St. Pete Aquatics standout Romano racks up victories
By JASON PAFUNDI
Published October 31, 2004
Megan Romano, who swims for St. Pete Aquatics, won the high-point award for her age group and finished first overall in the West Florida Lightning Aquatics Halloween Open. Romano competed in 10 events, winning the 400- and 200-yard individual medley, 100 and 200 backstroke, 100 and 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.
She placed third in the 200 free and 100 butterfly. Romano and Tracey Rorer, Kelsey Krauss and Colleen Quinn captured the 400 IM relay title.
For the Clearwater Aquatics Team, Summer Finke finished first in the 8-and-under girls division and David Morgan placed second in boys 10-and-under. Other CAT members with strong performances were Wes Stearns, first, an d Jonathan Taddeo, second, 11-12 boys; Cameron Martin, second, 13-14; and Clay Bullock, first, senior division.
Joining Romano, who competed in the 13-14 girls class, as SPA high-point producers were Melanie Margalis, first, 11-12; and Cameron Chambers, who tied for second in 13-14 boys competition.
Rounding out the CAT showing for the girls were Morgan Perrotti (first in 50 free), Autumn Finke (fifth in 100 IM), Kathleen Rossi (second in 100 free), Caroline Myers (third in 50 and 100 breaststroke and 400 IM), Megan Rossi (second in 50 and 100 breaststroke), Erin Grycewicz (sixth in 50 breaststroke), Angelica Compton (ninth in 100 backstroke), Kelsie Schmidt (sixth in 200 breaststroke), Paige Schmidt (fifth in 200 fly), Ashley Rossi (eighth in 100 backstroke and 200 fly), Kali Goodwin (first in 50 free and 400 IM), Jennifer Gryler (third in 100 and 500 free), Caroline Myers (third in 200 fly), Whitney Roper (second in 400 IM), Ariela Ya Sova (third in 100 breaststroke), Kelly Grace (fourth in 200 IM), Carolina Miembro (sixth in 200 IM) and Tara Cromer (seventh in 200 IM).
Also on the boys side for CAT was Zach Perrotti, Matthew Davis Istvan Meszaros, Noah Harrington, Santiago Hernandez and Keith Coghlan.
Other SPA competitors were Caroline Neely, Melanie Rorer, Alexandra Jones, Sidney Newfield, Rachel Shea, Elyse Snyder, Allie Evan, Joseph Daniels, Jordan Hawkins, Stuart Weber and Robert Bardin.
WFLA's participants were Trevor Caldwell, Alex Metka, Brent Sunnucks, Andrew Blazuk, Francisio Birk, Paul Hoffman, Chelsea Miller, Rachel McGlove, Hannah Roper, Colleen Sears, Kathleen Rossi, Mary Boucher, Claire Thompson, Christine Thompson, Antonio Birk, Kristine Metka, Ashley Gorman, Stephanie Foss, Amanda Panty, Nichole Gauzeus, Erica Smith, Raquel Montoya, Tierny Moses, Teresa Tessier and Ally Smith.
GYMNASTICS: The Tampa Bay Turners competed in the South Florida Fright Night Invitational in Coral Springs.
The organization's Level 4 teams finished first and second. The club posted two firsts and a third in Level 5 and fifth in Level 6. In Level 4 competition, Nathania Beltran placed sixth all-around, Melissa Franklin was first in the floor exercise and first all-around, Casey Pluchino came in first on the beam, in floor and all-around, Madalyn Golightly took first on the vault and all-around and Kayna Mogelnicki was seventh all-around.
Others in the division were Abigail Campbell, first on bars; Sarah Devoe, second on bars and fourth on vault; Debbie Chen, first in floor; and Hannah Caneel, second in floor and all-around.
In Level 5, Ashley Rhoads was first on the bars and beam, Taylor Salazar third on beam and all-around, Bianca Rawson first on bars, Sara Hill first on beam, in floor and all-around, Emily Tongdee third on vault, Cortni Claar eighth on vault and bars, Dannie Edmonds 10th on beam and floor, Melissa Tobin, first on vault, Christina Phell first on vault, bars, beam and all-around, Mansie Hough first on beam, floor and all-around, Ivy Hussung first on bars and vault, Therese Byrne second on beam, Keri Linnemeyer second on bars and Kelsey Knopp fifth on bars.
In Level 6, Kylie Moran captured first on beam, Erin Pluchino was third on bars and floor, Shelby Hilton took first on vault, Sara McCammack came in third on beam, MacKenzie Smith was 14th all-around and Alex Hagan finished eighth on beam.
