Once again, GPAC swimmers turned back-to-back meets in their favor by swimming more best times and new cuts at the Christmas Invitational hosted by Tiger Aquatics in Baton Rouge, LA.  With a successful Gravy Bowl just finished, GPAC swimmers posted an impressive 63% best times, and showed that they had more to give at the last meet of 2012.

“I’m very impressed by how much faster we were able to go just two weeks after the Gravy Bowl,” said Head Age Group coach Greg Johnson. “I think the swimmers like this venue, and they get excited to swim here.”

Friday night saw great performances of some of the longer events for the age groups. Paige Bridges, 10, kicked off the meet with a win in the 10-and-under girls’ 200 IM, followed by Tatiana Oberley, 15, who took second (behind a college swimmer) in the 400 IM. Oberley’s time was good for a new Senior Sectional qualifying time. In the girls’ 1000 Freestyle, Anna Jordan Luth, 13, grabbed a new Southeastern cut and a new Age Group Sectional cut, as did Lexi DeJesus, 12, and Parker Brandt, 12. Caitlin Bridges posted a new best time and a new Southeastern cut. Bridges, DeJesus and Luth posted new ‘AA’ cuts in the event as well. Brandt swam a new ‘A’ time.

In the boys’ pool that evening, Coulson Barfield dropped five seconds from Gravy Bowl in his 400 IM to post a new Age Group Sectional cut and a new ‘AA’ time. The GPAC boys distance freestylers saw much of the same success as the girls. Seth Scoggins and James Tracey both dropped big time and posted new AG Sectional cuts, with Tracey grabbing a new ‘AA’ time and Scoggins a new ‘A’ time. Thomas Young swam a phenomenal thousand, dropping almost 50 seconds from his time from September, posting a new ‘AA’ time and his first Southeastern cut as a 13-14 year old.

Saturday was another successful day for the GPAC team. Almost all of the 13-and-over swimmers qualified for the finals at night and came back to swim fast. The most outstanding performance of the day went to Tatiana Oberley, who smashed the GPAC team record in the 200-yd Breaststroke by over four seconds. This record has been on the books since 1987! Her time was good enough to qualify her for the NCSA Junior National meet in Orlando in March, and is a ‘AAAA’ time. This marks the third consecutive year that Tatiana won this event at this meet, two as a 13-14 year old. Anna Jordan Luth took Tatiana’s spot at the top of the 13-14 200-yd Breaststroke, rounding out GPAC’s dominance of the Breaststroke events at this meet.  Luth also captured first in the 200-yd IM. Continuing her dynasty of wins, Brooke Ferrara, 16, won all three of her events on Saturday evening. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Brooke has been the best 100-yd Backstroker at the meet, winning two titles at 13-14, and two as 15-16. Ferrara also set a new Senior Sectional qualifying time in the 100-yd Butterfly, breaking the 1:00 barrier for the first time. She also won the 100-yd Freestyle.

GPAC boasted several other event winners on Saturday. Coulson Barfield took top honors in the 100-yd Backstroke, also breaking the 1:00 barrier for the first time. Cameron Jones, 12, won his 50-yd Breaststroke event and Noah Scoggins, 10, won his 100-yd Butterfly.

On Sunday, GPAC continued its reign of the Breaststroke events, with Oberley narrowly missing the team record, but capturing first place with another best time and a new Senior Sectional qualifying time in the 100-yd race. Lexi DeJesus posted a new Southeastern cut and a new AG sectional qualifying time in her breaststroke race.  Maren Mackey showed up to race in her 100-yd breaststroke, dropping a cool five seconds and winning the 10-and-under girls’ race. She also won her 50-yd Butterfly. More event winners on Sunday were Sophia Diagne, 15 (50 Fr), Cameron Jones (50 Fly, 100 IM), and Walker Parra, 12, (50 Bk).

Sixteen swimmers combined for 28 new Southeastern cuts: Parker Brandt (1000 Fr, 100 Fly, 50 Bk), Caitlin Bridges (1000 Fr), Lexi DeJesus (1000 Fr, 100 Br), Sophia Diagne (50 Fr), Cason Forst, 12 (100 Fly, 100 Br), Scott Griffith, 14 (200 Br), Cameron Jones (50 Fly), Anna Jordan Luth (1000 Fr, 200 IM), Maren Mackey, 10 (200 IM, 100 Fr, 50 Br, 50 Fly, 100 Br, 50 Fr), Gracie Matthews, 12 (100 IM), Tatiana Oberley (200 Fr), Walker Parra (50 Br), Noah Scoggins (100 Bk), Seth Scoggins (1000 Fr, 100 Fr), James Tracey (1000 Fr), Thomas Young (1000 Fr, 100 Bk).

Congratulations to the swimmers who made new Sectional qualifying times: Coulson Barfield (400 IM), Parker Brandt (1000 Fr, 100 Fly, 50 Bk), Lexi DeJesus (1000 Fr, 100 Br), Brooke Ferrara (100 Fly), Cameron Jones (50 Fly), Anna Jordan Luth (1000 Fr, 200 Br), Tatiana Oberley (400 IM, 200 IM, 100 Br), Walker Parra (50 Fr, 50 Br), Seth Scoggins (1000 Fr), James Tracey (1000 Fr).

GPAC is very proud of these swimmers who posted best times in all events swam:  Lexi DeJesus, Anna Jordan Luth, Maren Mackey, Tatiana Oberley, and Taitem Turbyfill, 11.

Several GPAC swimmers also made new Motivational Times at the meet:

Several GPAC swimmers also made new Motivational Times at the meet:

AAAA:   Tatiana Oberley (100, 200 Br)
AAA:      Sophia Diagne (50 Fr), Brooke Ferrara (100 Fly), Tatiana Oberley (200, 400 IM, 100 Fr),
               Walker Parra (100 Bk),
AA:         Coulson Barfield (400 IM), Parker Brandt (100 Fly, 50 Bk), Caitlin Bridges (1000 Fr), Lexi DeJesus   
              (1000 Fr), Cameron Jones (50 Br), Anna Jordan Luth (1000 Fr), Maren Mackey (50 Fly), Grace
               Matthews (100 IM), Walker Parra (50 Br), James Tracey (1000 Fr), Thomas Young (1000 Fr)
A:            Parker Brandt (1000 Fr), Lexi DeJesus (50 Br, 100 IM), Scott Griffith (200 Br), Anna Jordan Luth
              (50, 100 Fr), Maren Mackey (200 IM, 100 Fr, 50, 100 Br, 50 Fr), Grace Matthews (50 Br), Noah
              Scoggins (50 Fly), Seth Scoggins (1000 Fr, 100 Fr)
BB:         Ashley Burroughs (50 Br), Lexi DeJesus (100 Fly), Cason Forst (100 Fr, 200 Fr), Kristina Jacques,
                16 (500 Fr), Rebekah Loesch, 17 (200 Fr), Seth Scoggins (100 Fly), Thomas Young (100 Fly)