Southern Zone Senior Chamionship Meet Recap
Southern Zone Senior Chamionship Meet Recap
By Maria Zambito
Leaving behind the monsoon that was Tampa, Florida, the CVST Senior 1 Group began a road trip to Greenville, South Carolina for USA Swimming Southern Zone Senior Championship Meet. Zach Bowles, Abby Forman, Daryl Pickerell, Maria Zambito and Emma Volz formed a team ready to swim fast and show South Carolina and the rest of the Southern Zone what they could do after swimming doubles all summer long.
Zach Bowles (17) had a fast meet starting off day one of the meet with the Men’s 800 Freestyle. Bowles dropped 8 seconds in the event to go a blazing 8:54.73 placing him 17th overall. Soon after, Daryl Pickerell (17) swam the 800 dropping an impressive 54 seconds from his best time. Also swimming the 800 free, Emma Volz (20) went a season best 9:48.91 placing her 12th overall.
Upon Day 2 finals, Daryl Pickerell started us off with a 2 second drop in the 200 breast, his best event, to go a time of 2:44.23. Emma Volz followed his lead dropping 4 seconds from her prelims time in the 200 back to go a quick 2:40.42. Abby Forman (13) had an incredible 9 second drop from prelims to finals in the 200 fly. Forman had the most daunting race of the evening being the only person in her heat at finals. She made it through and had the entire pool deck on their feet cheering her on.
On Friday of the meet, Emma Volz had a great swim in the 400 freestyle dropping 6 seconds from prelims to finals and going a season best time of 4:45.37. Zach Bowles had an equally great race dropping nearly 6 seconds as well to go a best time of 4:18.19. Bowles also swam the 100 fly at finals to go a personal best time of 1:02.33.
The final day of the meet, the mile was the only race standing between them and summer break. Emma Volz had a stellar swim to go 18:47.68, another season best which also placed her 3rd overall for the Women. Abby Forman swam in right behind her to go 19:22.11 placing her 8th overall for the Women.
After a summer of waking up for 6am practices and dryland workouts in the blistering heat, or worse, torrential rain, the Senior 1s performed well at their final meet of the season. They’re already excited for next year in Tupelo, Mississippi.
Emma Volz & Abby Forman on the 1500 Free Medal Stand.
