Atzhorn third at state
BY JASON THOMPSON Gulf Breeze News jason@gulfbreezenews.com

Photo courtesy of Dave Atzhorn Proud coach - and mom Aileen Atzhorn (left), who placed third in the 100 yard breaststroke at Friday's 2A state meet, poses with coach (and mother) Teri.

Aileen Atzhorn closed out a stellar high school career with a third place finish in the 100 yard breaststroke at Friday's 2A state swim meet at the Central Florida YMCA Aquatic Center in Orlando. She was fourth in that event last year.

Atzhorn, who's drawn the attention of at least two Southeastern schools, was third with a time of 1:07.7, while teammate Ellyn Schroeder was seventh (1:09.71). Atzhorn's time was two and a half seconds faster that last year's.

The pair were the only two individual swimmers to qualify for an 'A' final. The quartet of Atzhorn, Ellyn Schroeder and Jacqueline St. Louis took sixth in the 200 yard medley relay with a time of 1:53.88.

The top eight in preliminaries qualified for an A(championship) final, while places nine through 16 were placed in the B (consolation) final.

St. Louis was 10th in the 50 yard freestyle (24.95), while Nowak was 14th in the 100 yard freestyle (55.15).

Photo courtesy of Dave Atzhorn GBHS swimmers who made the trip to state are (front): Aileen Atzhorn. Second row (from left): Jacqueline St. Louis, Thy Nguyen and Koren Schroeder. Back (from left): Ross Gunn, Ashley Ogurek, Michala Nowak and Ellyn Schroeder.

The quartet of Nowak, Ashley Ogurek, Atzhorn and St. Louis were 16th in the 400 yard freestyle (3:51.11).

Ross Gunn, the lone GBHS male to qualify for state, was 14th in the 100 yard backstroke (57.68).

St. Louis was 17th in the 100 yard freestyle (55.53), while Nowak was 21st in the 200 yard freestyle (1:59.21).

The girls team scored 66 points at state, while the boys team scored three.