Regional swimming preview capsules

When: Saturday, finals begin at 5 p.m.

Where: Long Center, Clearwater

Host: Palm Harbor University

Local team involved: Lakewood Ranch

Up next: The top two finishers in each event plus the top 16 total times from all four regions qualify for the Class 4A state meet, which will take place Saturday, Nov. 14 in Stuart.

Outlook: The Mustangs will bring a large group of 13 swimmers and six total relay teams to regionals, many of them with legitimate hopes of advancing to state. Leading the way are seniors Madison Jean on the girls side and Daniel Erlenmeyer on the boys side, each serving as a top seed based on time. Jean, a Florida Gulf Coast commit, is ranked atop the field by more than a full second in the 100 butterfly and is also the fourth seed in the 100 backstroke, well within striking distance. Erlenmeyer, committed to North Carolina State, ranks first in the 500 freestyle and third in the 200 freestyle. Meanwhile, junior Courtney Chapin sits second by only a tenth of a second behind Strawberry Crest's Celismar Guzman in the 100 backstroke. Other Ranch entries with top-five rankings are Haille Bogumil (fourth in the 50 freestyle, sixth in the 100 freestyle), the girls 200 medley relay (second), the boys 200 medley relay (third), the boys 200 freestyle relay (fifth) and the girls 400 freestyle relay (fifth).

Class 3A-Region 3

When: Saturday, finals begin at 5 p.m.

Where: Florida Gulf Coast University

Host: Estero

Local teams involved: Braden River, Palmetto

Up next: The top two finishers in each event plus the top 16 total times from all four regions qualify for the Class 4A state meet, which will take place Friday, Nov. 13 in Stuart.

Outlook: Braden River's Ryan Walker leads the local names in this meet. Walker, now a senior, is the top seed in both the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, giving him an excellent chance to represent the Pirates in Stuart next week. Two Braden River boys relays, the 200 freestyle and 200 medley, are seeded sixth and within striking distance of a berth to state. Palmetto's Connor Valenti qualified into regionals in two events, the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle, but is a longshot in both.

--By Andy Marks, Herald staff writer

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 11:15 PM with the headline "Regional swimming preview capsules ."