Only two weeks after their impressive performances at the Gravy Bowl, a squad of 31 of GPAC’s top swimmers traveled to Louisiana State University and once again flexed it’s might across all age groups, and all strokes and distances.   GPAC boasted eight different individual champions, including a 1-2-3 sweep of both the 13-14 girls’ 100 and 200-yard breaststrokes, and two victorious 11-12 boys’ relays.

“We really have fun coming to this meet,” said Head Age Group Coach Greg Johnson.  “Some of the kids have been preparing since last year to swim fast at LSU.  They get really pumped up.”

Friday night’s distance session saw many great swims and time drops.  Cameron Jones, 12, stormed through the last 50 freestyle to take gold in the 200 IM, and the first win of the weekend for the team.  Sophia Diagne, 14, dropped 15 seconds in the 400 IM and grabbed new Southeastern and Sectional qualifying times.   Jones, only 45 minutes from his IM, and Walker Parra, 11, both swam the 1000 freestyle and both set new Southeastern and Sectional qualifying times.  Nick Petruska, 14, in the heat before them, dropped over 16 seconds and set a new SES time.  Caitlin Bridges, 12, dropped over 20 seconds to grab a new ‘A’ time in the 500 free.

After a quick morning preliminary session that had virtually the whole 13-and-over boys and girls team qualified for finals, the 12-and-unders had their turn in the Tiger pool.  GPAC’s breaststroke twins, Renee and William Henderson, 10, each won the 50-yard breaststroke.  Renee went on to swim personal bests in all of her individual events, setting three new ‘AAA’ times, two new ‘AA’ times, and a new ‘A’ time.  William posted a new ‘AAA’ time in the 100-yd backstroke and two new ‘AA’ times.  The boys 11-12 freestyle relay of Jones, Parra, James Henderson and James Tracey took first place at the end of the session.

The first swims for GPAC Saturday night were the 100 freestyles.  GPAC had two girls in each finals heat, with Jenna Luth and Peyton Parra posting best times and taking seventh and fifth, respectively, in the 13-14 races.  Grace Menzies claimed the win in the consolation heat, and Brooke Ferrara and Jacquie Kinman represented GPAC for the Senior girls free.  Brooke won the event in a blistering 52.71 seconds, and Jacquie finished sixth.  Logan Mead and Nick Petruska also swam the 100 free, placing ninth and 11^th. 

Next up was the 200 breaststroke, seemingly a GPAC strong suit, as the top three 13-14 girls seeds were Sophia Diagne, Tatiana Oberley, and Heidi Schellin.  All three had posted near-best times in the morning, and were in the hunt for the 20-year old team record.  Oberley took the gold, edging teammate Diagne by a scant 1.05 seconds, just missing the team mark by .06 seconds. Schellin claimied the bronze.  All three had posted personal best times, and new Sectional qualifying times.  Oberley and Diagne each had new ‘AAA’ times, and Schellin a new ‘AA’ time.  Jillian Flowers followed in the consolation heat, dropping over 2 seconds to claim heat runner-up.

“I’m really happy to have gotten my Senior Sectional cut in the 200 breast,” said Oberley, “but that record would have been nice, too.  Next time.”

Brooke Ferrara was back again in the 100 butterfly.  She posted a best time in the morning, a new SES cut and ‘AA’ time.  She claimed the bronze in the event, setting a new personal best.  Peyton Parra claimed fifth, in a SES qualifying time of 1:05.23.  Shortly after, Brooke struck gold again in her specialty stroke, the 100-yd backstroke.  Menzies represented the 13-14 girls, taking fifth in the backstroke.  Logan Mead and Nick Petruska in the 13-14 boys claimed fourth and eigth.

Only twelve hours after the conclusion of Saturday’s finals, the swimmers were back for
warm-ups.  The Sunday preliminaries went the way of Saturday, many qualifiers for finals and many great swims.  They would return for finals for a magnificent encore.

The 12-and-unders also finished the meet tremendously on Sunday.  William and Renee dominated the breaststrokes again , winning the 100-yd breaststroke.  This time, brother James Henderson, 12, added to the family specialty by winning the 11-12 boys race, posting a best time and a new Sectional and ‘A’ time.  The relay of Alex Atherton, Ethan Beaver, William Henderson and Noah Scoggins raced to a close second place in the 200 medley relay, and again GPAC’s 11-12 boys took the gold with Henderson, Jones, Parra and Seth Scoggins.

 Sunday finals were truly a test for those willing to see what they had left in them.  As with travel meets, school the next day and other obligations find many swimmers heading home.  When the prelims ended, GPAC had four determined to come back.  Kicking things off, Tatiana Oberley sprinted a strong last 50 to overcome lane four and take the gold, winning the 200 free in 1:59.36!

Once again, Diagne, Oberley and Schellin found themselves head-to-head-to-head.  The 100 breaststroke was as exciting as the 200, with three GPAC girls racing only each other, as the competition was far behind.  In a photo finish, Sophia edged Tatiana, this time by only a .01 margin.  Heidi rounded off the medal stand with the bronze; a true sweep of the events!  All three posting best times again; Oberley and Diagne setting new ‘AAA’ times and Schellin a new ‘AA’ time.

Capping things off, Heidi Schellin captured first place in the 200 backstroke, dropping over 15 seconds, and earning a new Southeastern and Sectional time and posting another ‘AA’ time.  Logan Mead was the last swim of the meet, placing sixth in the boys 200 backstroke.

Ten GPAC swimmers accounted for 18 new Southeastern cuts:  Alex Atherton (50 fly), Sophia Diagne (200 IM, 200 Fly, 50 Fr), Brooke Ferrara (100 Fly), James Henderson (50 Br, 200 Fr), Renee Henderson (50 Bk), Cameron Jones (100 Bk, 100 Fly, 50 Fly), Peyton Parra (100 Fly), Walker Parra (100 Fr, 50 Bk, 100 Br, 100 IM), Nick Petruska (1000 Fr), Heidi Schellin (200 Bk).