Cardinal Gibbons senior Juliet Radich only knows two things when it comes to diving – winning state and setting records.
Radich successfully defended her state championship for a third time and completed her undefeated streak of never losing a high school diving competition spanning 35 meets. She scored 527.40 points to easily win the 1-meter diving state title on Friday in the Class 2A state meet at Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training Center (FAST) in Ocala.
It marked the second straight year that Radich has topped 500 points and won by more than 100 points. She bested runner-up Seminole senior Victoria Teixeira (393.75). Radich, a University of North Carolina commit, finished second in the country on the 10-meter platform last year and has captured four Junior National titles overall.
“I am pretty happy about it,” Radich said by phone. She broke her own school record with a 556.25 in winning the regional championship a week earlier. Her previous best before then was 544.25 set as a freshman at the regional competition.
Radich was unable to dive at the state meet in her freshman year when Hurricane Nicole forced the competition to be moved back a week. She had already committed to attend an international diving competition in Ireland, where she won the 10-meter platform.
“I didn’t necessarily feel any pressure this year,” Radich said. “I definitely felt supported by my coaches, and I just wanted to go out there and have fun for my last meet. I was excited, and I had changed my dives after districts, and I felt more confident with my list.”
Last year, Radich scored 517.05 points to win her second straight title by more than 123 points over runner-up Madison Bates of Naples (393.50). At this year’s state meet, Radich said she carried the confidence of setting the school record in regionals.
“I wasn’t thinking of any records. I just wanted to stay locked in and have fun,” Radich said. “It made me feel so amazing. I am so honored, and definitely proud of myself for never losing a competition in high school, and my performance at state has been pretty consistent.”
Dreyfoos School was the top local girls team finisher, taking ninth with 95 points. Pompano Beach (94) took 11th, while American Heritage was 13th with 73.5 points, and Calvary Christian Academy finished 15th (69 points). Coral Springs Charter finished 19th with 41 points. Mater Lakes Academy won the girls state title with 200.5 points.
American Heritage junior Liliana Novak was second in the 100 free (51.85) and third (23.81) in the 50 free, while Calvary Christian Academy senior Marley Tyner was fifth in 50 free (24.19).
“I am really happy with it,” Novak said by phone. “The finals were so much fun. This morning (Friday), in prelims, I was so focused on going best times, and I am starting to realize that doesn’t really work for me. It is better for me to be in the moment, and in finals I was just happy to be here, and be with my friends, and the outcome was so much better.”
In her freshman year at state, she made the B Finals and last year placed fifth in the 50 free.
Pompano Beach sophomore Alina Rodriguez (1:64.13) was fifth in the girls’ 200 free and seventh in the 100 fly (58.64). Dreyfoos junior Allison Connors was seventh in the 500 free (5:15.24), while Dreyfoos junior Emma Han was fifth in the 100 breast (1:05.96). Han was the top point getter for the Jaguars, scoring 19 points.
Coral Springs Charter’s girls placed fifth in the 200 medley relay. Calvary Christian Academy girls were sixth in the 200 free relay, while Pompano Beach girls were seventh. Pompano Beach placed fifth in the 400 free relay, while Coral Springs Charter was sixth.
Moberg first to win disability races
Coral Springs Charter senior Faith Moberg, left, won both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle disability races on Friday night at the Class 2A state meet at Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training Center (FAST) in Ocala. She is pictured with Cardinal Gibbons freshman Elizabeth Mathews, who placed second in both races. This is the first year that the FHSAA has had separate races for special needs athletes. (Coral Springs Charter Athletics/Courtesy)
This was the first year the FHSAA offered events for special needs athletes, and two locals owned the podium in Class 2A. In the 50-yard freestyle disability race, Coral Springs Charter senior Faith Moberg won with a time of 36.28, while Cardinal Gibbons freshman Elizabeth Mathews was runner-up. Moberg later captured the 100 freestyle disability event (1:25.07), finishing ahead of Mathews again. Both times were personal best times for Moberg.
“It’s really cool to end my senior year representing my school, being a state champion, and winning medals,” Moberg said by phone. “It was a great way to end my season and my swimming career.
“It’s also really cool to be the first disability swimmer,” added Moberg, who has won at different levels in the Special Olympics in swimming, track, tennis, basketball, equestrian, and volleyball. “I think it opens the door for people.”
