Congratulations to all BLAST STATE MEET SWIMMERS:
Coach Kris and I had a feeling the team was going to have a great meet, but you went beyond our expectations. Great job!
The team finished a very strong ninth place with 1,165 points. That point total should rise; the meet did not score places 9 - 16 for the 11-12 and 10 & under individual events for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. When the meet officials get the final totals, I will pass them on.
Big Blast Numbers:
14 STATE Champions!
This total was the third highest amount of state championships won by any team!
Every finals night of the meet produced exciting races where many of our best won events:
13-14 girls 200 IM - Kristen Jennings - 2:14.75
13-14 girls 100 free - Madeleine Rawls - 54.46
13-14 girls 100 breast - Madeleine Rawls - 1:10.25
13-14 girls 200 free relay - Grace Tucker, Emily Prieto, Kristen Jennings and Madeleine Rawls- 1:44.55
10 & u boys 50 breast - Carson Canulette - 40.15
11-12 boys 50 free - Harrison Prieto - 25.65 - team record
11-12 boys 100 free - Harrison Prieto - 55.85 - team record
11-12 boys 200 free - Trey James - 2:02.80
11-12 boys 50 back - Harrison Prieto - 29.07 - team record
11-12 boys 100 back - Harrison Prieto - 1:03.49 - team record
11-12 boys 50 fly - Trey James - 28.19
11-12 boys 100 fly - Trey James - 1:05.46
11-12 boys 100 IM - Trey James - 1:04.04
11-12 boys 200 IM - Trey James - 2:19.36
Trey James, swimming with the flu bug on Thursday, came back very strong and won the 11-12 boys individual high point award. Harrison Prieto was runner-up. Kristen Jennings was second runner up and Madeleine Rawls was runner up in the 13 -14 girls age group. Both girls struggled with injuries and a surgery this past year, so coming back and swimming so well was very gratifying to all.
All-State Swimmers: In addition to the seven swimmers who won state championships the following swimmers made All-State by placing third or higher in relays or individual events:
Emily Burhalter - 3rd 11-12 girls 50 breast 34.39
Will Warwick - 3rd 13-14 boys 200 back - 2:10.97
Griffin Guzan - 3rd 13-14 boys 200 fly - 2:06.62 - team record.
H. Prieto, James, Matthew Stegen and Cooper Jordan - 3rd - 11-12 boys 200 free relay.
Grace Tucker - 13 -14 girls 100 & 200 back - 3rd - 1:01.20 & 2:11.20.
Kristen Jennings - 13-14 girls 100 & 200 - 2nd - 1:01.17 & 2:09.96* Note the 200 is a Sectional Championship qualifying time.
These swimmers will all receive All-State patches.
STATE TOP EIGHT: The following swimmers scored in the top 8 in the meet:
Robert Klazynski - 5th 1650 free - 18:36.14
Claire Canulette - 6th 100 breast - 36.59
11-12 Girls 200 freestyle relay - 8th Emily Burhalter, Margaret Larsen, Claire Canulette, Lindsey Dettwiller. - 1:59.63
Matthew Stegen - 6th 11-12 boys 100 fly - 30.77
Emily Prieto - 5th 13-14 girls 100 back - 1:04.35
STATE TOP 16 -
The 15-18 and Open boys relays - Robert Klazynski, James Robinson, Jake Black and Andrew Jones finished in the top 16 in all five relays.
The 10 & under boys Free and Medley relays each placed 10th with Carson Canulette, Alex Rawls, Matthew Larsen and Aiden Dettwiller.
Hope Winkler - Open 100 back - 14th - 1:08.28
Jeni Jones - five top 16 finishes, 200 back, 15th, 200 fly, 10th, 400 IM, 12th, 100 fly, 14th, and 200 IM, 11th.
100% Swimmers: This is what every swimmer strives for in a championship meet, but it can be very elusive to attain. Matthew Stegen, Harrison Prieto, Carson Canulette, Claire Canulette, Kristen Jennings and Robert Klazynski all swam 100% best times at state. Each one had impressive swims that I could go on about. Overall the team had over 70% best times
HIGHLIGHT SWIM OF THE MEET: After racking up a collection of 9th and 10th places on Friday and Saturday, Matthew Stegen made his first State finals in the 50 fly on his 13th birthday. He came back and lowered his time in finals. What a great way to become a teenager!
