BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Eva Whitehead became the first-ever district champion in swimming for Union County High School, capturing two titles at the District 1-1A championships on Oct. 17 at Oak Hall in Gainesville.
Whitehead, a sophomore, won the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:02.40, which put her ahead of P.K. Yonge junior Alessandra Quintana, who had a time of 1:03.62. Whitehead was third at last year’s district finals.
In the 200 individual medley, Whitehead won with a time of 2:16.95, finishing ahead of P.K. Yonge senior Carolyn Wolking, who had a time of 2:18.45. Whitehead was the district runner-up last season.
Whitehead, who went undefeated in the regular season, will compete at the Region 1 finals, which will be held Tuesday, Oct. 24, at The Bolles School in Jacksonville at 3 p.m. She had the eighth-best time in the 100 backstroke when comparing the times of the region’s four districts and the 13th-best time in the 200 IM. Whitehead is attempting to qualify for state in both events for the second straight year.
This is Union’s second year competing in the sport of swimming. Abby Gainey, a senior, who also competed last year, returned this year. She and Whitehead were joined by newcomers Kiersten Clemons, a sophomore, and Karlie Hardee, a senior.
The foursome formed the Tigers’ first-ever relay teams. They swam to an eighth-place finish in the 200 medley relay with a time of 2:38.78. In the 200 free relay, they had a 10th-place time of 2:28.74.
Hardee earned an individual 20th-place finish with a time of 1:18.26 in the 100 freestyle. She also finished 21st in the 50 freestyle with a time of 33.65.
Gainey had a time of 1:46.53 to place 22nd in the 100 breaststroke. She and Clemons finished 33rd and 34th, respectively, in the 50 freestyle with times of 41.77 and 43.01.
