Coast Aquatics excels on the road

Coast Aquatics Places 5^th at the Santa’s BEST Invitational

Coast Aquatics, the local swimming club team based out Fort Walton Beach and Niceville, placed fifth with a team total of 633 points in the Biloxi Elite Swim Team Santa’s BEST Invitational in Biloxi, Miss. on Nov. 20-Dec. 2.

Coast was led by Emma Rudman and CJ Matthews, who both won the individual high point title for their respective age groups.  Emma’s weekend was capped by five first-place finishes in the girls’ 13-14-year-old division in the 500 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 100 butterfly and the 400 IM, scoring a total of 87 points.  CJ’s weekend was highlighted by first-place finishes in all nine events he swam in the boys’ 9-10 division, scoring 99 total points.  In the process, CJ set nine Santa’s BEST meet records in that age group (50, 100 and 200 freestyle; 50 and 100 backstroke; 50 and 100 butterfly; and the 100 and 400 IM).  Nathaniel Rudman finished second in the high point race with 80 points, including wins in the boys’ 9-10 1650 freestyle and the 50 breaststroke.

In other individual races, Lucy Rudman had a first place finish in the girls’ 13-14 1650 freestyle and a third-place finish in the 200 freestyle.  Cole Pearson had a strong second-place finish in boys’ 10 & under 1650 freestyle.  Mia Derosa, Gabes Skeete and Landon Campbell each had third-place finishes in respective events.  Mia posted a third-place finish in the girls’ 9-10 50 butterfly; Gabes finished third in the boys’ 7-8 25 freestyle; and Landon placed third in the 7-8 boys’ 50 breaststroke.

Coast also had two relay teams break meet records in Biloxi: the 9-10 boys’ freestyle relay team of Nathaniel Rudman, Connor Bartlett, Cole Pearson and CJ Matthews, who set a Santa’s BEST SC meet record in the 200 Freestyle Relay with a time of 2:02.90, and the 9-10 boys’ medley relay team of CJ Matthews, Chris Worthen, Nathaniel Rudman and Cole Pearson, who set a Santa’s BEST SC meet record in the 200 Medley Relay with a time of 2:21.54.

Coast Aquatics Shines at the GPAC Gravy Bowl Classic

Coast Aquatics participated in the Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club Gravy Bowl Classic in Pensacola on Nov. 16-18, posting numerous strong finishes.

Coast was led by CJ Matthews, who won the individual high point title in the 10 & under boys’ division, highlighted by first-place finishes in all eight events he swam.  Ashley Reynolds had two first-place finishes in the 13-14 girls’ 1650 freestyle and the 400 individual medley, and Cole Pearson also finished first in two 10 & under boys events (25 Freestyle and 25 Backstroke).  Individual event winners also included Paris Binard in the girls’ 10 & under 500 freestyle; Nicholas Kartvedt in the boys’ 13-14 1650 freestyle; and Levi Wilke in the boys’ open 1650 freestyle.  

Katie Miller, Kellen Broaderick and Jason Nieva each had two second-place finishes in individual events.  Katie’s second-place finishes were in the girls’ open 100 & 200 Breaststroke; Kellen’s second-place finishes came in the 13-14 boys’ 200 breaststroke and the 200 butterfly; and Jason was runner-up in the 13-14 boys’ 100 breaststroke and the 400 IM.  Other second-place finishes included Donaji Brindley in the 13-14 girls’ 200 butterfly; Joshua Wood in the boys’ 11-12 100 butterfly; Benson Kuira in the boys’ 13-14 200 backstroke; Chris Morin in the boys’ 50 freestyle, and Mike Holland the boys’ 1650 freestyle.