By By Michael S. Hill
Advance Staff Writer
The Atmore Stingrays placed fourth in their division at the 2000 City Meet Championships held in Fairhope last week. Not too shabby, considering this is the Stingrays' first year of competing with the high-quality teams found in the Greater Mobile Swimming and Diving League, the sponsor league for the meet.
More than 580 swimmers from 15 teams from surrounding counties entered the championships. Teams were divided into three divisions at the meet, based on number of team members. Atmore was in Division III with eight other teams.
Kaylie Castleberry earned 59 points from individual events, good enough to secure 2nd Runner-up for the 13-year-old Girl's High Point trophy.
Individual results:
For the 9-year-old boys, Aaron Sharpless placed ninth in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard individual medley events, 10th in the 100-yard freestyle and 11th in the 50-yard backstroke.
For the 10-year-old girls, Caitlyn Luttrell finished 10th in the 50-yard breast stroke and swam her best times in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle and the 50-yard backstroke events. Hannah Jones and Hillary Rolin each swam their best times in the 100-yard freestyle competitions.
For the 11-year-old boys, Ben Hetzel placed seventh in the 50-yard backstroke and 12th in the 50-yard freestyle. Cody Norton won a third-place medal in the 50-yard breast stroke and finished sixth in the 50-yard backstroke, seventh in the 100-yard individual medley, and ninth in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events.
For the 11-year-old girls, Eva Currie swam her best times in the 50-yard breast stroke and freestyle events. Amanda Hetzel swam her best times in the 50-yard butterfly, backstroke and breast stroke competitions, as well as the 100-yard freestyle and individual medley events.
For the 12-year-old boys, Brandon Sharpless brought home a third-place medal in the 50-yard breast stroke. He also placed sixth in the 50-yard backstroke, seventh in the 100-yard freestyle, ninth in the 100-yard individual medley and 10th in the 50-yard freestyle.
For the 13-year-old girls, Kerrianne Castleberry finished ninth in the 50-yard breast stroke, 10th in the 50-yard backstroke and swam her best time in the 100-yard individual medley.
Kaylie Castleberry took two second-place medals in the 50-yard freestyle and breast stroke events, and a third-place medal in the 100-yard individual medley. She also finished fourth in the 50-yard backstroke and fifth in the 50-yard butterfly competition enroute to placing second runner-up in the high point standings.
For the 15-year-old girls, Kristi Rigby finished 11th in the 50-yard breast stroke.
Megan Rolin placed sixth in the 50-yard breast stroke, 10th in the 50-yard butterfly and 100-yard individual medley, 11th in the 50-yard backstroke and swam her best time in the 50-yard freestyle event.
For the 15-year-old boys, Cole Norton finished 11th in the 100-yard freestyle and individual medley and 50-yard butterfly events, and 12th in the 50-yard freestyle.
Relay team results:
In the 12-and-under division, the 200-yard medley relay team of Cody Norton, Ben Hetzel, Brandon Sharpless and Aaron Sharpless finished in sixth place.
In the 14-and under division, the 200-yard medley relay team of Eva Currie, Kaylie Castleberry, Kerrianne Castleberry and Amanda Hetzel finished in fifth place.
The 200-yard freestyle relay team, composed of the same members, also finished in fifth place.
In the Senior division, the 200-yard freestyle relay team of Kerrianne Castleberry, Kaylie Castleberry, Kristi Rigby and Megan Rolin finished in fifth place.
The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Cody Norton, Ben Hetzel, Brandon Sharpless and Cole Norton finished in sixth place.