You could not squeeze another name on the GPAC “best times” poster by the end of the first day, much less by the end of the meet. Hosting over 600 swimmers from south Alabama to Panama City, including 100 of their own, GPAC swimmers produced perhaps the biggest and best South District Championships in over eight years at UWF February 22-23. GPAC swimmers combined for a whopping 71 percent life-best times overall and 96 swimmers posted at least one best time.

“We have had over 100 GPAC swimmers in all of our home meets this season,” said Head Coach Phil Kraus. “The participation from the team is tremendous, and our results definitely reflect the progress of every swimmer.”

The district championship serves as the “big meet” for the 8-and under swimmers from all the teams. GPAC had some impressive performances from several of the younger swimmers. Korbin Menser, 8, scored 43 points for the team, finishing in the top-six in all eight of his events. He won the 50-yd breaststroke, he posted four new ‘A’ times (25, 50 Br, 25, 50 Fr), and anchored the silver medal freestyle relay. Three other GPAC swimmers posted top-eight performances: Connor Devanney (7^th-100 IM, 8^th-25 Fly), Braedan Jacobs (4^th-50 Bk, 8^th- 100 Fr, 100 IM, 25 BK), and Kat Ralls (7^th-50 Br). Overall, GPAC finished in third place in the boys’ meet, and fifth place in the girls’ meet.

For the older swimmers on the team, the district meet is the last opportunity to qualify for the LSC championship in Nashville, TN. Fourteen GPAC swimmers posted 28 new Southeastern championship qualifying times at the meet. Sydney Dodson, 10, posted her first-ever Southeastern cut in the 100-yd breaststroke, and Catherine Petruska nabbed her cut in the 1,650-yd freestyle to make GPAC’s 39^th and 40^th Southeastern qualifier. GPAC has the most championship qualifiers in almost 10 years. Congratulations to all the swimmers who posted new cuts: Caitlin Bridges, 13 (1,650 Fr), Lexi DeJesus, 12 (500 Fr, 200 IM), Cason Forst, 12 (50, 200, 500 Fr, 100, 200 IM, 50 Br), Maren Mackey, 10 (100 Fly), Grace Matthews, 12 (200 Fr), Nicholas Petruska, 14 (100 Bk, 200 IM), Noah Scoggins, 10 (50 Bk), Seth Scoggins, 12 (50 Fr), Grace Sill, 14 (400 IM), James Tracey, 12 (100, 200 IM, 100 Bk), Cali Wilson, 12 (50, 100 Fly, 100 Bk, 200 Fr), and Thomas Young, 13 (200, 1,650 Fr, 200 IM).

Several of the swimmers also posted new Sectional championship qualifying times: Caitlin Bridges (1,650 Fr), Lexi DeJesus (200 IM), Maren Mackey (100 Fly), Grace Matthews (200 Fr), Cali Wilson (200 Fr, 50, 100 Fly) and Thomas Young (1,650 Fr).

Cason Forst emerged as one of GPAC’s top performers at the meet, winning all six of his individual events, setting life-best times in all six of his individual events, and posting six new Southeastern cuts, and six new ‘A’ times. Cali Wilson also won all of her individual events, setting best times in each, and new ‘AA’ in all her events.

Many GPAC swimmers won individual events at the meet: Braden Barkley, 11 (50, 100 Fly), Kareem Bataineh, 14 (200 Fly), Parker Brandt, 13 (200 Fly), Caitlin Bridges (100 Br, 500, 1650 Fr), Grant Bridges, 17 (200 Bk), Lexi DeJesus (100 IM), Trinity Devanney, 10 (200 Fr), Sydney Dodson (50 Br), Rebekah Loesch, 17 (100 Fr, 100 Fly), Ryan Longley, 16 (500 Fr), Malia Ludwick, 10 (200 IM), AJ Luth, 13 (200 Fr), Jenna Luth, 16 (500 Fr), Maren Mackey (100 Fly), Logan Mead, 16 (400 IM, 1,650 Fr), Grace Menzies, 14 (200 IM), Peyton Parra, 15 (100, 200 Fly), Catherine Petruska (1,650 Fr), Nicholas Petruska, 14 (50 Fr), Heidi Schellin, 15 (200, 400 IM, 100 Bk), Noah Scoggins, 10 (50 Fr), James Tracey (50 Bk), Nevada Wood, 13 (100 Br) and Thomas Young (200 Fr, 1,650 Fr).

