- December 4, 2025
Matanzas and FPC seniors at the swim teams' Senior Day. Back row: Matanzas' Lily Gerkin, Ellie Sexton, Adianna De Oliveira, Mandy Flaherty, Carmella Cuccinello, FPC's Violet Radoncipi, Matilda Noble, Mallory Blackburn and Matanzas' McKenzie Manhart. Front: Matanzas' Keaton Lasicki and Oliver Morris. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC seniors Violet Radoncipi, Matila Noble and Mallory Blackburn were honored on Matanzas-FPC Senior Day at the Palm Coast Aquatics Center. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas seniors. Back row: Lily Gerkin, Ellie Sexton, Adianna De Oliveira, Mandy Flaherty, Carmella Cuccinello and McKenzie Manhart. Front: Matanzas' Keaton Lasicki and Oliver Morris. Photo by Brent Woronoff
After receiving the senior splash treatment, FPC's Mallory Blackburn walks up the steps to be honored on Matanzas-FPC Senior Day. Photo by Brent Woronoff
After getting splashed by swimmers from both sides, FPC's Matilda Noble walks out of the pool to be honored on Matanzas-FPC Senior Day at the Palm Coast Aquatics Center. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas' Leo Peters won the 100 butterfly. He also won the 200 freestyle relay. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC's Matilda Noble won the 200 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. Photo by Brent Woronoff
FPC's Stella Guymon won the 100 backstroke. She also won the 200 individual medley. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas junior Leo Peters broke his own school record in the 100 butterfly and set a personal record in his 100 split in the 400-yard freestyle relay in the Pirates’ annual swim meet against Flagler Palm Coast on Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Palm Coast Aquatics Center.
Peters (100 fly, 200 free) and Oliver Morris (50 free, 100 free) each won two individual events as Matanzas defeated FPC 108-56 in the boys competition. The Pirates also won on the girls side 94-73.
In the girls meet, three FPC swimmers each won two events: Matilda Noble (200 free, 100 fly), Stella Guymon (200 individual medley, 100 backstroke) and Emma Gilbert (100 breaststroke, 500 free). But Matanzas won the meet with its superior depth.
The Pirates and Bulldogs recognized their seniors on the teams’ combined Senior Day. Each senior got the splash treatment from both sides as they walked out of the pool to receive a towel and gifts. Matanzas honored eight seniors: Carmella Cuccinello, McKenzie Manhart, Morris, Lily Gerkin, Mandy Flaherty, Keaton Lasicki and Adianna DeOliveira. FPC honored their three seniors: Noble, Violet Radoncipi and Mallory Blackburn.
Peters broke his own 100 butterfly record by just over two-tenths of a second with a time of 55.81 seconds. He swam his best 100 split in the 400 freestyle relay in 49.91 seconds.
“Since it's a relay, we get a bit of an advantage — we can see around when to start. But my real time would probably be low 50s, hopefully,” he said.
Matanzas coach Carrie Purdy said Peters is not sure if he’ll swim the 100 butterfly or the 100 freestyle at districts on Oct. 29.
“They’re back-to-back, so he’ll have to pick,” she said.
The relay teams are the Pirates’ strength, Peters said.
“We’ve definitely got a relay-oriented team,” he said.
While depth is a strength for Matanzas, FPC has just 13 swimmers in new coach Mike Yearwood’s first season.
“We’re trying to build our team,” Yearwood said. “The ones that we have, they work hard and they've improved all season long. And we’re young. We’ve got a lot coming back.”
For the first time, the teams used starting blocks for two lanes that are five feet deep at the aquatics center.
“We were excited to do that,” Purdy said.
