The Ponte Vedra and Nease swim teams battled each other in the pool as bragging rights and district titles were on the line during the District 3-3A Championship taking place at Planet Swim on Oct. 22.
The programs wound up splitting the team district titles and dominated much of the action during the day, as the Sharks’ girls team won with 539 points over the 24 events, while the Panthers’ boys team took home the top spot after compiling 509 points.
The schools proved to be each other’s main competition throughout as the Panthers’ girls finished runner-up and so did the Sharks’ boys.
On the boys’ side, the Panthers showcased why they are the reigning state champions with a strong performance led by district championships by sophomore Luke Zardavets, who racked up four first-place medals at the competition, including a pair of individual wins in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard breaststroke.
As if that did not showcase his versatility, he also took home first place medals in the 200-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.
Just a sophomore, Zardavets has a bright future ahead of him, and he has learned from a talented group of seniors with Walker Lanoue and Jack Mainville each earning three top honors with Lanoue taking care of business in the 100-yard freestyle and 400-yard freestyle relay, while Mainville held his own with a victory in the 50-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relay.
All three teamed up with senior Brandon Gear to bring home a title in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
For the Sharks’ girls' squad, it was business from start to finish and the result was sweeping all three of the relays, while senior Penny Zarczynski earned the gold in both the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly.
Her big day did not stop there, as she also won titles in the 200-yard medley relay along with Kate Pelot, Sydney Player and Makenna Biernacki, and the 200-yard freestyle relay with Pelot, Sophie Fox and Ainsley MacAdams.
The Sharks had several swimmers earn multiple golds, including Fox, MacAdams and Player, who joined fellow junior Lily Doyle to win the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Doyle showed her long-distance prowess by also winning gold in the 500-yard freestyle.
Other district champions:
Nease: Lincoln Driesse (boys 200-yard medley realy and 400-yard freestyle relay); Brandon Gear (boys 200-yard freestyle relay and 200-yard medley relay); Nate Caswell (boys 200-yard medley relay); Anatoli Monsalve (boys 200-yard medley relay); Charlotte Driesse (girls 200-yard individual medley); Savanna Petrosevich (girls 1-meter diving); Olivia Moore (girls 100-yard freestyle); Alexis Petrosevich (100-yard breaststroke)
Ponte Vedra: Eli Ahlers (boys 1-meter diving)
