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Fleming Island girls rock district swims; Jones tops for boys

By Randy Lefko Sports Editor
Posted 11/6/19

GAINESVILLE - Fleming Island High swim coach Jordan Bright is seeing a shift in prowess from his boys team to the girls team after a half decade of dominating performances by a handful of boys that …

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Fleming Island girls rock district swims; Jones tops for boys


Posted

GAINESVILLE - Fleming Island High swim coach Jordan Bright is seeing a shift in prowess from his boys team to the girls team after a half decade of dominating performances by a handful of boys that put Fleming Island sprint swimming on the state map. Fleming Island's girls team finished second in the district 2-3A championships to Chiles, third in 3A last year) while the Fleming Island boys took fifth.

"Sprinters are what we get at Fleming Island," said Bright, as he watched his troops at the region 1-3A championships held Mon., Nov. 4 in Gainesville. "We are deep on the girls side with a lot of them coming back next year and making us stronger. The boys have less numbers, but good athletes."

For the girls, a superb 200 yard medley relay squad of Sarah and Emma Grimm, both juniors, Abree Clark, a junior, and Christine Johnson, a sophomore, powered to a district title above Gainesville with a one second gap between the two.

The same quartet won the 200 free relay over Chiles with a 1:38.24 split to Chiles' 1:39.93. The boys 200 free relay (Bilyeu, Joseph Cannon, Jones and Lebesch), long a gold medal staple for the Golden Eagles with three in a row in just five years ago, won in a grudge match with Lincoln High, 1:32.42-1:32.64.

Emma Grimm would return to win a district title in the 50 free along with Ernest Jones for the boys for a double Fleming Island showcase. Also in the boys district 50 free race, Alec Bilyeu and Justin Lebesch punched in with 10th and 11th place finishes. Katherine Townsend finished sixth in the 50 free also for Fleming Island.

Fleming Island got some diving points at districts with freshman Jillian LaBelle taking fifth and earning a region spot.

In the 100 free, Sarah Grimm topped the field with her 53.72 with Lincoln High's Ella Kate Noblin runnerup at 54.47. Grimm also took silver in the 100 backstroke.

Emma Grimm earned a bronze in the 100 breaststroke.

Fleming Island's girls 400 free relay; Ashlynn Niewenhuis, Reagan Crosby, Emily Ramsden and Abree Clark, took third.

To Regions (rank, top 16 for relays, 24 for individuals advance):FIHS girls 200 medley relay (1st); FIHS boys 200 medley relay (9th); 200 free, Ashlynn Niewenhuis (4th); 200 free, Reagan Crosby (17th); 200 IM Christine Johnson (12th); 50 free Emma Grimm (1st); 50 free Katherine Townsend (12th); 50 free Ernest Jones (5th), 50 free Alec Bilyeu (20th); 50 free Justin Lebesch (21st); Diving Jillian LaBelle (15th); 100 butterfly Christine Johnson (5th); 100 butterfly Abree Clark (6th); 100 butterfly Abigail McDade (24th); 100 free Sarah Grimm (1st); 100 free Emily Ramsden (15th); 100 free Reagan Crosby (18th); 100 free Ernest Jones (10th); 100 free Alec Bilyeu (13th); 500 free Ashlynn Niewenhuis (12th); Girls 200 free relay (1st); Boys 200 free relay (3rd); 100 backstroke Sarah Grimm (2nd); 100 backstroke Emily Ramsden (17th); 100 breaststroke Emma Grimm (7th); 100 breaststroke Julia Sheffler (12th); 100 breaststroke Katherine Townsend (18th); 100 breaststroke Karen Tang (21st); Girls 400 free relay (5th).