FHSAA 3A Swimming and Diving State Championships
- November 7th, 2020
- Sailfish Splashpark Aquatic Athletics Center, Stuart, Florida
- All State Series Information
- Results on Meet Mobile: “2020 FHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships-3A
- Full Results PDF
Top 5 Girl’s Team Scores
- Lawton Chiles – 242
- Fleming Island – 208
- Countryside – 188
- Fort Myers – 164
- Osceola Fundamental – 149
Florida 3A high schools across the state wrapped up their post-season competition on Saturday, November 7th as they competed in the state championship meet.
On the women’s side, Lawton Chiles High School repeated as state champions. They topped runner up Fleming Island by a score of 242 to 208. Countryside rounded out the top three finishers with 188 points.
Lawton Chiles was led to their victory by a strong performance from junior Lydia Hanlon. Hanlon won both the 100 fly (53.73) and 100 back (54.44). This marks the third straight year in which she has won the 100 back and the second year that she has won the 100 fly. She finished 3rd in the 100 fly at the State Championship meet as a freshman.
Lawton Chiles was also helped to their victory by a strong showing in the 200 and 500 freestyles. Stella Watts took 4rd in both (1:51.11/4:49.41), while Emily Chorpening added a 4th place finish in the 200 and 5th place finish in the 500 (1:53.12/4:56.04). Watts, who is a junior, is committed to the University of Alabama while the senior Chorpening will join Colorado State next year.
In the 200 IM Michelle Morgan, a junior at Freedom, upset defending champion Olivia McMurray to take the top spot in 2:00.92. Despite the loss in the 200 IM, McMurray was still able to win the 500 free later in the meet (4:46.44). In winning the 500 she managed to win the event in all four years of her high school career.
The sprint freestyle events were both won by first time FHSAA state champions, with junior Sarah Evans winning the 50 free (23.41) and sophomore Gisella Wright taking the 100 (50.84).
In the 100 breast Emma Wortman of Pace, who last year qualified for the B-final of the event while swimming for a different school (Milton), posted the top time of 1:03.32.
Also having an impressive showing at the women’s meet was sophomore Summer Cardwell of Countryside. She started the meet by winning the 200 free by almost 2 seconds, finishing as the only girl to break 1:50 in the event (1:48.40). This was her second time winning the event as she topped the podium in it as a freshman last year as well (1:49.35). Cardwell later added a second-place finish in the 100 fly, touching in 54.24. She was also a part of Countryside’s state champion 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
Top 5 Boy’s Team Scores
- Sarasota – 254.5
- Barron Collier – 200
- Lawton Chiles – 190.5
- Countryside – 170
- Osceola Fundamental – 126
At the men’s meet, Sarasota High School took the top spot, finishing with 254.5 points. They were followed by last year’s state champion Barron Collier, who finished with 200 points, and the 2017 state champion Lawton Chiles with 190.5 points.
The Sarasota boys were led by senior Owen Matteson, who was competing in his first FHSAA State Championship following a move from New York. Matteson swam to a pair of 4th place finishes at the meet, narrowly missing the top three in both the 200 free and 100 fly. He touched the wall in 1:41.67 in the 200 and 49.43 in the fly, both of which were new best times.
One of the meet’s most impressive performances came from Barron Collier senior and University of Minnesota commit Andrew Garner. Garner was four for four on the day, topping the podium in all four races he participated in. After swimming to a 25.20 as the breaststroke leg of his school’s 200 medley relay, he took first in the 100 free in 45.28. He was slightly faster in the event in prelims, touching in 45.18. He then led off his schools 200 free relay, clocking a new best time of 20.70 while swimming the fastest split in the event. He finished his meet by winning the 100 breast in 55.07.
Another multiple event winner at the meet was junior Riley Sampson. Sampson swam to a first-place finish in both the 200 free (1:38.78) and 500 free (4:26.15). Last year he finished 2nd and 3rd in those events respectively.
The final multiple event winning performance on the day came from Barron Collier senior Mason Laur. Laur won the 200 IM for the second year in a row, holding off Hayden Kwan to finish in 1:46.43. He later upset last year’s champion in the 100 fly, sophomore Andrew Billitto, to take first. He finished in 48.21.
While Mason Laur beat out Kwan in the 200 IM, Kwan came back later in the meet to repeat as the state champion in the 100 back (48.62).
Also repeating as state champion was Zuri Ramsey in the 50 free. He was slightly faster than his time from last year, touching the wall in 20.51 to win by over three-tenths of a second.
While the meet was packed with fast swimming, the stands were also packed. Reports from the meet say that bleachers were filled with fans sitting shoulder to shoulder. Athletes also stood on the podiums without wearing masks, putting each other at risk in a state that has seen a climb in COVID cases over the past month.
Matteson’s time was a 49.43 on the 100 fly in finals.
Sarasota High has won the state title before in the early 2000s. I believe it was 2003.
Zuri Ramsey-20.51 50 free
Mason Laur – 1.46.43 200im
“While the meet was packed with fast swimming, the stands were also packed. Reports from the meet say that bleachers were filled with fans sitting shoulder to shoulder. Athletes also stood on the podiums without wearing masks, putting each other at risk in a state that has seen a climb in COVID cases over the past month.”
Yep, Twitter feed and Facebook confirm this. FHSAA did little to nothing to help insure the safety of the athletes and spectators. They are running the event business as usual. I do realize it is outdoors but stacking spectators in bleachers and having them shoulder to shoulder on the deck is ridiculous. Give the kids the chance to swim but limit the deck… Read more »
Great swimming by all of the Schools. But, the FHSAA was totally irresponsible in the conduct of the meet. One fourth on the State didn’t compete due to Covid 19 problems. There was unlimited spectators in the stands and wearing of face masks was not enforced. Wearing of face masks for athletes was not enforced. During the dual meet season, no spectators were allowed in the stands and all participants wore face masks. At Districts and Regions, a very limited number of spectators entered and then exited the stands to watch their swimmer. All spectators and participants were required to wear face masks. Get to States and we have a Covid spreader party. No social distancing and no required face… Read more »
Can’t agree more and Im hoping that 1A 2A will have a few changes put in place. You can always email the FHSAA. https://fhsaa.com/staff.aspx
3A not D3