On Saturday, July 12, the Highlands Hurricanes traveled to Franklin for the 2025 MSL (Mountain Swim League) Conference Championships, only this time the results were different. For the first time in decades , maybe ever the Highlands boys team beat Franklin 300.5 to 290.
Smoky Mountain Aquatics Club (SMAC) finished 3rd, Jackson County Swim Team (JCST) 4th, and Cherokee County Aquatics Club (CCAC) 5th. Highlands girls finished 3rd.
Leading the scoring for the Hurricanes were three Jr. Olympians Jasmine Abranyi, Finneaus Garner, and Dodo Zhang, all who scored 26.0 pts. Hayden Bysura brought home 24.5 points. Both Zhang and Bysura broke team records in the 100 yard backstroke in their respective age groups.
Jr. Olympians Ian Batista, Aniah McKim, Emma Denisoff, Elizabeth Burnette, and Bella Batista won 24, 22, 21, 18.5, 17.5, and 16.5 points respectively.
MSL Allstar Asa Garner had 15.5, Jr. Olympians Aleks Petric-Saconjic and Jaycee Powell had 15 pts. All stars Rocco Basil, and Lucas Zabrian had 14.5 and 14, Jr. Olympian Justin Powell, Allstar Emily Mason 14, Allstar Zana Maseko and Jr. Olympian Chase Kenter 12.5 and 11.5. Allstars Hananiah Edwards, Morgan Mason, Agatha Justin, Ellie Bysura, Nikita Denisoff, Ivan Shchelgachov, Luka Maseko, Max Basil, and Katherine Wise scored 11, 10.5, 10, 9, 9, 8.5, 8, 8, and 7.5 respectively.
Sadie Bysura and Melanie Zabrian scored 7 and Stella Kerr, Nehemiah Edwards and Benjamin Edwards each had 5. Allstar Max Jestin had 4.5. Anna Shchelgachova, Zoe Ivy, Kate Vanderweile, Blakely Hedden, and Andre Jimenez brought home 3.5, 2.5, 2.5, 2 and 1 pts.
Senna Sherrill and Azariah Edwards swam well for the Hurricanes.
The Highlands Hurricanes Swim Team is a Highlands Recreation Park Team that practices mostly in the evenings at the Highlands Rec Park Pool. The only requirement to join is that a prospective swimmer must be able to swim 25 yards (the length of the rec park pool unassisted.
For information call Steve Hott, Head Coach at (828) 421-4121
- Steve Hott
Hurricanes Coach