SWAT Swim Team Competes in Biloxi, Mississippi

Southern Waters Aquatic Team (SWAT) competed at Santa’s BEST meet in Biloxi (MS) December 4-6, 2009 with a third place finish for girls, sixth place finish for boys, and fifth place finish overall. Emi Feldvoss (8, Daphne) won high-point for 7-8 girls. Other girls scoring points for the team in the top fifteen places of their respective age brackets include Trista Phelps, (13,  Loxley), finished third, Demi Hendryx (6) and Kennedy Hendryx, (9, both of Fairhope) finished fifth place, Emily Beaver (8, Loxley) finished sixth, Ansley Hardyman, (10, Daphne) tied for eighth, Ashlynn Weissgberger (12, Spanish Fort), finished ninth, Annabelle Algiers (9, Fairhope) finished eleventh, Tara Suhs (12, Daphne) finished eleventh, Sydney Jane Hendryx  (7, Fairhope) and Hailey Kennett (11, Spanish Fort) finished thirteenth.

Finishing with the highest point total overall was Jackson Tunks (12, Fairhope). Stephen Jellenc (14, Montrose) placed first for 13-14 boys. Jackson Algiers (12, Fairhope) finished eighth, and Arnold Blohme (13, Daphne) finished eleventh for the boys.

According to Coach Rich Suhs, “ Jackson has been working very hard with Coach Dean. He is swimming lots of tough races. He has made good improvement in his turns and that work showed in his races this weekend. Stephen had an awesome week of work and I was pleasantly surprised by his 1650 race. I knew he could go that time but not so soon in the season. Overall, I think the swimmers had a great meet with improvement by all of the swimmers in every part of our program; particularly in technique and endurance which is leading them to improvement in their races.”

SWAT relay teams finished strong with eight top three finishes. Finishing in second place was Girls 8 & under 100 Medley with Sydney Jane Hendryx, Emi Feldvoss, Emily Beaver, Demi Hendryx, Girls 10 & under 200 Medley and 200 Free with Kennedy Hendryx, Annabelle Algiers, Ansley Hardyman, Sydney Johnson, Girls 11-12 200 Medley with Ashlynn Weissgerber, Ramsey Shane (Fairhope), Hailey Kennett, Tara Suhs, Boys 11-12 200 Medley with Daniel Bourassa (Daphne), Jackson Algiers, Jackson Tunks, Dawson Jellenc (Montrose). Third place relay teams were Girls 8 & under 100 Free with Sydney Jane Hendryx, Emi Feldvoss, Emily Beaver, Demi Hendryx, Girls 11-12 200 Free with Ashlynn Weissgerber, Ramsey Shane, Hailey Kennett, Tara Suhs, and Boys 11-12 200 Free with Daniel Bourassa, Jackson Algiers, Jackson Tunks, Dawson Jellenc.

SWAT swimmers achieving new qualifying times for Southeastern’s Regional meet to be held in Nashville in 2010 are Annabelle and Jackson Algiers, Stephen Jellenc, and Trista Phelps.

The Eastern Shore Parents Aquatics Foundation (ESPAF) operates SWAT and welcomes inquiries about swim-related programs offered at the Eastern Shore Aquatics Center located on Hwy. 64 in Daphne. Call 251-625-0950 or visit www.esaquatics.org for more information.

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Cutline: Photos by Jodi Blohme.