Sting Rays prepare for state

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, July 17, 2002

Several members of the Andalusia Sting Rays swim team earned a trip to the State Swim Championships with their times and finishes at the District 8 Swim Championships held in Eufaula. The State Swim Championships will be held in Eufaula beginning on Friday, July 26.

Courtney Aucoin and Anna Bay McCord both earned the right to compete at the State Championships in the 8- and under 25-yard breaststroke. Aucoin finished first at district with a time of 25.68. McCord finished third with a time of 30.17.

McCord also finished third in the 25-yard backstroke with a time of 25.19 to qualify for the state meet. Aucoin earned a third-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle with a

time of 50.04 to qualify for the state meet.

Christina Christensen placed second in the 100-yard individual medley in the girls' 9- and 10-year-old division with a time of 1:56.16 to qualify for the State Swim Championships. She also qualified for the 50-yard butterfly with a second-place finish at district with a time of 1:04.63. Christensen will also compete in the 100-yard freestyle at state after finishing third at district with a time of 1:47.74.

Starla Jones earned a second-place finish in the 9- and 10-year-old girls' 50-yard freestyle with a time of 39.58 to qualify for the state meet. She also finished first at district in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 51.58 to qualify for state.

Lindsey Weaver finished second in the 50-yard backstroke to qualify for state. She had a time of 46.38.

Evan Brooks was another 10-year-old from Andalusia who qualified for state with a time of 1:29.52 in the boys' 50-yard freestyle for second-place honors.

In the 11- and 12-year-old division, Erin St. John finished third in the 50-yard breaststroke event to qualify for state with a time of 45.98. She also qualified for the 50-yard backstroke at state after posting a third-place finish with a time of 45.26 at district.

Sara Beasley also qualified for state among the 11- and 12-year-olds with a time of 57.93 and a third-place finish in the 50-yard butterfly.

Tyler Moody qualified for the boys' 50-yard butterfly in the 11- and 12-year-old division with a time of 47.68 and a first-place finish at district.

In the 13- and 14-year-old division, Myles Hollingsworth and Justin Moody both qualified for state in the 50-yard butterfly. Hollingsworth finished second at district with a time of 37.24 to qualify. Moody finished in third with a time of 38.88.

Hollingsworth also qualified for state in the 50-yard backstroke with a second-place finish with a time of 36.43. Gary Griggers finished third in backstroke with a time of 38.63 to also qualify for state.

Alicia Riley was the only girl from the String Rays to qualify in the 13- and 14-year-old division with a third-place finish in the 50-yard backstroke. She came home in third with a

time of 40.04.

In the 15- through 18-year-old division, Jake Hollingsworth earned a spot in the state championships with a third-place finish in the 100-yard individual medley. He also qualified for the 50-yard breaststroke with a

first-place finish. He also finished first in the 50-yard freestyle event to qualify for state.

Micah Rider also qualified for several events at state with a third-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle, the 50-yard butterfly and the 50-yard backstroke.

Lane Rider finished third in the 50-yard breaststroke to also qualify for the state meet.

Alicia Brooks earned a trip to the state meet with a third-place finish in the 15- to 18-year-old girls' breaststroke with a time of 43.30.

Several Sting Ray relay teams also qualified for the state meet.

The 8- and under 100-yard boys' freestyle relay team of Luke Ryder, Jacob Peek, Tom Cook and Christopher Smith qualified.

The 9- and 10-year-old 200-yard medley relay team of Christina Christensen, Jessica Smith, Tally Morrow and Maggie Jones qualified with a second-place finish at district.

Two 9- and 10-year-old 200-yard freestyle relay teams qualified for state. Lindsey Weaver, Haley Moody, Tally Morrow and Starla Jones make up one team. The other relay team to qualify is made up of Morgan Carpenter, Maggie Jones, Christina Christensen and Jessica Smith.

The 11- and 12-year-old 200-yard freestyle relay team from Andalusia also qualified for state as Becca Cory, Sara Beasley, Erin St. John and Shelby Cordell teamed up for a third-place finish at district,

In the girls' 13 and 14-year-old division, the Sting Rays' 200-yard medley relay team of Alicia Riley, Morgan Watson, Lindsay Jones and Caitlin Rider finished third at district to qualify for state. The same relay team also qualified for the state meet in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

The 13- and 14-year-old Andalusia relay team of Blake Neville, Justin Moody, Myles Hollingsworth and Gary Griggers also qualified for the state meet.