The Ponte Vedra High School Sharks Swim & Dive Team is off to a fast start for the Fall 2015 season. The team’s Head Coach Jim McCarthy and Assistant Coaches Max Ervanian and Lauren Pickett are excited about working with a hardworking group of fifty-three dedicated student athletes. The dedicated swimmers start their weekdays together at the Ponte Vedra YMCA Pool before the sun is up.
The team will be led this season by a strong team of returning seniors. Swimmers Emily Grace Alfaro, Emily Benson, Eric Erhard, Jonathan Magiske, Samantha Price and diver Meg Barnhorst all represented PVHS in the competitive Florida 2A High School state championship in 2014. Additional senior swimmers Kelley Hall, JR Molm and Luiza Serrano will make strong contributions this season.
PVHS vs. St. Augustine – Aug. 25
In the season opener, the PVHS Sharks swam to an easy win over St. Augustine High School Yellow Jackets, with a final score of PVHS 436 to St. Augustine 119.
Winning two individual events each were seniors Emily Benson (200 and 500 free), Samantha Price (200 Individual Medley and 100 Fly), Emily Grace Alfaro (50 and 100 free) and Jonathan Magiske (50 free and 100 fly), and sophomore Jesse Hagy (200 Individual Medley and 100 Breast).
Adding first place individual points were senior Eric Erhard (100 free), juniors Olivia Dries (100 Back), Jenny Norenberg (100 Breast), and Sean Hoffman (200 Free), and freshmen Daniel Beneventano (500 free) and Nicholas Cox (100 back). Diver Meg Barnhorst also secured first place for the Sharks.
Ponte Vedra won all six relays. Juniors Carly Voytecek and Molly Voytecek, and sophomore Caroline Metcalf-Parker teamed with the individual event winners to win all three girls relays, and junior Raleigh Buchanan and sophomore Hays Molm teamed with the individual event winners to secure the top spots in the boys relays.
PVHS vs. St. Joseph – Sept. 1
The PVHS Sharks hosted St. Joseph, dominating the competition with a score of 418 to 135. In the most notable performance of the evening, sophomore Jesse Hagy broke the PVHS school record in the 100-yard Breaststroke with a speedy time of 1:03.83.
Three swimmers contributed their first individual wins of the season. Sophomores Drew Bloss won the 200 Individual Medley and 100 Fly. Sophomore Frank Lukens won the 200 free, and freshman Brecca Hawkins won the 100 back.
Adding individual event victories were: Eric Erhard, Jonathan, Magiske, Daniel Beneventano, Jesse Hagy, Nicholas Cox, Samantha Price, Emily Grace Alfaro, Emily Benson, and Jenny Norenberg.
Sharks won all six relays. Shane Malone (FR), Sean Hoffman, Hays Molm, Raleigh Buchanan, Caroline Metcalf-Parker, Carly Voytecek, and Molly Voytecek teamed with the other leaders to secure the relay victories.
We asked Coach Jim McCarthy about his goals for the team. Jim’s vision is for the athletes to succeed not only in the pool, but in life.
“For a varsity coach, I am confident that there is no goal more worthwhile and long lasting than the cultivation of young men and women of sterling moral character who possess the work ethic, dignity, and grit necessary to accomplish their dreams and positively impact the people around them.”
