Gator vs. Gator! Green Wins!

by David Ruppe

Gator parents were treated to a great night of swimming, pleasant weather, pizza-fed kids, and a before-8PM finish time at MVP's annual, internal Green and White Meet Monday night.

Oh, yeah, and "Green" beat "White" in a decisive 72 - 64 win!

Maybe it was the caps:

Actually, for the Green and White only, points are awarded for a team when a swimmer swims his or her first swim, or beats an earlier recorded time. The Green and White is usually a young gators' first meet, a chance to show off the new strokes and skills they've acquired over the preceding weeks. Sometimes they're aided by fins ...

And sometimes, by coaches ...

The meet is also a chance for older gators to improve their best times.  Sizable time cuts (for single stroke events) were recorded for Caroline Miller (9.18 for Girls 9-10 50 Breast), Cassidy Crowther (6.44 for Girls 8U 25 Breast), Garo Partoyan (5.23 for Boys 8U 25 Back), Grace Foutch (6.08 for Girls U8 25 Free), Andrew Sabo (5.28 for Boys 8U Free), and Shaan Nagda (8.65 for Boys 8U 25 Free).  Sabo, by the way, kicked off the meet (as he did last year) with a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem.

The heat winners Monday were:

Freestyle

Tyler Swartz, Sean Kovalsky, Liam Garvey, Anthony Sarro, Evan Prible, Samantha Cowen, Natalie Santangelo, Josie Cowen, Ella Prible, Lizzie Grubbs, Ella Jaskot, Lillian Purtill, Donovan Kovalsky, Samuel Bradburn, Lily Palmerino, Mikayla Gordon, Elouise Normand, TJ Heck, Colin Miller, Olivia Blondin, Grace McGee, Matthew Saltus, Emma Jones, Cameron Morey, and Jessie Bricker.

Tyler Swartz swam an impressive 25 free on a single breath.

Back

Tyler Swartz, Garo Partoyan, Ginny Grubbs, Monica Morales, Lizzie Grubbs, Lillian Purtill, James Piland, Isabella Van Damme, Kenneth Krough, Juliana Skopp-Cardillo, Cole Miller, Sheridan Phalen, and Jessie Bricker.

Breast
Matthew Makin, Cassidy Crowther, James Piland,Caroline Baker, Caroline Miller, Parker Blondin, Gabrielle Gretzler, Olivia Blondin, Matthew Saltus, Sheridan Phalen, and Sarah Jones.



Fun happens out of the water too.

Fly

Matthew Makin, Abigail Litonjua, Donovan Kovalsky, Isabella Van Damme, Lillian Babin, Parker Blondin, Juliana Skopp-Cardillo, Cole Miller, Emma Jones, and Emily Watzl.

IM

James Piland, Isabella Van Damme, TJ Heck, Emily Makin, Sheridan Phalen, Kevin Adams-Mardi, and Jessie Bricker.

Gator friendships transcend cap color.