Andalusia swim team finishes 12th at state meet over weekend

BIRMINGHAM — Chlorine filled the air on the final day of the 2014 Alabama Recreation and Parks Association’s State Swim Championships at the Crossplex, where the Andalusia Stingrays added 11 individual and relay medals for a new team record of 22 for the meet.

“All the coaches would agree that this has been a special group of swimmers this summer,” Stingrays coach Gavin Donaldson said. “It is because of the hard work and dedication to themselves and to their team that enabled them to achieve this much success in three short months.”

After a first-day total of 11 medals, the Stingrays cranked out seven individual medals, one ribbon and four medals for relay teams on Saturday.

Additionally, six ASL team records were broken at the state meet.

Those who won individual medals include: Baylor Turman, fifth in the 6U 25-yard backstroke event; Evie Younce, third in the 9-10 girls 50-yard backstroke event; Stuart Baker, second in the boys 11-12 backstroke event; Emma Younce, first in the girls 11-12 100-yard freestyle event; Mary Beth Baker, fourth in the girls 13-14 50-yard backstroke event and fifth in the 100-yard freestyle; and Cali Fillmer, third in the girls 15-18 backstroke event.

Emma Younce, Claire Breedlove, Ava Bailey and Grace Philpott earned medals in the girls 11-12 200-yard freestyle relay.

Fillmer finished seventh in the girls 15-18 100-yard freestyle for a ribbon.

Those who finished in the top 15 include: Anna Grace Scott, 14th in the girls 8U 25-yard backstroke; Alex Browning, 11th in the boys 9-10 100-yard freestyle; and Grace Philpott, 10th in the girls 11-12 50-yard backstroke.

The ASL team records were broken by Zach Parker (25.02 seconds), Ben Parker (27.45), Chase Fillmer (25.21) and BJ Donaldson (23.05) for a new time of 1 minute, 40.73 seconds in the boys 15-18 200-yard freestyle relay; Emma Younce in the 100-yard individual medley at 1:03.40, and 50-yard freestyle at 25.15; Cali Fillmer in the 50-yard butterfly at 28.13; and Mary Beth Baker in the 50-yard backstroke at 29.68. Additionally, Emma Younce (25.15), Claire Breedlove (31.95), Ava Bailey (29.00) and Grace Philpott (28.90) set a new time in the girls 200-yard freestyle relay with a 1:55.

As a team, the Stingrays finished 12th out of 28 teams overall and seventh in the small municipalities.

Full results from the state swim meet can be found here: 14stateswim.