Pine Crest, now at 2A, faces new field for title

For the Pine Crest Panthers, the last five years have been defined by coming up short in the state finals against the juggernaut Jacksonville Bolles Bulldogs.

Last season was no different for the Panthers as they placed second on the girls side at the state championship for the third consecutive season and fifth on the boys side.

Jacksonville Bolles has dominated the Class 1A state finals over the past three decades with the Bulldogs having claimed 40 boys state titles (1951-1954, 1972, 1981-1983, 1986, 1988-2018) and 32 girls state titles (1977, 1979, 1983-1984, 1991-2018).

With a new classification and a fresh group, Pine Crest might be primed to change this recent trend and possibly secure their first state title since the boys won in 1987 and the girls won in 1990.

“The biggest change for us is obviously the change of classifications,” Pine Crest coach Mariusz Podkoscielny said.

“It changes the landscape of our state meets with us no longer having to deal with Bolles. Of course, going to 2A will be new and exciting.”

Pine Crest, who will be switching from Class 1A to Class 2A, is set to be faced with the new challenge of competing against six-time defending girls state champion Gulliver Prep (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) and twotime defending boys state champion Tampa Jesuit (2017, 2018).

Led by Sun Sentinel Broward girls swimmer of the year Andrea Santander and a trio of returning Sun Sentinel Broward girls first team All-County honorees in Rachel Botting, Sara Lin and Julia Podkoscienly, the Pine Crest girls squad will be filled with talent and experience.

Santander placed first in the girls 100 free at the state meet this past year with a personal-best 49.96 and also finished second with another PR in the 200 IM (2:01.34).

Botting finished fourth at states in the 50 free (23.48) last season and managed to take home the district championship in the 50 free (24.61).

As one of several middle-schoolers on the Panthers’ varsity roster in 2018, Podkoscielny proved she can compete with some of the best at the state finals as she finished seventh in the 100 back (57.14).

Lin, an eighth-grader, owned the county’s fastest time in the 100 breast (1:04.93) and placed fifth at the state finals in the event (1:05.26).

On the boys side, sophomore Kevin Mendez and senior Elvis Kotikovski are prepared to be the cornerstones for the Panthers as they both look to build on their successful campaigns in 2018.

Mendez will look to defend his third consecutive diving state title (533) and is coming off a season where he had a personal-best dive (545) at districts. Kotikovski placed fourth at states in the 100 back (50.90) last season which earned him a junior national cut.

Both were named to the Sun Sentinel Broward boys first team.

In the case for St. Andrew’s, the Scots have found themselves in a similar situation as Pine Crest with Jacksonville Bolles continuing their stronghold on the Class 1A state championship. St. Andrew’s boys and girls team both finished third at the state finals and were fueled by their exceptional relay teams.

“Relays are a big part of our preparation around here,” St. Andrew’s coach Sid Cassidy said. We practice them not just because their worth double points but because it really improves the team from a chemistry aspect. Competition is always a good thing to have and it creates trouble for us to select the best swimmers.”

During the state finals, the Scots’ girls 200-medley relay team placed second (1:44.97), while the boys managed to finish second in the 200-medley relay (1:33.81) and 200-free relay (1:24.64).

The graduation of Joshua Balbi and Tomas Piza will leave significant holes for the Scots as they were both members on their boys relay teams.

Junior Tiago Pereira, a Sun Sentinel Broward first-teamer, is expected to be the anchor for the boys team this season with him coming off a year where he finished fifth at states in the 100 fly (50.28).

The St. Andrew’s girls team also took a critical loss as they graduated Shayna Fetes, who won two consecutive Class 1A state titles in the 100 breast.

Gabby Beltrano looks to build off her strong 2018 season as the senior is going to be one of the key swimmers on their girls relay teams.

King’s Academy, who sent a school-record 30 swimmers to the state finals last year, will be aiming to improve on their historic season as the boys team finished a programhigh ninth overall.

Joshua Zuchowski enters his sophomore season with high expectations with him just recently breaking a two-decade-old record set by five-time Olympic gold medalist Aaron Peirson in the 200 backstroke at the Spring International Championship (2:00.97).

Zuchowski, the Sun Sentinel’s 2018 Palm Beach swimmer of the year, captured the 100 backstroke state title (49.20) last season and placed second in the 200 IM (1:50.21).

“He’s currently ranked as one of the best male backstrokers in any age group,” King’s Academy coach Jonathan Zuchowski said. “He’s hopeful to be a multi-race All-American this season, and he hopes to compete in multiple events in the state finals. That’s ultimately his goal.”

Along with Zuchowski, junior Pace Edwards will be essential for the Lions to return to states. Edwards swam best time at the Class 1A state meet in the 500 free (4:40.39) and missed the finals by only one spot.