GPAC swimmers who posted life-best times in all of their individual events were Cynthia Anderson, 10, Hayden Anderson, 8, Paige Connors, 11, Ryan Harrison, 13, Nick Hoff, 12, Sam Laggan, 11, Rachel Lee, 12, Ignacio Leon, 11, Alex Little, 12, Max Little, 6, Justin Liu, 12, Rebekah Loesch, Ryan Longley, Jenna Luth, Maren Mackey, Coleman Manly, 10, Wyatt Manly, 8, Anna Marks, 11, Grace Matthews, Kobi Menser, 11, Grace Menzies, Noah Scoggins, Seth Scoggins, Grace Sill, Shelby Smith, 8, James Tracey, Zoe Warner, 10, Nevada Wood, and Thomas Young.

Congratulations to the swimmers who made new motivational time standards:

B:            Jordan Barrett (50 Fly), Kareem Bataineh (100 Bk), Henry Demedeiros (100 Fr), Sydney Dodson
(200 Fr), Landry Hadder (50 Fly), Chloe Hansen (200 Br), Amelia Hoitt (50 Bk, 100 IM), Berkeley Humphries (500 Fr), Cannon Hutchens (50, 100 Bk, 500 Fr), Emily Johnson (100 Fly), Sam Laggan (200 Fr), Kyle Longley (50 Br, 50 Fly), Coleman Manly (50 Fr, 100 IM), Anna Marks (200 Fr, 50 Bk, 100, 200 IM, 50 Br), Sarah Marks (200 Fr, 200 IM, 50, 100 Br), Korbin Menser (100 IM), Joseph Richbourg, (50 Bk), Zoe Warner (50 Bk, 100 Br, 100 IM), Nevada Wood (100 Bk)

BB:         Alex Atherton (200, 500 Fr, 200 IM), Abby Barr (200 Fr, 100 Bk), Kareem Bataineh (100, 200 Fr, 100 Fly), Ashley Burroughs (200 Fr, 200 IM), Meghan Doyle (500 Fr), Scott Griffith (100 Fr), Berkeley Humphries (200 Fr, 200 IM), Kristina Jacques (100 Bk), Emily Johnson (200 Br), Izzy Kent (50 Bk, 50 Fly, 100, 200 IM), Austin Lee (200 Fr), Rachel Lee (100, 200 IM, 50 Br), Justin Liu (200 Fr, 100 Br, 50 Fly), Kyle Longley (200 Fr, 50 Bk, 200 IM), Ryan Longley (50 Fr), Coleman Manly (50 Bk), Anna Marks (50 Fr, 100 Bk), Logan Mastaw (50 Bk), Grace Sill (200 Fly), Taitem Turbyfill (100 Bk), Nevada Wood (200 Fr, 100, 200 Br, 50, 100 Fr)

A:            Parker Brandt (100, 200 Bk), Scott Griffith (200 Br), Grace Matthews (100 Br), Logan Mead (200 Fr), Catherine Petruska (1,650 Fr), Nicholas Petruska (100 Bk), Noah Scoggins (50 Bk), Seth Scoggins (50 Fr), James Tracey (100, 200 IM, 100 Bk)

AA:         Lexi DeJesus (100 IM), Jenna Luth (50, 100, 500 Fr), Maren Mackey (100 Fly), Grace Matthews (200 Fr), Grace Menzies (100, 200 Fr), Peyton Parra (50 Fr), Grace Sill (500 Fr, 400 IM), Thomas Young (200, 1,650 FR)