Also swimming very well: Anne Bailey Girault was on her way to an exceptional state meet - until she came down with the flu the week before the meet. We weren't sure she could make it up, but she swam courageously and I'm sure would have scored had she been completely healthy. She did a lot of unselfish team work, counting for swimmers in distance races and being there cheering for swimmers. Jack Cheng made state at Districts and made the consolation heat in the 200 13-14 boys 200 fly.
A big thanks to the Bruns family for coming up and cheering us on during Friday finals and throughout the weekend. Your fresh energy was greatly appreciated!!!
Clare, you'll be racing with us at the next state meet.
A complete list of our top 16 scorers is attached as well as a complete meet summary with splits. Also attached are our updated short course records - we set five this meet and over the course of the season, several records have fallen. Check them out.
POINTS PER SWIMMERS: On a rough count, I figure we had 57.8 points per swimmer, that's one of the three highest from the meet. - very good!
SPECIAL THANKS: Coach Kris Babylon did an outstanding job coaching at this meet and throughout the whole season. He and I had a great ride home talking about the past state meet and how well all our swimmers will do in the next state meet. We will be implementing some new ideas into the next training cycle! Look for more Explosivity!
BLAST NATION:
PRESS RELEASE:
At the Louisiana Swim Association Annual Meeting on Saturday, September 25, Kehoe-France Northshore Blast swimmers took three of the four Age Group Swimmers of the Year. Madeleine Rawls, an eighth grader at St. Scholastica Academy, was voted the 12 and under female swimmer of the year over two other candidates, Maddie McGraw of Crescent City Swim Club and Denise Frantz of Franco's Fins. Madeleine is the daughter of Tom and Shelia Rawls of Covington.
In the 13 - 18 girls, Kara Kopcso, a sophomore at Fontainebleau High School and Louisiana's only current Olympic Trials Qualifier, won her fourth consecutive Swimmer of the Year Award, clearly outvoting Tiger Aquatics' Smacker Miles. Kara is the daughter of Kenny and Robin Kopcso of Abita Springs.
Colin Babcock, a freshman swimming at the University of Notre Dame, won the 13 -18 boys award in a close vote over John Michael Moore of Crawfish Aquatics. Colin is the son of Bill and Maureen Babcock of Covington.
Thomas Sistrunk of the City of Shreveport Swim Team outvoted Colin Bone of Crawfish Aquatics to win the 12 and under boys award and Adam Klein of Auburn University and Crescent City Swim Club and Erika Dagg of Cal Berkley and NuWave were unanimously voted Louisiana Senior Swimmers of the Year.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congratulations to all winners and especially all the Blast winners!
At the meeting, scheduling for the season was set up. Here are the dates for some of the more important Louisiana meets; a more complete meet schedule will come out soon.
Short Course:
Jan. 21 - 23 - TAQ Mardi Gras Meet - we will swim Fri\Sat at least, but the NFC Championship game is Sunday. Who Dat!
February 12 - 13 - SC District at Crawfish Aquatics
February 17 - 20 - SC State Meet at UNO
March 18 - 20 - 8 and under Regionals at UNO
Note: There is a possibility of a Louisiana\Mississippi All-Star meet in Jackson, MS in March. More details when they become available.
Long Course\Summer
July 9 - 10 - LC Districts at Crawfish
July 14 -17 - LC State at UNO - get those dorm reservations in now!
July 23 - 24 - 8 and under Regionals at Crawfish
July 26 -30 - Southern Zone Championships in North Carolina.
July 27 -30 - Sectionals - The Woodlands.
Aug 1 - 6 - National AAU Championships at UNO - could be a great postseason meet for those who don't go to the bigger meets.
Aug 1 - 5 - Southern Zone Senior Championships in Orlando, Fla.
Aug 2 -6 - Senior Nationals - Palo Alto, Cal.
Aug 8 - 12 Junior Nationals - Palo Alto, Cal.
IMPORTANT RULE CHANGES:
1. State meet entries will now be limited to six individual events plus relays.
2. There is now an Open division at State Meets. Any swimmers who was a Louisiana resident and USAS registered swimmer after January 1 of their senior year of high school, is eligible to swim at the state championship meets. There is no age limit to open events.
3. The 11-12 400\500 free at LC and SC state is now 12 and under. 10 and under swimmers who make the 12 & under qualifying time may now swim this event. The 13-14 1000 and 1650 will now be 14 and under. This will allow 12 and under swimmers who achieve the qualifying time the opportunity to swim this event.
4. The 400 free will be reinstated to the LC District Meet.
5. At LC State Meet prelims, only one event will run at a time with even heats at one end and odd heats at the other.
6. LC State will be entered through online entry.
See ya poolside,
BB
