- April 19, 2024
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The friendly rivalry between Flagler County's two high schools is never more embodied than in the relationship of the swim teams.
Flagler Palm Coast and Matanzas held their senior day together on Thursday, Oct. 13 at the Frieda Zamba Pool at the Palm Coast Aquatics Center as the teams interrupted their annual meet to recognize the seniors on both teams.
Matanzas and FPC each formed a line of swimmers in the shallow end of the pool. The seniors walked between the lines as their names were called and were splashed from both sides on their way out of the pool. Once out of the water they receive an engraved souvenir towel and were greeted by their parents.
"We started this six or seven years ago," said FPC boys coach Tom Gillin. "They walk through the gauntlet of splashing. The kids love it."
It has been a tough season for both teams as thunderstorms wreaked havoc with the schedule and practices. Both teams had to cancel two meets. Then Hurricane Ian damaged parts on both the Frieda Zamba pool and the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club pool, causing both to close temporarily and forcing the teams to share practice time at the Ormond Beach YMCA.
"The plan was if one pool went down, the teams would train together at the other pool," Gillin said. "We didn't anticipate both pools going down. This has been a year of perseverance."
Gillin said even though the swimmers from the opposing teams are rivals, they feel a connection.
"I'm amazed how well they get along," he said. "A lot of them train together with (the Flagler Fluid Swim Team). I think they enjoy this meet more than any other."
But that does not mean the rivalry doesn't exist. For the first time in Matanzas school history, the Pirates' boys swim team defeated the Bulldogs, 86-80. FPC's girls evened the score on the day, defeating Matanzas 90.5 to 79.5.
The boys meet came down to the final event — the 400-yard freestyle relay — which Matanzas' Sam Peters, Merritt Rice, Casey Schagen and Keaton Lasicki won with a time of 4:09.32. Peters and Teddy Vanderbilt each won two individual events.
Matanzas' Madelyn Derringe won the 100 free and the 500 free in the girls competition.
NOBLE COMMITS TO E. MICHIGAN
FPC's Lucy Noble was one of 14 seniors on the two teams to swim in her final high school meet in Flagler County. Noble will continue her swimming career in college next year. She has verbally committed to swim for Eastern Michigan University and will sign a letter of intent with the Eagles next month.
"I was looking for a change scenery," said Noble, who also considered UNC Asheville and Cal State Bakersfield.
She spent 48 hours with the Eastern Michigan swim team on her official visit.
"I pretty much always had my sight set on swimming in college. To go to a Division I school is the cherry on top. I was looking all around. (At Eastern Michigan), the team environment was awesome and head coach Derek Perkins is also awesome," she said.
"I pretty much always had my sight set on swimming in college. To go to a Division I school is the cherry on top."
LUCY NOBLE, FPC swimmer
Noble will be the first FPC swimmer to continue her career in college since Micayla Cronk, who graduated in 2021 and is now a sophomore at the University of Florida. Cronk was a seven-time state champ in high school.
While Noble will never top Cronk's times in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events, she has broken Cronk's school records in the 100 breaststroke and the 100 butterfly. Noble said she wants to also break Cronk's school record in the 100 backstroke in the postseason, which begins this month.
Noble advanced to the Class 4A state meet last year, finishing 13th in the 50 free and 17th in the 100 free.
