Each week, the USA Swimming zones release their top 20 times. Swimming World will provide a unique analysis of one specific zone each week and a general recap of the remaining zones. Here, you’ll find the zones’ strengths, top athletes, and top times.
USA Swimming Southern Zone
LSCs: Border, North Texas, West Texas, South Texas, Gulf, Louisiana, Mississippi, Southeastern, Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virginia
Top Times: http://www.szoneswim.com/TabGeneric.jsp?_tabid_=155843&team=szlsc
Girls
The 11-year old girls stand second behind the Eastern Zone in power points. Sara Stotler of Spartan Aquatic Club leads a number of free, fly, and IM events for the age group.
Eva Kerr and Tristn Ulett lead the Southern Zone in the sprint free events, the specialty of the 12-year old girls division.
The 13-year old girls are on par with the Eastern and Western Zone’s in terms of power points, and are aided by the nation’s fastest 400-meter IMer Lindsay Looney.
The Southern Zone has the strongest 14 and 15-year old girls groups in all the nation. A strong top ten in nearly every single event – particularly the 100-meter fly – powers the 14-year old girls ahead of other zones. The 15-year old girls are propelled by the nation’s top 400-meter freestyler Gabrielle Kopenski.
The 16-year old girls are a force in the butterfly events, where Lauren Case is first in the nation in the 100-meter fly. Her 1:00.07 has stood first since late March. All four zones are fairly even in the 17-year old girls age group, but the south dominates the backstroke events.
Another of the Southern Zone’s best age groups is the 18-year old girls group. They dominate the power points and lead the next closest zone by over 5000 points, which is an astounding number with this age group.
Boys
The Southern Zone’s 11-year old boys are the second strongest zone in the country, according to the power point totals. They trail only the Western Zone, primarily because of the west’s overwhelming power in the backstrokes and IMs. No 11-year old boys hold a national top time, but they have the best depth in the country through the first ten spots.
The 12-year old boys trail the Western Zone yet again, but are led by national leaders Max Hardt (50-meter back, 100-meter breast, 200-meter IM) of Aquastar and Benjamin Mack-Jackson (200-meter breast) of NTC Aquatics.
The 13 and 14-year old boys trail behind the Western and Eastern Zones in power points. The 14-year old boys have some of the nation’s best freestylers including Trey Freeman whose 1:53.31 200-meter free is tops in the country.
The 15-year old boys are neck and neck with the Eastern Zone with help from the nation’s fastest 400-meter freestyle from Santi Corredor.
Perhaps the most touted age group in the Southern Zone is the 16-year old boys division. They lead the nation in power points by nearly 4000. The zone has the nation’s best backstroker (Michael Taylor), 200-meter breaststroker (Daniel Chang), and top IMers (Brennan Pastorek and Sean Grieshop).
Just like the class behind them. The 17-year old boys have the highest power point totals of all the zones. They rule the 50-meter free with the nation’s top time from Andrea Vergani and the only tenth-place time under 24 seconds.
The 18-year old boys trail only the Eastern Zone in power points, but dominate in the 100-meter fly and 200-meter IM.