Moberg, who competes in longer distances in swimming for the Special Olympics, has cerebral palsy, hypotonia, and a visual disability.
“The crowd was going nuts,” said Faith’s mother, Joyce. “It was just a moment to see. After Faith won, she turned a cheer for Elizabeth. It was great for the state to do this. It shed light on people with disabilities.”
“We are still in shock,” Coral Springs Charter swim coach Sheri Wells added. “Faith has done well in Special Olympics, and it was great for her to compete. She is the first disabled swimmer to ever win, and she has that history for the rest of her life.”
Farinas wins two Class 1A championships
Just one week before her 13th foot surgery, Oxbridge Academy senior Gabi Farinas struck gold — twice.
Farinas won both the 50 free (29.08) and 100 free (1:02.93) disability races at the Class 1A FHSAA state swimming and diving championships at Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training Center (FAST) in Ocala on Saturday night.
“It’s just amazing, and it is my first state meet too,” said Farinas, who has been swimming for the school since the eighth grade. She has severe bilateral club foot and has had a dozen surgeries on them and countless procedures. She is slated for another ankle surgery next week in Seattle, which will postpone her signing a scholarship with Emory University by eight days.
“It’s been really hard because I have been going to districts and training for the Paralympics too,” continued Farinas, who has had foot surgeries every year of high school. “When I heard this year that I would be able to compete at states, I was just ecstatic. I really have no words for it. I really love swimming, and I can take time off after a surgery and come back stronger and better. I don’t fear surgery because I can come back.”
Farinas was grateful that the FHSAA allowed swimmers with disabilities to compete this year at the state competition.
“I think, even since I started swimming eight years ago, this does a lot to raise awareness,” she continued. “Not even just high school, but colleges too. It makes me happy because these freshmen will get states for four years. I am happy I had it for one year. I didn’t even know they were giving out medals and a podium. That’s amazing.”
University School sophomore Naiyla Di Sarno won the 100 breast (1:02.68) and King’s Academy junior Tessa Broedell was fifth (1:03.64) in the event.
“It was really exciting for me because I really didn’t expect it,” Di Sarno said. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but I knew I had it in me.”
Di Sarno said her 200 IM preliminary race in the morning gave her motivation to win the breaststroke event.
“Even though I placed in the ‘B final’ of the IM, I really wanted to win the breast,” she added. “I really wanted it. It was shocking at first because I got what I really wanted. This compares to like when you are a little kid and you get exactly what you wanted for Christmas. It was a lot of joy.”
University School sophomore Naiyla Di Sarno won the 100 breaststroke event on Saturday in the Class 1A state meet at Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training Center (FAST) in Ocala. (University School Athletics/Courtesy)
Benjamin sophomore Feagin Kaminski won the 100 back (55.43), while University School junior Maria Camila Perez (56.16) took fourth. Perez also placed eighth in the 200 IM (2:07.17).
St. Andrew’s girls finished third with 153.5 points, while Pine Crest was fourth (136.5 points), and Benjamin was fifth (116). King’s Academy took seventh with 84 points, while University School was eighth with 77 points.
St. Andrew’s sophomore Millie Cochrane was second in the 1A 1-meter diving competition, finishing with 388.95 points.
St. Andrew’s freshman Cielo Moya Vargas took third in the girls’ 50 free (23.85). Three other local swimmers finished 4-6 as King’s Academy’s Selah Austin (23.86), Pine Crest senior Parker Jacobson-Bertanzetti (24.01), and St. Andrew’s junior Alera Hurwitz (24.08) followed closely behind.
Vargas also finished fourth in the 100 fly (58.04), while Benjamin junior Rachel Nussbaum was eighth (52.83) in the 100 free. Pine Crest senior Sara Miller was sixth in the girls’ 200 IM (2:06.69).
King’s Academy girls were third in the 200 medley relay (1:46.64), St. Andrew’s (fourth, 1:47.36), Benjamin (fifth, 1:48.88), and Pine Crest (seventh, 1:49.36).
Pine Crest finished fourth in the 200 free relay (1:38.38). Pine Crest girls were third in the 400 free relay (3:29.86), St. Andrew’s (fourth, 3:32.37), Benjamin (fifth, 3:33.57), and University School (eighth, 3:36.83).
