On Thursday, June 19, the Highlands Hurricanes Swim Team traveled to Waynesville to swim against SMAC (Smoky Mountain Aquatics Club). SMAC won 2730 to 2273.
The Hurricanes swam well. Exceptional performances included:
Dodo Zhang breaking a 2 year-old MSL (Mountain Swim League record) and a 9 year-old team record in the 100 yard backstroke; and
Jasmine Abranyi qualifying for her 2nd event in the 2025 AAU Jr. Olympics, the 100 freestyle (she had previously qualified in the 50 freestyle).
Zhang and Abranyi were co high scorers for the Hurricanes with 80 pts each (3 individual wins and 2 relay wins each. There are 82 events in a MSL meet. These 2 accounted for or assisted with winning 10 of them.
Jr. Olympians Aniah McKim, Conner Hughes, and Emma Denisoff each won 77 pts (2 individual and 2 relay wins). Ellie Bysura, Emelina Hernandez, and Jr. Olympian Bella Batista brought home 74 pts. Ian Batista and Jr. Olympian Elizabeth Burnette had 73 pts. Anna Shchelgachov won 70 pts, Rocco Basil 69, Justin Powell 68.5, Alex Lopez 67, Zana Maseko 66, Aleks Petric 65.5, Ivan Shchelgachov 65.
Brother Ben Shchelgachov and Jay Herman scored 64, Kate Vanderweile and Jaycee Powell 63, Morgan Mason 62, Melanie Zabrian 61.5, Maxwell Basil 61, Hayden Bysura 60, Andre Jimenez 58, Valerie Nadzorau 56, Emily Mason 53.5, Luca Maseko 53, Agatha Jestin 49.5, Lucas Zabrian 49, Senna Sherrill 47, Cooper Fisher 42, Zoey Ivey 38, Victoria Nadzorau 33.5, Nikita Denisoff 33, and Sadie Bysura 32.
All of the Highlands Hurricanes scored.
The Highlands Hurricanes are a year-round Highlands Recreation Park Team that practices mostly in the evenings at the Highlands Recreation Park Pool. The only requirement to join is that a perspective swimmer must be able to swim 25 yards (the length of the rec park pool) unassisted. For information please call Steve Hott, Head Coach, at 828.421.4121.
- Steve Hott
Hurricanes Swim Coach