan Cardosi and Luis Perdoma Leyva. While the latter is a senior, Cardosi is a junior who will have a chance to repeat as swimmer of the year.
McKeel and Jenkins were the top two teams but quickly improving Lake Wales emerged as the No. 3 team in the county. All the Highlanders top swimmers are underclassmen, many freshmen and sophomores, so they’ll be taking aim at the the top teams in hopes of continuing their rise.
SWIMMER OF THE YEAR
Dylan Cardosi
George Jenkins, Junior
100 butterfly, 200 freestyle
Cardosi has been a top swimmer since his freshman season but made a big leap this season. He was county and district champion in both the 100-yard butterfly, his primary event, and the 200 freestyle. He then finished third in the 100 fly at the 4A-3 region meet and sixth in the 200 free. At the state meet, he had his best finish with a sixth-place finish in the 100 butterfly (50.38). He also finished 19th in the 200 free.
Final meet:George Jenkins’ Cardosi top Polk finisher at 4A state meet
Polk County meet:Two individual meet records fall; McKeel sweeps team competition
Early season:Jenkins’ Cardosi barely misses record; McKeel boys, girls top teams at Lakeland City Meet
COACH OF THE YEAR
Jenn Gosline
George Jenkins
The long-time George Jenkins boys and girls coach didn’t have one her biggest boys teams, but Gosline had the top two boys swimmers in the county in Dylan Cardosi and Luis Perdoma Leyva. She got the most out her team with a county runner-up then the Eagles pulled off an upset by winning the district title.
FIRST TEAM
Ryan Fallaw
McKeel, Sophomore
200 Individual Medley
County champion and district runner-up.
Luis Perdomo Leyva
George Jenkins, Senior
50 freestyle, 100 freestyle
County and district champion in both events.
Oscar Munoz
Winter Haven, Sophomore
500 freestyle
County champion, fourth in districts (5:40.37).
Benson Huntley Jr.
George Jenkins, Senior
100 backstroke
County champion, third in district.
Marcos Cabrera
Lake Wales, Freshman
100 breaststroke
County and district champion.
Ethan Ketchum
Kathleen, Junior
Diver
County and district champion.
Nic Kercher
McKeel, Senior
50 freestyle, 100 butterfly
District champion in 50 free and 100 fly. County runner-up in 50 free.
HONORABLE MENTION
All Saints: Avery Simmers.
Auburndale: Keegan Long, Maomarx Pedroza Belisario.
Bartow: Alberto Chaves.
George Jenkins: Gabriel Bourque, Kyle Hoerl.
Kathleen: Joshua Johnson.
Lake Region: Noah Obermiller.
Lake Wales: Chance Swinburne, Robert Coulombe, Ethan Behr, Dominic Nguyen.
Lakeland: Nico Lee, Michael Garr.
Lakeland Christian: Easton Durden, Jackson Burcham.
McKeel: Tim Dang, Lucas Burrell, Gunnar Conrad, Brandon Sadler, Isaiah Pridemore, Cole Dunsford.
Santa Fe Catholic: Erhik Sido.
Winter Haven: Hayes Hallack.
