On Thursday, June 27, the Highlands Hurricanes hosted Cherokee County Aquatics Club from Murphy and Jackson County Swim Team from Sylva. The Hurricanes won 666 to JCST’s 273 and CCAC’s 167.
All of the Highlands Hurricanes scored.
The Hurricanes were led by Jr. Olympian Aniah McKim who won three events and scored 25 points. Bella Batista, Jr. Olympian Lilliana Jandera-Chambless, and 1st time Jr. Olympic qualifier Emilina Hernandez all also won three events and had 24 points. Jandera-Chambless broke both team and pool records in the 50-yard backstroke and the 100-yard Individual Medley (IM). Hernandez qualified for the 2024 Jr. Olympics in the 50-yard freestyle.
By winning two events and finishing second in a third event Stefan Halldin, Jr. Olympian Justin Powell, Jr. Olympic qualifier Alex Lopez, and 1st time Jr. Olympic qualifier Emma Denisoff scored 23 points each. Denisoff qualified in both the 50 and 100 freestyle. Jasmine Abranyi continued her record braking ways with three first place finishes, 21.5 points, and three team records. Dodo Zhang, Jayce Powell, and Agatha Jestin contributed 21 points each. Zhang qualified for JO’s for his first time in the 50 freestyle. Annabelle Searles and Junior Olympian Ben Halldin won an event and 20 points. The trio of Ellie Bysura, Wylie Hinton, and Nikita Denisoff scored 19.5 points. Hinton and Denisoff won two events, Bysura one. Finneaus Garner won two events, contributed 19 points, and broke the pool record in the 50 freestyle. Max Jestin won an event and 18 points.
Hayden Bysura and Anna Shchelgachova scored 17 points, while brother Ben Shchelgachov and AnnMarie Hinton had 16. Charlie Hinton had 15.5 points, Jr. Olympian Chase Kenter 15, and Max Basil 14.5. Both Ian Batista and Corena Dearth scored 14, Asa Garner 13, Zoe Ivey 11.5, and the pair Andre Jimenez and Ellie Skier 10.5. Skier won an event. Valerie Nadzorau had 10, John Bradshaw Spencer 9.5, Rocco Basil 9, and brother Michael Spencer 8.5. Kate Vanderweile scored 8, Briella McKim 7.5,
Angelina Levy 6.5, brother Cody Levy 6, and Senna Sherrill 3.5. In his first meet Lucas Zabrian had 2 pts, and both Harrison McKim and back from a tough break Katherine Wise scored 1. Margaret Cole was out sick.
The Highlands Hurricanes Swim Team is a Highlands Recreation Park Team that practices mostly in the evenings at the Highlands Recreation Park Pool. The only requirement to join is that a prospective swimmer must be able to swim 25 yards (one length of the rec park pool) unassisted. For more information please call Head Coach Steve Hott at 828-421-4121.