SARASOTA — Qualifying for state never gets old to Patrick Ceddia.
The Cardinal Mooney senior boys swimmer made it to state the past three years, and he’s headed back.
On Saturday, Ceddia won the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:40.98 and 500-yard free with a time of 4:30.82 to lead the host Cougars boys swimmers to the Class 1A-Region 3 runner-up honor at Selby Aquatic Center.
Cardinal Mooney boys finished with 232 points behind Tampa Berkeley Prep, which captured the regional crown with 349 points.
“The thing I try to always have is perfect race technique and get a better time. That’s most important,” said Ceddia, who will sign a letter of intent Wednesday to swim at the University of North Carolina. “If I come in second at state, but it’s my best time then I’m glad.”
The Cougars boys team also won the 200-yard freestyle relay team took second place with a school-record time of 1:31. 77.
“The kids did very well (Saturday),” Cardinal Mooney coach Alice Smithers said. “It was so nice to have a home meet. The kids could sleep in their own beds. They all came back and swam so well.”
Saint Stephen’s turned in a solid performance as well.
The Falcons girls finished in sixth place with 136 points, and the boys took seventh place with 136 points.
Freshman William Kazokas won the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 54.77, and he finished in second place in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 48.64.
“We really picked it up a notch,” said Kazokas, who finished 13th in state last season in the 100-yard backstroke. “It’s really been impressive. I’m proud of my team.”
Out-of-Door Academy boys had a team total of 9.5 points, and the girls had 44.
Thunder coach Carolyn Keber said she’s proud of her players for competing hard against the more established schools.
“We improved all of our times,” she said. “Kayman Bone made it to the finals in the 100 backstroke and 100 breaststroke. We are working on increasing the stability and size of our team to compete against the other local schools.”
In the Class 3A-Region 3 finals Saturday, Manatee girls swimmer Rachel Harrington won second place in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 58.37 and placed sixth in the 500 freestyle (4:59.48). Diver Shiloh McGann placed 12th in the diving competition Friday.
“We are building a new program, and you just wait until next year,” Hurricanes coach Evelyn McGann said. “You will see a big difference. We want to generate interest in the swimming community. We will put Manatee back on the map.”
FHSAA - Class 1A-Region 3
Event 1 Girls 200 Yard Medley Relay Final Points
1 Shorecrest Prep (St. Pete) 1:54.61 40
1) Shea, Rachel 12 2) Tripp, Paige 11
3) Piper, Jessica 10 4) Andrews, Hope 10
2 Tampa Prep 1:56.96 34
1) Spada, Rosalie 10 2) Carter, Katie 10
3) Siewert, Emma 10 4) Waite, Carylyn 8
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